For almost a decade, Sao Paulo-based photographer Pedro Pinho has documented queer-friendly nightlife spaces in Brazil. For him, the collective experience of queer people finding solace and experiencing joy in these spaces is like a “religious ritual” through which people find their power.

“One thing that's really nice about Brazil is that it’s very diverse. Rave culture in Sao Paulo speaks to a lot of issues, just because those people are present in our communities. We are very conscious and take action on a lot of issues, especially how to think and occupy a city… Sao Paulo is a hard city for Black people to live in, so we do have to talk about that. It’s also a hard city for trans people,” says Pinho in an interview with i-D.

Using an analogue camera, Pinho captures the diverse queer scene in the early hours of the morning, after a night of being themselves without the fear of judgement and persecution.

“It’s a place where you can go and find different people, shiny and at their best and be accepted for who they are,” adds Pinho.

All images by Pedro Pinho.