Travel photography can be a dizzyingly broad field, packed with almost every conceivable subject, but at its heart it needs to do one important thing. “It needs to connect,” explains travel and nature specialist João Amorim.

“What I want,” he continues, “is for people to look at a picture of mine and feel the same as I did when I took it. Nothing compares to being out in nature, and that’s why I started to appreciate photography. The more I travelled, the more I wanted to save those moments, and to share them so I could inspire people to do the same.”

“I love to photograph the balance and the interactions between nature and humanity,” he muses, “and I’m always looking for ways that the natural world shapes us, and we shape it. That’s why I most often shoot natural scenes with a human element, or portraits of the people I meet. When humans interact with nature, without destroying it, it’s beautiful.”

That is easier found, he says, as a participant than an observer – and can be seen in one of João’s most recent projects, made on the island chain of Mentawai in Indonesia, where he was shooting with the Sony Alpha 7 IV. “On one the islands called Siberut we spent days with people called the Sikereys,” he explains. “They’re responsible for maintaining a balance between the people and the jungle. That’s their purpose in life and they’re truly happy with it, caring for their culture and their environment.”

“I don’t normally have a set plan for shooting,” João says, “and usually I don’t know what to expect! But in the beginning, I don’t want to be invasive, so I don’t use my camera straight away. I want to connect with people first and make them feel comfortable, because once you’re within an experience it’s better than when you’re on the outside. The pictures will be closer to what you’re feeling.”

When he does get close, the Alpha 7 IV is there to help João capture these moments. “For me, until the Alpha 7 IV, it was hard finding the right camera,” he explains, “but now I have this perfect balance between size, weight, and quality. Size is important because I can’t pack huge cameras and lots of lenses when I’m trekking but I don’t want to compromise on image quality either. The Alpha 7 IV’s sensor is amazing at high ISOs and in low-light, which is great for the unpredictable places I go, or when I want to work without a tripod.”

Another advantage of the Alpha 7 IV, João says, is its vari-angle rear monitor. “When you’ve used a rear monitor like the Alpha 7 IV’s, it’s impossible to go back,” he enthuses. “It turns and tilts to make all sorts of low and high angle shots possible, gives me new and exciting views, and it’s also really important for any vlogs that I shoot, as it can be turned around to view from the front.”

“The Alpha 7 IV’s autofocus is amazing, too,” he continues. “It works just as well in photos or videos, and it’s another area where the screen comes into play. What I love the most is its tracking ability, because with the camera up to my eye, I can just use my right thumb to touch the screen and it locks the focus there, keeping the subject perfectly sharp, even if we’re both moving or if I’m working at very wide apertures.”

João  has also found balance in his choice of Sony lenses. “It’s taken a while to figure out what works best for me,” he explains, “but I’ve finally got it down to three lenses and a teleconverter. 80% of the time I use the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM because it lets me do almost everything I need. It’s a great documentary lens, and I can also shoot portraits at the 35mm end. It’s just as sharp as it is versatile.”

Always seeking to find balance in nature, and finding equilibrium in himself though his photography, João sees the Alpha 7 IV as similarly well poised. “For content creators like me it’s so well set up for both photo and video,” he says, “and the new layout of the controls means you can switch between the two so easily. When I can do what I love with great tools, in places that inspire me, it’s the perfect balance.”