Simone Arruda captures reading commuters in rainy São Paulo

Brazilian photographer Simone Arruda discusses her image 'Reading Through the Chaos' (2023), taken on a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE during rush hour at Brás station in São Paulo on a rainy March evening. The photograph shows train passengers reading, which Arruda describes as a moment of introspection amid chaos. She was drawn to the colors, contrast, and the woman glancing upward toward a red light signaling closing doors. Arruda made only minor saturation and sharpness adjustments, avoiding artificiality. She notes that rain in São Paulo creates a cinematic quality and expresses pride in her hometown.