Digital Media · Visual Storytelling · AR Research

Poliana Bertolai

I build stories that move between worlds — from photographs that carry memory to augmented realities that create belonging.

50+ Awards
Golden Lens Nom.
MA Digital Media
🇧🇷→🇨🇦 Global Perspective
PB
Master's Research WelcomeAR Augmented Reality · Belonging
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Vogue Italy 20 Awarded Photographs
Golden Lens 3× Nomination — Brazil Portrait Photographer
Inspirations Photographers Top 10 Portrait · 12 Awards
FineArt Association 13 Awards · Multiple Categories
Fearless Photographers Award + 3 Honorable Mentions
Top 100 All-Time Portrait & Family — Inspirations
Vogue Italy 20 Awarded Photographs
Golden Lens 3× Nomination — Brazil Portrait Photographer
Inspirations Photographers Top 10 Portrait · 12 Awards
FineArt Association 13 Awards · Multiple Categories
Fearless Photographers Award + 3 Honorable Mentions
Top 100 All-Time Portrait & Family — Inspirations

About

Storyteller across
multiple layers
of reality.

Brazilian-born, Canada-based. I arrived in Niagara Falls carrying years of visual practice — award-winning photography, a commercial studio, and an obsession with how images create emotional truth.

My MA research at the University of Niagara Falls took that obsession somewhere new: augmented reality as a belonging infrastructure for international students. Not technology for technology's sake, but immersive storytelling in service of human connection.

Today I sit at the intersection of communication strategy, visual culture, and digital innovation — ready to bring that rare combination to organizations that shape how the world communicates.

01

The Visual Layer

Award-winning photographer. Vogue Italy. FineArt Association. A decade of making people feel seen through a lens.

02

The Research Layer

MA in Digital Media & Global Communication. AR prototyping. Belonging-centered design for intercultural transition.

03

The Strategy Layer

Project management. Commercial brand work. Entrepreneurial ownership. Communication that moves people to act.

Selected Work

04 Projects
Fine Art Photography

Cicatrizes
(Scars)

An intimate visual exploration of scars — physical and emotional — as markers of survival and transformation. Featured in documentary photography contests and storytelling exhibitions.

View Series
Documentary · Visual Storytelling

Migration &
Memory

Long-form documentary projects exploring themes of displacement, cultural identity, and the invisible architecture of belonging. Multi-exposure work bridging Brazil and Canada.

Explore Work
Commercial · Brazil

Agridoce
Fotografia

Award-winning commercial photography studio in Brazil. Portrait, family, and fine art work recognized by Vogue Italy, FineArt Association, Fearless Photographers, and more.

See on Instagram

Expertise

Tools for
every layer

A rare combination built over years of practice — visual instinct, strategic thinking, research methodology, and a deep understanding of how digital platforms shape culture.

Communication

Digital Strategy

Social Media Content Strategy Brand Storytelling Campaign Planning Community Management
Research

Academic Practice

Qualitative Research UX / Experience Design AR Prototyping Intercultural Comm. Belonging-Centered Design
Visual

Creative Production

Photography Visual Storytelling Adobe Suite Canva Lightroom / Capture One
Leadership

Project Management

Team Coordination Client Relations Studio Operations Entrepreneurship Cross-cultural Teams
Platforms

Digital Tools

Instagram LinkedIn Meta Ads TikTok Wix / Web Google Analytics
Languages

Global Voice

Portuguese (Native) English (Fluent) Cross-cultural Comm. International Audiences

Let's create something

Let's work
together

Available for Social Media, Communications, and Digital Media roles.
Based in Niagara Falls, Ontario — open to remote and hybrid opportunities.

Send a Message