Artwork by The Jose Dias Herrera Collection Pele

Born in São Paulo and based in Santos since he was 7 years old , José Dias Herrera learned the art of photography in a studio lab at only 14 years of age.

He began his career as a photographer at The Gazette newspaper in 1937 , moving in 1953 to The Tribuna de Santos , where he served until 1980 when he started working in the Department of Communication at the City of Santos.

José Dias has marked his passage through sports history, recording the most major moments in the history of Pelé, including the World Cups of 1958, 1962 and 1966.

For him, photography was a lifestyle. He was passionate for analogue cameras, and he used to like to adjust in his own way. The modern digital camera irritates him. Not for adjustment difficulties, but because he thought that anyone could shoot in automatic.

Jose Herrera was the last living founder of the city of Santos that was member of the Professional Journalists in the State of São Paulo , created in 1942.

He died at age 89 from complications caused by stomach cancer.