Ferrez is considered by photography historians to be a master at his craft; his work is on the same level as famous photographers William Henry Jackson and Eadweard Muybridge.

His work became so popular that Emperor Dom Pedro II gave him funds to support his art, allowing Ferrez to explore every angle that the camera had to offer.

When he finally returned to Rio de Janeiro, he focused on rural landscapes and documenting slaves working on the plantations.

It was during this trip that Ferrez photographed the indigenous Botocudo tribe, and widely employed techniques of panoramic photography, of which he would later be regarded as a master.

Emperor Pedro II declared Ferrez the "photographer of the Royal Navy", because of his superior skill of neutralizing the ships movements.