Fernando was born in Buenos Aires and grew up mostly in Brazil. Fluent in five languages, he arrived in New York to study cinematography and photography.

He was swept into the sea by the deadly 2004 Asian tsunami and is presumed dead. He had been vacationing in Sri Lanka with his partner, interior designer Nate Berkus, a frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Fernando and Nate were asleep when the deadly tidal wave slammed into the island. They were carried away by the wave, but both managed to grab hold of a telephone pole. Then a second wave hit, and they were torn away from the pole and from each other. Nate made it onto the top of a roof, but Fernando did not and was swept out to sea. It is presumed he did not survive; however, his remains have not been located.

Fernando's work has appeared in many magazines including Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, and Oprah. Some of his work can be viewed at a memorial website - http://www.fernandobengoechea.com/.