Barcelona Photo Blog
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Profiles: Michael Witty, Walking Tours
The Shout Heard Around the Lobby I had to meet Mr. Witty at a hotel near Plaça Catalunya. The place was full of elderly German tourists, and the vague description I’d been given meant that half the lobby could plausibly have been him. Eventually, someone appeared who fit the bill—wandering around looking slightly lost. I…
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Hollis Duncan: A Bike-Cross Shoot with a Hangover Cure
This photo is a perfect example of how an idea in my head can transform into reality with the right approach. As I’ve probably mentioned before, interview shoots don’t always pay well, but they offer plenty of creative freedom. That freedom gave me the space to capture the shot I had envisioned for this shoot.…
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More Experiences with a Home Studio: A Fashion Shoot Adventure
It’s not often I dive into fashion photography, but years ago in London, I worked with a friend who specialized in it. At the time, my focus was on post-production in Photoshop, which had become my obsession. After taking a break from photography to work as a designer at a big agency, I got a…
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Making It Work: Home Studio Portraits Without the Studio
Most of my work involves schlepping around—meeting people in their homes, workplaces, or wherever suits them. That’s fine by me. But occasionally, the most convenient place ends up being my own home. When the Living Room Becomes a Studio While not exactly purpose-built, my living room does the job. The walls are a pale, neutral…
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That Time I Was on Barcelona TV (Against My Will)
Reluctantly in the Spotlight A friend of mine—well-meaning, I’m sure—arranged for me to be interviewed by a local Barcelona TV company. I can’t say I was thrilled. Honestly, I’d rather be behind the camera than in front of it, but she thought it would be a good opportunity. She’s not the type to set people…
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Paolo Guidoni, Opera Singer in El Born
Renaissance Light in a Hidden Space Some people are just easy to get along with—Paolo Guidoni is one of them. I visited him to create a portrait for an article and used the opportunity to try a painterly lighting style, something quasi-Renaissance. As always, experimentation means some faffing around, but Paolo was gracious, patient, and…
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The Retro Camera App Rant (AKA: Stop Hipstamatic-ing Everything)
Let’s talk about retro-style photo apps. Specifically, the kind that wrap digital snaps in layers of faux nostalgia and pretend it’s art. I’ve used Hipstamatic for a couple of years now. I like it—in moderation. I even have a go-to combo of lens and film effects, fine-tuned after lots of trial and error. I know…
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Profile Photography: Joan Calvet Mercè, Wine Taster in the Hills
Into the Hills of Sarrià To photograph Joan Calvet Mercè, a professional wine taster, I cycled uphill to the last Bicing stop in Sarrià—with a heavy camera bag, of course. That part of town makes it clear where Barcelona’s money lives: houses, private international schools, and leafy cul-de-sacs. Joan lives in a bungalow tucked away…
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Women at Pregnancy Services – Honest Portraits in Light and Shade
Beyond Midwifery These portraits were for an article about professionals offering services to pregnant women in Barcelona. Beyond the typical midwifery work, this also included things like massage therapy and other wellbeing practices. We did the session at the office space they share. It had lots of white walls and natural light—ideal for clean, uncluttered…
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Creative Spaces: Flora Miserachs – From Garden Shed to Floral Salon
More Than Just a Florist This was the final entry in a series about people who’ve created unique spaces—often from apartments or unexpected corners of their homes. Flora Miserachs stretched that idea a bit. Her space is actually an outhouse at the bottom of her garden. It took a while to photograph. The place was…
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Mertxe Hernández – Fashion, Mirrors, and a Hint of Penélope Cruz
From Barrio to Boutique District Mertxe Hernández opened her boutique in Barcelona over ten years ago. Back then, the street was a narrow alley in a quiet barrio. Now it’s widened, polished, and full of tourists—many just trying to find the Picasso Museum. She’s not complaining, but the vibe has changed. Penélope in the Frame…
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Aisling & Colm – A Sitges Wedding in Blinding Sunlight
Back from Buenos Aires, Straight to Sitges This was my first job after returning to Barcelona from a month in Buenos Aires. I had barely been back 48 hours and was still dazed with jet lag. Fortunately, the royal wedding in the UK that weekend had completely passed me by—though it seemed the rest of…
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Argentina: A Return to Chacarita Cemetery
Buenos Aires: Lost Focus, Found Cemeteries I returned to Buenos Aires this April after four years away. I brought a heavy camera bag, good intentions, and a vague plan to find work. I also got lucky with the light—every time I took out the DSLR, the weather seemed to show up for me. Despite packing…
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Profile Shoot: Venus O’Hara in a New Light
Venus O’Hara is a writer with a career that’s… let’s say, colourful. You’re best off visiting her website if you’re curious—my attempts to explain might fall short or veer into the unprintable. Let’s just say, she’s not your average lifestyle columnist. This shoot was for a magazine feature, so both of us agreed to keep…
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Ana Lombard, Enlace Estudio: Finding Light on a Rainy Day
The Unexpected Sanctuary Rain slapped against the windows of Enlace Estudio the day I arrived, my head cluttered with unfinished itineraries for Buenos Aires and whatever other anxieties I’d brought through the door. Ana Lombard—practitioner, calm incarnate—took one look at me and did that thing healers do: made the room feel softer without changing a…
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Profiles: Eric Goode
Sometimes You Get It Wrong (Then Make It Right) Poor Eric. I turned up for the shoot with one goal: to try something new. These profile pieces are rarely about the money—they’re about meeting interesting people and playing with ideas. Eric, unfortunately, got caught in the crossfire of my latest lighting experiment. I had a…
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An Afternoon on Montjuïc: Light, Silence, and a Book on the Grass
Fleeing the Jackhammers (To Find the Perfect Patch of Grass) Some genius decided a national holiday was prime time to rip up the pavement below my flat—the kind of civic logic that makes one question democracy. So I fled to Montjuïc, where Barcelona’s chaos dissolves into slopes of pine and, miraculously, actual grass. Not the…
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Profiles: Mary Fons, Interpreter
Simultaneous Translation: Magic I’ll Never Understand Mary is an interpreter. It’s one of those jobs I find completely baffling—listening to one language and speaking another almost simultaneously? My brain hurts just thinking about it. I always think of the Babel fish from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy—that’s about my level. People have occasionally asked me…
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Caribbean Wedding: Best Man, Worst Public Speaker
A Wedding in Tobago (But I Wasn’t Working… Sort Of) I was in Tobago for a wedding—not as a photographer, but as the Best Man. Which sounds like a relaxing gig until you remember it comes with a speech. A public one. In front of actual people. Despite weeks to prepare, I hadn’t managed to…
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An Evening in Gatwick: Airports, Pod Hotels, and Accidental Stillness
In Transit, Slightly Lost, and Mildly Inspired I was heading to Tobago to be best man at a wedding. The plan seemed simple—fly from Barcelona, change at Gatwick, then straight on. But travel rarely sticks to the plan, and I found myself with an unplanned overnight layover in South Terminal. The groom, Andy, suggested the…
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L’Adresse Hair Salon: A Home-Based Business
Turning a Private Residence into a Salon This shoot was my third for the article series about people who run businesses from their homes or have converted their private spaces into professional ones. Damian’s salon is a prime example of the latter. Located in a charming building in the L’Example neighborhood of Barcelona, his space…
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Haircuts, Hi-Fi, and Cocktails at Joan’s Apartment Salon in Barcelona
A Penthouse Hair Salon That Mixes Style, Sound, and Spirits This was the second in a photo series on people running businesses from their homes or private apartments. The idea sparked when Olga, a writer friend, mentioned a “hidden” salon where she gets her hair done — sleek design, skyline views, and the occasional cocktail.…
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Working at Home: Daniel Benites, Personal Trainer
Capturing Home Workspaces I’ve known Dany for several months, as we both attend the same boxing training class run by Andrea Wheatley. I met Andrea through a photoshoot for a magazine, which you can read about here. Dany is an Argentine personal trainer with a unique setup in his apartment. After chatting with him, I…
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Photographing Greyhounds: A Visit to SOS Galgos
Los Galgos means “greyhounds” in Spanish, and SOS Galgos is a rescue and advocacy organisation founded by Anna Clement. She runs it out of the veterinary practice she manages for her husband, just outside Barcelona. The work they do is vital—because what happens to greyhounds after a couple of years of racing is grim. Most…
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Architectural Photography in New York: Inside Ogilvy’s Historic Hell’s Kitchen Building
Gaining Access to Exclusive Commercial Spaces I was fortunate to gain access to the Ogilvy building in Hell’s Kitchen through my friendship with Yeesan—a rare opportunity to photograph this converted chocolate factory near the Hudson River. These personal connections often provide photographers with access to spaces typically closed to the public, creating unique portfolio opportunities.…
