Yeah… not sure it means anything (at the beginning of a New Year that is shaping up to be disastrous) but…

My first job was supposed to be a corporate event thing. At the last moment I get a call for an editorial shoot the same day but earlier.

That makes me feel better. 

Corporate event stuff is fine. However the chance to have some fun getting creative with a celeb or sports star is usually going to be more fun.

As is usual with The Times guys, the call comes in last minute.

I would have to get over to the Espanyol training ground. I was to shoot a player called Tyrhys Dolan, who is from the UK.

I was working with a writer I have not met before. So the usual insistence on them remembering I would need my own time slot was paramount, they always get carried away and forget. 

Not an issue if you are dealing with flexible and sympathetic people (which Espanyol are)… 

…but if you are dealing with the other kind (yes you Barca FC) then you might find yourself left high and dry.

This why I avoid taking pics during the interview and instead look for other locations and get the lights set-up.

The tactic here is that they don’t see you taking photos and think “he must have enough by now.’

The other thing that concerned me was the weather.

What the bloody hell is going on!

December/January are, reliably, some of the nicest months in the year.

But the glorious year of 2026 has been a shit show.

Miserable in short.

I was hoping to get our guy outside and doing some fancy stuff with a ball, but if the skies opened up, that would be nixed.

I had set up a couple of flashes on one of the pitches and preyed the gray skies would give us a break.

The writer was actually doing the interview outside so I just paced around and waited for my moments to shine.

I was lucky.

I got the time, I got the shots. We even ended before someone started dropping heavy hints.

Tyrhys Dolan was game to mess around, so I got some fun shots and not a spot of rain fell… until later.

Fair enough.

‘Tyrhys Dolan at Espanyol’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Living in Barcelona means I get the occasional job for newspapers wanting photos of football players.

I have photographed Pique quite recently anda while a go the legend Chapi, as well as Messi, Suarez, etc for sponsors.

For the Lewandowski shoot we ended up in Gava at a the Playa Grande hotel.

As usual we are told time is limited and then the game of how to make sure I get enough time because the writer who is your colleague becomes your mortal enemy.

I broke my cardinal rule which is shooting during the interview.. this leads the writer to think you have enough images.

When I shot Pique I refused to take interview pics and spent the time looking for locations.

Everyone knew no photos had been taken so they begrugingly gave me 15 mins.

If you have scouted a decent location and have tested lighting this can usually suffice.

Anyway back to the present.

Robert was a decent bloke and did not go all prima donna. He had a friend with him who was also a nice guy… and thats when I spotted my opportunity.

I got him to call time on the interview when it looked like the writer was never going to stop.

Whatever it takes to get the shot.

So the Magazine used one of the posed ones which were ok, but today looking through the images I found one shot during the interview that I really like.

A moment of contemplation and the composition caught my eye and so this is my personal favourite.

‘Photographing Robert Lewandowski’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Gerard Piqué and the Kings League

Nope, that is not the name of another bloody Guy Riche film.

I got a call late one night from The Sunday Times for a job the next day.

It was a portrait session for Gerard Piqué at the offices of KOSMOS where he is Founder, CEO, & President.

The recent run of corporate event work has been very welcome and fun to do; less exciting parts are perfect for experimenting with lighting, as they usually involve long sessions of speeches and seminars.

However a call from a national newspaper usually means portraits and probably a celeb or two.

Kosmos is reimagining yesterday’s sports and media businesses for the audiences of tomorrow.

Merging sports, media, and entertainment innovation, Kosmos invests in impactful ventures that challenge the status quo.

has introduced two new sports tournaments: the Kings League InfoJobs and the Queens League Oysho.

That’s a lot of corporate blurb, the up-shot is basically this; there exits normal football and 5-a-side, so why not 7-a-side?

It would be normal to be a tad skeptical. The ‘pitch’ is that it is not bound by the glacial speed of change in the traditional game.

So, basically, they are introducing the ‘Blue Card,’ which would see players sin-binned for 10 minutes should they get too cheeky, or a cynical foul.

Anyway I was there to take some photos, not invest in the company.

The usual story when you are working with a journalist is that, you get an allotted amount of time which the journalists promises to share with you and then uses it all up for themselves.

Knowing this I decide don’t to hang around trying to get something half decent in the boring office and went off exploring. If I did not take some photos with them they would have to give me time afterwards.

This is a good tactic as you get a decent chunk of time to find locations. I found 2 options, one I knew would suit the newspaper and one I knew would suit me.

It all worked out ok in the end. The offices had a really cool space where they do live streaming, interviews etc. The people working there were nice and friendly and stood in for the test shoots. I lit the subject with 2 off-axis flashes and treated it like a portrait shoot.

I had him sat down which is maybe not normal a sports star, but what the hell, I liked the composition and he is quite lanky.

The second shot was the one I knew they would publish. I got down low to make him look dramatic, but the shot was still not quite working.

I thought he might be a bit more in to posing etc as he could easily do modelling, but alas no.

We finished the session and then as he was leaving I spotted some footballs and convinced him to come back. Just by adding the ball it changed the whole shape of the image and worked. Remember folks props are your friend.

‘Gerard Piqué and the Kings League’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Photographing Football Legends for UK Publications

Capturing Personality in Sports Portrait Photography

Insights from Manchester United’s Golden Era

Documenting Football History Through Personal Stories

#football #newspapers #jordicryuff

‘Sports Portrait Photography: Behind the Scenes with Jordi Cruyff, The Nice Guy in Barcelona’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Kiera Walsh, Lioness and Barca Player

The Sunday Times to the rescue… one of the Lionesses, Kiera Walsh, now plays for Barcelona FC and I got the chance to photograph her.

The job took a lot more emailing and arranging than is normal. The deadline of a Christmas publication, and my first flight out of the country in 3 years were looming.

Eventually I pinned her down to a day and time via her agent.

She recommended a park out near the Barca training ground. It was a lovely day but the light was fading fast. I got there early which is always a good idea because I discovered the park was closed.

More frantic messaging and precious time lost.

It then turned out she was on the other side where a small park was open.

A bit of a shame as I had found a great second option. It was wooded and on a hill so the sun was still working its magic.

The place where I found her and her dog Naria was not so interesting, but this is often the way. A photographers work compromises and precious little time to do what you would really like.

In the end I found her to be quite nice and normal. I had picked up a vide from our previous dealing that maybe she was not too keen to do the shoot or might be some kind of prima donna.

No. Just a young woman from Manchester, probably still bit overawed by her career trajectory. I think I read her transfer fee was the biggest in women’s football.

So, for this shoot I tried something different, I discovered that one of my Godox flashes has a handy trick. Basically it can act as the transmitter so I could shoot with 2 flashes.

This is handy as you get to do drastic stuff with the off-camera flash and then fill on-axis with the one on the camera.

In the end I got some pics I rather liked. Still not sure what the The Times Magazine used; it’s never the one you think is best.

‘Kiera Walsh, Lioness and Barca Player’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Jarrod Lee Fitness Instructor

I get a call from Jarrod Lee about a portrait shoot I thought ‘Well that’s something at least.”

The summer was very quiet regarding work.

September did not exactly prove busy either.

Luckily he decided to go for something a bit more involved that would last half a day.

Jarrod is a fitness instructor who specialises in LGBT clients and works mostly online.

He was in Barcelona for an extended stay and wanted to do something on the beach at Barceloneta. There is an outside gym which is on the beach.

He wanted to do it in the morning and this meant really early…

My initial thought was ‘crap’ as I have been sleeping so strangely of late. But actually getting up around 6.00 am is easier than 8.30am.

I was cycling there in backness and got to see a lovely sunrise over the beach.

And for photography, the light was fantastic, with almost no need for flash, almost.

Also I can’t resist using it.

The timing was critical for him as he needed to adapt his diet for optimal performance, well optimal physique.

I have to say that he does have an amazing build, No fat allowed that’s for sure.

What amused me a little was while during the shoot he was munching on snacks and sweets to keep himself optimal.

Jarrod is not embarrassed by anything and happily stripping down to his underwear in public. He was definitely getting a lot of curious and maybe coy glances from other people working out.  

We took a lot of images and I was pretty pleased with the results. 

It is something else working with people with bodies like Jarrod. 

You can really do interesting things with light because there are so many angles and also their are shapes to play with. Cutting light across the body really shows of definition. 

For mere mortals, it just shows how fat you are. 

‘Jarrod Lee’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Barcelona is famous for its football academies.

In fact, youth teams come here from places like the UK because of the chance to play on the Camp Nou pitch.

This I know because several years ago a very large group (50 youth teams) turned up… and it was hell.

I wrote about it at the time in a fairly diplomatic manner, but now I feel free to say, in all honesty … hell on earth.

It was July, the hottest day of the year. The famous Camp Nou pitch was split into 4, so at any one time, there were 8 teams in action. It was bedlam.

And the parents were quite frankly frightening.

This sort of thing can leave you traumatised for a long time.

So… when contacted by a parent to photograph their son playing… hmmm.

Riley is at a football academy, playing for a junior team at Sant Ildefons. 

The plan was hopefully to get him working his magic on the pitch, but being on the pitch is not something I can control. 

I photographed him several different days and on one occasion he was taken off and then put back on again!

This might have been a concession from the coach for me of course, if so then I am grateful.

But there was always the fear of turning up only to find he would spend the whole time on the sub bench. Football academy youth games seem to have unlimited substitutions so it’s pretty much like a conveyor belt.

Through the parents of Riley I got another chance to shoot another kid called Blayz.

Cornella is his team and was on the pitch the whole time, I think he was a bit of a hotshot .

Anyway, the takeaway from this is that these jobs photographing one kid for their parents is fun and far from traumatic.

‘Football Academies Photo Shoots’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Wilkinson Motocross Racing Team in Olvan

Though most people could not travel in early 2020, some people including pro sports types could.

So one day we made a trip into the middle of the Catalan Countryside to film Motocross.

Well, a special kind of motocross that involves special bikes with sidecars.

It is a niche sport that was more popular in the past. His father used to race and was famous. These days he seemed quite happy to whizz around on an electric mountain bike he had brought along for fun.

The place is Circuit Motocros Del Berguedà.

Brett Wilkinson arrived with his father and the hapless Maxime Cuche from France. His job it is is to hang on for grim death.

Seriously when you see the jumps they do, you have to ask why be the passenger in this Uber ride from hell.

He seemed like a happy guy and assured us he enjoyed it. Hmmm…

As this was a training session we were able to get some set up shots as well towards the end of the day.

The weather was fantastic. It almost felt like being in Switzerland with the greenery and the mountains in the background covered in snow.

The peace and harmony occasionally displaced because of screaming of 2 stroke engines, but it was a paying gig so you can’t complain.

We started by scouting out good locations as there was a time limit and only so many places you can be at once.

Getting shots from close up was relatively easy if not risky, because a  lot of stones and the like get kicked up and dust. A lot of dust.

Longer shots were more problematic.

He wanted us to reproduce one in particular, but this was shot during a different season at a different hour.

‘Motocross in Olvan’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Though Covid has affected work terribly I did get a couple of jobs from UK newspapers which tend to be interesting and relatively well paid jobs.

Albert lives out of Barcelona in a small town called Masnou. I went with my friend Brett who has a car and a keenness to meet celebs.

Well, famous football players at least. it makes his son jealous as he was at a football academy in Barcelona.

It was a lovely day and a drive up the coast is no bad thing. The last 1 KM though was a labyrinth and someone had sent us the wrong address.

I was told we had maybe 1.5 hours to do the shoot as there was an interview after. We wasted 30 mins trying to fin the house.

We homed in via phone and him standing on a terrace way above where we ended up, waving like royalty to the masses.

Time was of the essence. 

The brief was to get images of him with his favourite awards. It’s a regular series in the Times newspaper.

We set up a table outside but in the shade. I lit the scene with a couple of flashes and managed to also squeeze the sea in as well.

Albert Ferrer is quite a nice guy. He has the air  that a lot of defenders probably have; probably can handle himself in a punch up.

He played for Barcelona during the Van Cruyff era and then for Chelsea.

Though speaking very good English every other word was an expletive. He said playing for Chelsea did that to him.

According to The Times. “Ferrer rates 1992 as the best year of his career as he won the league, European Cup and Olympic gold.

As is usually the case the client used a different image to the one I liked which I have therefore included below.

‘Albert Ferrer, Me and My Medals’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

I came to a conclusion a while ago that sports photography might be an ideal speciality for me. It has the advantages of fashion, hopefully without some of the problems. That is a subject for another day!

Basically, you are photographing people who look good doing interesting things and one would hope wearing colourful or dramatic clothing.

Enamoured with this idea I started asking people if they would like to collaborate. Everyone is interested. Actually getting people to commit is often an exercise in futility. Commitment has a price and it does not matter who is paying.

I finally got a project off the ground with a client who was willing to pay. He wanted images for his website. 

Powerfit Boxing

Originally from Germany, Robert Hempel spent 17 years travelling and training around the world,  before settling in Barcelona. He offered a variety of courses and we were working together taking images of one of his female only classes.

There were challenges regarding the location as we were outside on a sunny day. I always like to use flash lighting to create impact and drama and also it is often essential to kill the strong shadows the sun creates.

The other issue is trying to avoid a back ground that is distracting. 

The usual starting point for lighting such a shoot is how do you want to use the sun? Maybe you don’t?

It can be your friend or a pain in the neck.

Next up is the your flash. If you are dealing with a single subject, more or less in the same place, then one will usually suffice.

If you have a few people and/or a lot of movement, common with sports, then a second one is highly advisable, often close to 180 angle to the first.

In this scenario the sun is likely relegated to fill and can largely be forgotten. It main influence is most likely going to be how saturated the sky is, you will always want to avoid people looking towards it as it is uncomfortable and they may squint too much.

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‘Beach Sports in Barcelona’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.