Joaquin Beltran – A Scholar of Asia in a Quiet Corner of Catalunya

Finding Japan in a Catalan Campus

Although Joaquin Beltran isn’t Asian himself, he’s a professor of Asian Studies at a university on the outskirts of Barcelona. The campus isn’t the most picturesque place, but I’ve always enjoyed shooting modern architecture—it gives you cleaner shapes and more dramatic shadow play than you’d ever get from older, classical buildings.

Muted Colours and Balanced Light

While waiting for him to finish a meeting, I scouted around and found a tucked-away space converted into a kind of Japanese garden. It was late afternoon and the sun was skimming across the roofs, giving soft light and long shadows. His understated outfit blended beautifully with the tones of the location. I used two strobes set opposite each other—sometimes bare, sometimes gridded—to give some sculptural shape to the scene. Usually I do more in post, but this one came together pretty naturally.