José Montilla & The Chaos of Campaign Photos

There I was, sweaty and post-boxing, when my phone rang. Xavier from Barcelona Raw—my photography group—needed me to shoot a Catalan politician, José Montilla, for his election campaign. Tomorrow. Cue the frantic email chain: makeup? Locations? How many shots? “Just 2 or 3,” they said. Famous last words.

Suits vs. Scruffy Creatives: A Classic Battle

I arrived expecting a quick, dignified session. Instead, I walked into a entourage—designers, handlers, and enough suits to stock a Men’s Wearhouse. Montilla’s team had opinions. Suddenly, we weren’t just taking a couple of headshots—we were staging a production: Gothic steps! Lamp posts! “Can we get one more?” (Spoiler: It was never just one more.)

I was using off-camera flash with an umbrella, which—shockingly—requires time and test shots. Cue Xavier, my reluctant “carbon-based-life-form-light-stand,” holding gear while the suits tapped their watches.

The Red Backdrop & The Shot That Got Away

Back at the Generalitat, we draped a (barely big enough) red fabric for the official portrait. Click. Done. We even snagged a nice window shot with the terrace behind him. But the real prize—a dramatic interior shot of the palace—wasn’t happening. I’d photographed the El Carillón there once before and knew its grandeur deserved more time. Next time, maybe. (Montilla, if you’re reading this, call me.)