Out of the blue my friend Piper asked if I would like to visit her in Valencia.

I have been there once before, maybe 8 years ago, and liked it a lot.

To be honest I have been uninspired to travel much the last couple of years, but I decided to get motivated and booked tickets.

I have been there once before, maybe 8 years ago, and liked it a lot.

Arriving I had the distinct sensation that my senses had been supercharged.

The sky was a vivid blue; everything just looked sharper.

One realises Barcelona is almost always under a veil of something…

I arrived on a Sunday and it was the start of the Falas. The famous festival there.

The plan was to go out in the evening and see the opening ceremony.

I faked enthusiasm because it seems like every month there is a firework display of one kind on another in Barcelona and they always seems a bit half-hearted and… interminable?

We were with Piper’s daughter and her friend.

Everywhere we went we were pursued by local musical bands who hearts belonged in Baton Rouge. The kids were hyperactive and determined to torment us as well.

Mercifully the ceremony was short and actually not too bad.

The Point of The Post

Anyway the point of this probably pointless post is the afternoon I spent at la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.

I have recently bought a new lens, it’s a very wide angle I got primarily for interiors but think it is also good for events.

I have avoided using them when travelling as I like to stick to one fixed focal length and wide angles make it easy to take dramatic images, sure, but they can start to look a little gimmicky after a while.

My choice for many years has been around the 40mm mark.

This new lens (Laowa) is also a manual focus which takes getting used to, as you tend to forget… to focus.

I have settled on the hyperlocal method and setting the aperture to f5.6. It is a very good idea to tape the lens to stop the focus ring from moving.

My Dutch friend Erik who happens to be living nearby in the hills (and I suspect slowly turning into  a mountain man) turned up.

He promised to be patient while I wandered around taking pictures. I never know why I believe anyone who says this.

Unless you are with another photographer the patience of any companion wears thin pretty quick.

I think the next time I will absolutely insist of being alone; I was photographing on the hoof once again.

Last time I was here I got to shoot at dusk, but Erik was obsessed with eating tacos and stocking up on booze because his one horse village had bugger all options.

At last I admitted defeat and we head off following his rumbling gut… at least the tacos were quite good and they even had Guinness. Weird.

On my last day Piper and I took bikes and cycled to the beaches.

Cycling around Valencia is a really good idea.

The weather was perfect, it was March and hitting 28 degrees, and the beaches? They seemed endless, hard to imagine they could ever be crowded, even in the summer.

And then it was time to go home. I should have stayed longer. Barcelona seemed dirty and chilly.

‘The Great (ish) Escape to Valencia’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Finding rhythm in Barcelona’s corporate event calendar can be a whirlwind.

My January suddenly filled with three major bookings over the same three days.

This included a large-scale exhibition at Fira de Barcelona for ICE Europe. Then, as often happens in this industry, schedules shifted. I was now focused on a single, standout evening: an after-hours client event for the innovative team at Odys.

(Luckily, a last-minute editorial sports assignment for The Sunday Times that afternoon kept the creative gears turning—but that’s a story for next time.)

This Odys event, held at the sleek Nuara restaurant in Port Vell. The day was a perfect example of the dynamic, hybrid logistics required of a Barcelona-based corporate photographer. It demanded a quick pivot. Rushing from the daytime shoot, managing files, and ensuring all gear was powered for a long evening. It’s this precise, professional orchestration behind the scenes that guarantees seamless coverage for clients.

The Venue & Vibe: Nuara’s Mood as a Photographic Asset

Odys hosted a curated buffet and networking event for their clients, and Nuara provided an ideal canvas. The space featured dramatic form and mood lighting—a dream for atmospheric shots, but a technical challenge requiring the right equipment and expertise to balance ambient warmth with crisp, professional-grade clarity.

This event also presented the perfect opportunity to debut a new, streamlined lighting setup. A constant pursuit in my work to deliver superior results with minimal intrusion.

Technical Insight: Innovating On-Location Lighting for Corporate Events

I have a strong preference for avoiding on-camera flash as a primary (key) light. It can feel harsh and disruptive. I typically use it subtly for fill light. A ring flash can create a distinctive, edgy look, it can become cumbersome for the fast-paced, mobile demands of a corporate event.

My solution comes from Godox, whose consistent innovation is a boon for working photographers. My new setup centers on their compact Godox IT30Pro Compact TTL Mini Speedlite. This powerful little unit acts as both an on-camera fill flash and a wireless controller for off-camera lights. It can even hold its own in sunlight a a fill-in unit.

The Human Element: Capturing Authentic Connection

The crowd was a classic Barcelona tech cohort—think smart casual, a lot of grays and blacks, and that focused, slightly awkward energy that blossoms into genuine connection over great food and conversation. My goal is always to capture that authentic shift: the engaged listening during speeches, the laughter over cocktails, the moment of genuine rapport.

And yes, the food at Nuara was exceptional. In my professional (and personal) opinion, croquettes are the ultimate litmus test for a Barcelona venue—and theirs passed with flying colours.

Why This Approach Matters for Your Barcelona Event

This Odys event at Nuara encapsulates my core philosophy: Corporate photography must blend technical precision with an intuitive, human touch. It’s about understanding the unspoken rhythm of an evening, the brand narrative (Odys’s innovative spirit), and Barcelona’s unique aesthetic—all while operating with flawless, unseen professionalism.

Planning a corporate gathering, product launch, or executive retreat in Barcelona? Let’s discuss how to document your story with the same strategic approach and technical artistry.

Lee Harris
Barcelona Corporate Event Photographer

‘Balancing Corporate & Creative – An Evening with Odys at Nuara’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

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.

Nou Barris, is every day really Sunday here?

I went on Saturday with my friend Tyg, he is leaving Barcelona, returning to Dublin, and wanted to visit his old haunts.

An excuse to wander around like eegits taking photos.

Nou Barris might not seem like the obvious choice, I definitely thought so. I was not keen on it, mostly because I avoid the metro like the plague. But in the end it was quite bearable and even productive.

But  then I have strong opinions about street  photography these days. Essentially what’s the point?

I reckon everyday these days more photos are taken than in the entire history of pre digital photography.

So, even it you take a great image and post it on-line, in a New York minute it will be buried and forgotten under a tsunami of shite.

And I have not even really factored in all the Ai crap starting to bury the tsunami of digital shite that proceeded it.

God we  are all fucked.

But anyway… Nou Barris!

Everyday is Sunday. Like I said.

That’s how it felt last Saturday. Kind of sleepy.

And though one of Barcelona’s more humble barrios, I think quite charming, definitely not run down, far from it.

The purveyors of civic works had a field day here with municipal art installations.

And they are actually quite cool, like giant wooden potato peelers.

The area around the central square was also quite elegant and well maintained. I was quite inspired.

There is also an area that really reminded me of places in Central/South America.

A mini neighbourhood with rows of small houses, all single floor, bugger all activity on the street but secret lives in full swing behind the net curtains.

A kid’s birthday party that sounded it might be worth crashing. You just knew the adults had a stash of booze hidden somewhere.

There are also so pretty eccentric apartment blocks. Something soviet about them.

They could easily work in some low budget dystopian sci-fi film.

The weather was good but there autumn felt present in a much more tangible way than in the centre. There were quite a few trees with leaves turning red and this with the quiet feel of everything was kind of melancholic.

And then my camera battery died and once again I realised that taking photos with an iPhone just isn’t the same, no matter what people tell you.

So time to call it a day and take the underground railroad home.

‘Nou Barris, is every day really Sunday here?’ 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.

It’s a safe bet when people think of Barcelona they think ‘beach.’

That is fine by me, knock yourself out.

Me? Montjuic every time.

Even before the happy years of archery up by the castle, I favoured the hill.

If I wanted to go out and read a book, loose myself for a few hours I would be very unlikely to  choose the beach.

Too many things to consider, too much crap to take with you. 

On Monjuic there is actual grass. 

And trees. 

Want some sun, no problem, need some shade? Roll a few metres left or right and you are under shade, you don’t even need a blanket.

Much more spontaneous. 

Far fewer drunken tourists as well.

The occasional South American birthday parties for kids. 

But they hardly impinges on the peace and quiet.

In the height of summer it always feels fresher up there, the indolent sounds of nature, the city for more distant than it actually is.

So, Montjuic…

…I felt I knew it quite well but lately I have realised ‘nope, not at all.’

I have a friend (Tyg) who does tours in the Botanic Garden, a place I had never been to! 

So I got a free tour. That was nice. 

Lots of new plants with spikes to avoid, new scents to enjoy and there was even honey suckle; that took me back to my silly-serious youth.

They even have a section with Bonsai trees, probably the main reason people go to the garden, I wonder what influencer made that famous… to be honest it’s a bit crap and personally Bonsai trees creep me out.

Whilst up there I said to Tyg we should try the cemetery next time, I had been a couple of times and thought ‘Next time I’ll be the expert guide!’

So the following week we went.

It was then that I realised I had somehow managed to miss a large chunk of it.

And by far the best part.

The new section is ok, if you like your cemeteries like condominiums, or council estates.

But the posh part of town is the best. More trees, more mausoleums, just more.

The rich just can’t help themselves.

Some fancy and some really grotesque places to finally lay down your hat and call home.

I wonder how long before some twat tries to park their yacht up there.

I felt inspired. My long running gripe with graveyards and how to make them work seemed solved.

I just need lots of statues and architecture… The photos basically took themselves.

‘Montjuic, The Gift That Keeps on Giving’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

My first post was about my black and white photography mindset. This one is about my favourite colour scenario. Perhaps counter intuitive but…

Cities, towns, or villages at night. The more messy, chaotic, and underdeveloped, the better.

Big cities like New York pull off a good third-world imitation. Almost anywhere in Asia works perfectly. Havana remains inspirational, the last time I was there at least..

But I first truly understood night’s potential years ago on the Greek island of Astypalaia. I was on holiday with a friend’s family. I often escaped the mayhem to wander the town. I did this several times during the day but one time I tried at night, and the penny dropped.

The mixed lighting there intrigued me. Fluorescent, tungsten, halogen, even some LED. It was a hot mess of conflicting hues. This chaos drove the camera sensor crazy and created bizarre colour palettes.

The atmosphere was everything. Like most Greek island towns, it’s a labyrinth. You can leave a lively nightlife behind with a couple of turns down an alley. Suddenly, you are completely alone. Only the cats remain.

Astypalaia’s famous wind added a spooky atmosphere. I remember seeing a cat in a tree determined to be there despite the wind whipping the branches around like dervish.

So, after my black and white success, I decided to drag myself up to Loulida (locally called Chora). It is definitely a labyrinth with a wonderful sunset. But it did not really offer the opportunities I hoped for. The lighting seemed quite uniform. It’s great for walking and exercise.

I think I would still prefer Astypalaia for photography. I probably just had to work harder for motivation this time. Still, I found a couple of images I really like.

Of course I might just be idealising the past.

‘Finding Beauty in the Urban Night Photography’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

For years, my travel kit included two analogue cameras. One was loaded with colour transparency film for stock agencies. The other held black and white film, dedicated entirely to my personal work.

I spent countless hours in darkrooms, breathing in the chemical fumes of developer as the magic of analogue photography entranced me.

Yet, maybe I am a colourist at heart. My eyes always latch onto vibrant hues first.

My first major trip, driving through Mexico and the USA (with my then-girlfriend, Mu), was a riot of colour. The ease of colour often created a problem: it always took me a day or two to to truly see in monochrome. I’d often worry I’d lost the ability forever.

But I had secret weapon. A deep red filter. It transformed the world into dramatic tones, turning deep blue skies into a velvety black backdrop for puffy white clouds. It was also wonderfully forgiving on blotchy skin!

But this is all backstory. This is about now.

The Modern Monochrome Dilemma

Today, I shoot far less black and white than I’d like.

Why? Partly, I fell into the trap of wanting a consistent, colour-only look for my website and Instagram. Mostly, it’s because we all shoot in RAW—and RAW is colour by default.

So, on a recent trip to the island of Kea, Greece, I decided to play.

I dug into the features of my trusty, decade-old camera. It has a useful function: it can shoot JPEGs with baked-in creative effects alongside the RAW files. I set it to monochrome and started shooting.

The initial results were… okay. I could see the tones, but the inspiration was missing. The old, nagging thought returned: Maybe I’m just bored of taking photos. In an era where a tsunami of shit floods the internet every hour, burying any potential gem, what’s the point?

I asked myself this repeatedly while dragging myself from the comfort of shade and a cold beer to hike under the blazing sun. The whole endeavour felt pointless.

Finding a Theme and Breaking All The Rules

Slowly, almost reluctantly, a theme began to emerge. I grew mildly content. Then came the editing process. I looked at the files and thought, Sod it.

I broke my cardinal rule: I decided to crop.

In my analogue days, cropping was taboo. It represented a failure to compose perfectly in-camera. But perfection is a drag. I challenged myself to make every image work in a 16:9 cinematic format, one I often use for my film work.

A surprising thing happened. I’d expected to use the JPEGs only as a reference to edit the colour RAW files. But I didn’t need to. The in-camera black and white files were perfect. I made only minor tweaks, avoiding the process that usually “breaks” a JPEG’s integrity. Since these will likely never see a printing press, the quality was more than enough.

This is probably part one of my photographic journey in Kea. Next time, I’ll share my favourite way to photograph urban places, especially less modern ones: at night, under the spell of crazy, mixed lighting.

‘From Color to Monochrome: How a 10-Year-Old Camera Rekindled My Love for B&W Photography’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

Why I’ll Probably Always Say Yes to American Clients

There’s something uniquely satisfying about working with American clients. Whatever dumpster fire is currently raging across the United States, it hasn’t ruined their greatest export—clients who actually pay on time, don’t quibble about budgets and are appreciative if you do a good job..

The College of Charleston Shoot

When the College of Charleston reached out to document their environmental studies program in Barcelona, the process was seamless from the start. The initial call was direct, the expectations were clear, and the deposit arrived before the first shoot day. Compared to the endless back-and-forth often endured with other clients, this was nothing short of miraculous.

Sagrada Família: Controlled Chaos

The first location was, predictably, Gaudí’s masterpiece. While the exterior swarmed with tourists, the interior provided a striking contrast—ample space, dramatic lighting.

Dressed in white, There was something of the religious cult about them. The 2 women who chaperoning them were slightly bemused by what looked like a definite coordinated turn out. Check the image above.

Beach Cleanup: When Fashion Says ‘Screw Practicality’

A few days later, we hit the beach near Sant Andreu de Besos, where the group would be cataloguing washed-up debris. I was curious—would they dress for sand, sun, and manual labor? Of course not.

Shooting on a beach hand handling an off camera flash, a neutral density filter with a mind of its own and a second camera was onerous as hell.

And the sand? It got everywhere (definitely don’t change lenses on a beach).

Flipped screens on cameras are a god send but if it’s so bright you can hardly see, framing shots in a lot of guess work.

We were there at the worst time for photography but flash can turn that to your advantage

After the shoot they had a lunch and I was invited. I was gasping for water and drank maybe 3-4 litres whilst there.

So the shoot ended, we all went our separate ways and I expect there won’t be any complications … unlike the job I had a week later, with a client whose name might sound a little like ‘amazing’ but that they most certainly aren’t.

‘Shooting Americans (With a Camera, Obviously)’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.

In the beginning there was…

Many years ago I used an app called Aperture by Apple to edit and catalogue photos.

Then Apple, around 2014, decide to ditch it.

(The companies journey from pro-friendly to an adults ‘Toys r Us’ took one more kiddy step to the abyss).

Very, very annoying.

Adobe has Lightroom. I hate it. Their shoddy ethnics don’t help either.

So what options where there?

Well, out there, almost mythological, hiding like planet X, was an app most assumed was only for hi-end Medium-Format shooters with hi-end Medium-Format sized wallets; Capture One Pro. But… wait… there is a twist.

Around the time of Apple’s betrayal… they maybe saw an opportunity to spread the love, cater to us proles. They started to support our toy cameras. There is a god.

So, dear reader, I went with them. Feeling like the real deal, a true pro… finally! Was it love at first sight?

No, not exactly… but eventually…

(It’s a bloody complicated program).

Get Back to the point of the post!

Ahh yes… this is not about C1 Pro’s learning curve back then, this is about a pleasant surprise many years later, ie last week.

I have been paying for it using a subscription that worked out at around €30 a month.

Not exactly cheap but hey ho, it’s the best. However recently, I saw a price guide on their site and thought ‘hang on, am I paying too much?’

I shot off a terse email.

A prompt and courteous email from Gemma explained I wasn’t. The yearly lump sum is cheaper than paying each month. Ahh, ok, fair enough.

But then Gemma went on say that, as a user since 2018, I was entitled to an 80% discount on a perpetual licence.

Wow… wow. I wrote back thanking her profusely and mentioned, in passing, that I had actually been using it even longer than that, just with a different account.

Another message (yeap, prompt), came back saying well now, in that case, you are entitled to a 100% discount.

Wha… I mean, what the hell! How many companies do that? I also love C1 Pro because they make software and cameras; it inspires confidence.

Rather like Resolve by DaVinci.

With them you pay once for the pro version, and sometimes it’s even free with some of their hardware.

When I finally got into film-making it was a toss-up between Resolve and Apple’s Final Cut Pro.

Remembering Apple’s abandonment of Aperture I went with Resolve. They lost a customer because I did not trust them any more.

Reputation is everything guys.

So, anyway, to wrap this up, I would like to say thank you Capture One Pro, and a really big thank you to Gemma.

You made my week… and the brand new feature set is excellent!

‘The damnedest thing just happened… and in a good way’ first appeared on the Lee Harris Photography website.