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Photographic Biases
The different sensations that train stations evoke in me are simply indescribable. It is almost like trying to describe a color, because in that case you always end up referring to objects that display it or to scenes where it predominates, but you cannot truly describe the color itself. The same happens with the feelings that surround me as I walk through the spaces of these places of transit. I can associate the impressions they create with certain lived experiences, with other memories or with other situations, but it is very difficult to describe the exact nature of each of…
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Seeing without seeing
Our mind is limited, and as such, it needs to select the information that matters and discard whatever adds no value. It is a basic mechanism for optimizing resources, and without it we would probably be unable to handle everything we receive. In fact, overstimulation is one of today’s problems, because the amount of information that comes to us through audiovisual media ends up exhausting and even harming our mind. Everything in moderation, and that includes stimuli as well. This mental tool for eliminating irrelevant information is present at every moment of our lives, and of course it is also…
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Untamed Photography
The ability of photography to surprise us knows no limits, and the image that accompanies these lines is a clear example of an unexpected outcome. When I woke up that morning, the only idea running through my mind was to explore the Asturian mountains. I expected to find landscapes of great beauty, vast horizons in which to lose myself and let my gaze wander, postcard worthy scenes that captured all the strength and raw beauty of this imposing land. But, as often happens with expectations, they were not fulfilled, and the reality of the day turned out to be quite…
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Capturing Feelings
Throughout my youth, Cabeza de Manzaneda was always portrayed as an exotic destination, a place where some fortunate students went on school trips to ski or, when there was no snow, to take part in various outdoor activities. Needless to say, I was not one of those fortunate students, as during my school years excursions seemed to avoid me as if I were forbidden ground. So I never got to enjoy its landscapes, its experiences or its overwhelming beauty, but the legend of the place always remained etched in my memory. Precisely for that reason, the first time I arrived…
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A View Without Horizon
Lately, I have been visiting the old Estaca de Bares Radar Station very frequently. This military settlement was a U.S. radar surveillance station integrated into NATO’s air defense network during the Cold War. From here, the airspace over the North Atlantic was monitored and early warning was provided in the event of possible incursions. Today, it is a completely abandoned place, despite having been purchased by the local council in 2019 with the intention of giving it a cultural and tourist use. Unfortunately, this was not its final destination, as the station continues to deteriorate and, as the years go…
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From grain to pixel… to grain
I’m one of those atypical people who don’t enjoy getting a brand-new car. I admit that I like visiting the dealership, looking at different models, and comparing features. But when the moment of truth arrives, when it’s time to take the new car and hit the road, I find it especially overwhelming and I don’t enjoy it at all. In fact, it takes me months to feel comfortable again, to enjoy driving, to relax and stop thinking about the car as an object so I can focus on driving as an experience. It’s a process that, if I could avoid,…
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Between Contrasts and Disappointments
All changes, all transitions, all moments of evolution in life bring a certain restlessness, a sense of instability, and a need for reference points. That is exactly what I am experiencing right now. My work as an analog photographer was very clearly defined. I had learned to master film development, controlling every parameter and integrating them naturally. Preparing the solutions, controlling temperatures, setting the timings, performing the rotations correctly, and so on. The process of drying and cleaning negatives was also highly automated for me. Scanning, although especially tedious, was perfectly structured into a series of steps that I followed…
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A Fallow Photo Blog
If my photo blog were a building, it would probably look a lot like the one in the picture I am sharing. I have spent several months without posting anything, leaving this space in complete abandonment. What is behind this neglect? I am afraid it cannot be explained by a single reason, and there is no simple answer. These past years have been marked by an extremely intense photographic activity. Almost every weekend I went on outings that meant driving hundreds of kilometres, something that eventually took a toll on my energy and motivation, which I squeezed to the very…
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Transcending Beauty
In the world of photography, beauty plays an immensely important role. It is one of our main guides when choosing a subject, a frame, the perfect time of day to press the shutter, or even when seeking a state of mind that helps us connect with the visual beauty we long for. However, despite the power beauty holds in the photographic experience, we must acknowledge that it is not a constant or stable goal. Like any other resource, over time this pursuit of beauty can lead to a certain weariness, a loss of motivation. We become desensitized to beauty, and…
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The Natural Encounter of Photography
Life is constant movement, evolution, and change. When routine tries to convince us that everything remains the same, a new gaze, a fresh perspective, a feeling of surprise, or the discovery of new meanings in something familiar completely shatters our expectations. Nothing is static or immutable, and of course, our mind is pure evolutionary effervescence. I could talk about all the subtle but highly significant changes that have been taking place within me during this recent stage connected to photography. However, I will focus on the most evident one: I have stopped searching in favor of pure, meaningful encounters. In…
