Yesterday I got back from a 3-day street photography trip to Barcelona. It’s something I like to do once or twice a year to keep my photography and observation skills strong and spend some time with fellow photographers, sharing tips, gossip and many glasses of wine.
Street photography is all about spotting a composition, waiting for a moment, and capturing what’s happening in front of you, as creatively as possible. Street photography should tell a story of real life, good, bad and ugly. They should be humorous (sometimes), real, interesting, tell and story and make you look twice. You’re looking for light, frames, moments, repetition, colour, feeling, juxtapostions, leading lines, layers and life.
We went as a gang of 10 – some knew each other, some didn’t, but everyone got on so well and we had such a blast. And we ate LOTS of tapas. It’s so cheap in Barcelona – we had tons of excellent food plus loads of wine, averaging 10 euros each! If you need recommendations of places to eat just ask – my friend and fellow wedding photographer Jack lived in Barcelona so knew all the best places.
My favourite part of the trip (apart from the tapas) was what I like to call muscle beach. A free outdoor gym packed with incredibly strong men doing all sorts of amazing things, from handstand press ups to holding themselves upright sideways. I tried to do a pull up and got an inch off the ground. Next to the training area was a surf beach, with the sea full of long-haired surfer dudes lying on their boards waiting for a wave. Between these two scenes were cats that live in the rocks. Meanwhile, tanned old men played dominoes and sunned themselves. What a life. I want to go back already!
I’ll be planning another street photography trip with these guys before the year is out!
Here are my favourite street photos. I’ll be posting “behind the scenes” photos of us lot soon!
