Landmarks

I began this series in 2008, photographing models in front of well-known monuments. It started in Zaragoza and gradually expanded across Spain and Europe, often taking advantage of the trips I made to teach photography courses and workshops.

The idea has always been very specific: to integrate the model into a recognisable location without allowing either element to lose its importance. The monument must remain clearly identifiable and sharply defined, while the figure has a strong presence within the composition, with particular attention paid to perspective, focal length and the visual balance between both elements.

At first glance, the technique may seem to be simply about using a wide-angle lens, but there is much more to it than that. Most of the images are created almost entirely in camera, with minimal use of Photoshop. Only in certain photographs has it been necessary to combine exposures or replace the sky with another exposure made in the same location, usually when travel conditions made it impossible to wait for better weather. The final look, as with the rest of my work, includes my own personal colour treatment.

For me, however, this series is much more than a photographic technique. Behind every image there are hours of preparation, travel, location scouting, wardrobe choices and stories that are not visible in the final photograph. Each session is planned around the place, with the aim of making the model, the clothing, the architecture and the surroundings feel like part of the same image.

Over time, the series gained considerable attention and inspired many reinterpretations. This is the original collection from a project that I still consider especially personal, and one to which I have devoted some of the journeys, photographs and memories I value most.

Many of the stories behind these images will also be shared on the blog.