Location Shoot: Vall de Núria

As many other artists, my photography journey began with outdoor portraits and location shoots. Out magnificent Nature has it all - the light, the shapes, the colours. A perfect playground where you learn not only about the art you’re practicing, but also about yourself, where is your place and how you relate to it.

During my time living in the UK I began shooting more in the studio. I wasn’t able to connect fully with the constant clouds and rain, desperately searching for a stream of direct sunlight. This was one of the decisions to move back to a sunny coast. Barcelona and Spain in general has it all for me at this point - the sunshine, the clouds, the sea and the mountains. Honestly it is a place where I feel like Alice in Wonderland.

These collections of black&white photographs are created for a dear client of mine in one of the most magical places I’ve been - Vall de Núria. It is a south-opening valley coming down from the crest of the Pyrenees within the municipality of Queralbs, province of Girona, community of Catalonia, Spain.

We went around some little, private waterfalls, enjoyed the music of the forest, the sun and the cold, fresh water. My idea for the photographs was to get back to simply enjoying the process, not to focus on the outcome or so much of the technical aspects that my professional brain constantly observe. When you’ve turned your loved craft into a profession it looses the simplicity of the virginity, it’s like being an amateur is somehow more relaxed and freeing.

We did what we did. The outcome is beautiful. I enjoyed every moment and wish the day was longer so we can stay and play longer. I can’t wait to get back there with my camera and reate some more artworks.

*Photographs are censured due to client’s privacy. There are many more I’d like to share, but this is for now.

It's all about the feeling

With art, with people, with all things. If you don’t feel it, it doesn’t really work. Feelings make us move, both the bright ones as well as the dark ones. It’s all a balance, we know, yet often forget.

Photography for me has always been a way of expressing my feelings. As any other artist, most of the time are the challenging, deep, dark feelings that push me into creating. Pain is our best teacher, even if we don’t want to face it.

Expessing feelings, creating art. It’s beautiful to see how people connect with the work, to see they FEEL it. But the greatest gift of all is when they ask me to create such photographs for them, accompanying their vision, brand, product.

Ask que, it all makes sense at the end, they say. You can connect the dots only looking backwards, so keep walking.

Does self believe has a time line?

For those who didn’t grow up in an encouraging environment, where their gifts and authenticity were acknowledged and celebrated, do you think there is a time frame for reaching the self believe we were born with but consciously or unconsciously extracted at a young age? How long do we have to live, through how many hurdles do we have to go through until we finally truly believe in ourselves?

And when we hit that place, do we know how to celebrate? Do you know how to proudly acknowledge our value and boldly be the most authentic Self we could be?

No turning back, but can we move forward?

There are days that boldly mark our life experience. Moments that change us forever. Irreversible situations that we wish we never had to experience. Yet thankfully to them we are able to become our most authentic Self.

Death, illness, moments that break us, crack us open so the light can come in and illuminate our truth are what we resist the most. As humans we cling to the permanent, resisting change, refusing to accept that death is the most certain events of all. End of a cycle or end of a physical life - they are both the same.

We enjoy the fresh, green spring leafs of the trees as much as the colourful autumn patterns, but rarely we see the cycle as one of life and death. for something new to be born, something old has to die. For everything development, there is a change. For every outcome, there is a lesson that has to be learned.

On today’s day 14 years ago my dear Father made his transition. The event that broke me into peaces and allowed me to search for answers and let a different type of light to fill me in. 14 years later I still don’t know why he had to go so early, and if there weren’t any other way to get to where I am. My human brain can only guess. God / The Universe knows best, were just here playing the role in our constellation.

There are wounds that can never heal, an emptiness that can never be filled. I’m grateful for all that I’ve learned about life and about myself, but if I was able to choose, I’d prefer that you’re still here.

It's not easy, but it's worth it

To follow your heart, to stand up for yourself, to be proud of who you have become.

Life is what we make plans for while it’s happening to us. The more I grow in age and consciousness, the more I see how incredibly simple but seemingly complex it is.

I never knew I will be here writing this to you, but also knew I won’t stay where I was. What I’ve learned? - To value every moment more. Even the difficult ones, as they are just passing by just like the beautiful ones.

The impermanence of Life’s track used to scare me. Until I learned to observe it with curiosity and let it be. After all, we do not have all the answers or possibilities. And we definitely have no clue wha it going to happen or how things will turn around.