Barcelona is a warm place… not only the temperature of the weather, but also the temperature of the people’s hearts. However, it’s not just the warmth that I’ve come to love, but the light. At all times of day, the light is stunning. It wafts down and bounces off buildings, finding you, telling it’s own story.

Is it the light or just the sense of place… to be among the ancient and the new together… no it’s definitely the light that makes Barcelona beautiful, though ancient people seemed more attuned to a certain slant of light.

Light is permanent beauty.

While I’ve traveled all over the world, from shooting for Airbnb in Iceland to making a documentary in Iraq, I am always seeking to expand my borders and to find new partners.

So when I had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona to test with Luca of Let’s Film Barcelona, I jumped at the chance. Taking the train from Paris, I arrived a day early and acclimated to Barcelona’s beautiful stone streets and warm people quickly.

I spent two days with Luca and his team. One thing I wanted to show was how we can do street style shooting for part of our shoots, with the ability to provide model releases. I notice that some clients are hesitant to do this style of shooting, even though it is so fresh, because getting model releases feels impossible. Having a producer who can ask for not only a release but also a pose is amazing.

Of course, we needed to bring in some talent who could experience Barcelona for our cameras. It’s so important to have talent who can be a sure shot. We created a couple and a family, in order to show differing scenes of what you can enjoy in Barcelona.

Lastly, we were able to shoot video simultaneously. Because this is how I already work for about 75% of my shoots as not only a photographer but a director, this was a seamless experience for us. It’s definitely tricky work on the street, but by working varying angles or stacking the cameras, we can get stills that move. 

Our first day was a scout, and we used that time to also do candid street work and some general landscapes. The second day, we returned to the same spots and had the models bring them to life. 

With our couple, we wanted to display a sense of hope and wonder. I asked them, as they live in Barcelona, to imagine that they had never seen it before. One of the beautiful things about being a tourist is that you look up, not down. You can see it in the old European cities… the locals hurry past beautiful architecture… while the tourists look up in awe and wonder.

They lift their eyes to the light.

With our family, I wanted to show a deep sense of play and connection. We found activities that they could be immersed in… and as a good Barcelona resident would do, we began with a huge table of tapas. They tried wild and colorful food together, and then we walked down to the beach.

Shooting in a crowded public place is always a trick. While you can easily pull permits for shooting in Barcelona as well as many European cities, sometimes a shot just requires patience and shooting around. We can always move left or right a bit, reframe…

Our family had so much joy and so many gestures of love and warmth for each other.

I was really pleased with the results… full of life, energy, color… and light.

I present… our Barcelona city guide. From Santa Familia to the beach, from streets to food… we show the rich life full of the warmth and heart everyone wants.