Albarracín

On my last road trip through Spain, I focused mostly on visiting and photographing lesser-known towns that are not on most tourist itineraries. One of my favorites was Albarracín.

I truly enjoyed hiking through, around, and even under this sleepy town in the Iberian mountains. The oldest part of the town is the elevated walled city dating back to the mid-1100s. However, there is also a lower part straddling the banks of the Guadalaviar River that flows underneath the walled city. It is not visible here, but there is an archway with a road and walking paths that allow you to travel under the old town.

It only took 20 minutes to wander through town from one side to the other. The streets were narrow and hilly and did not offer many scenic viewpoints. As a result, I spent most of my time hiking outside of the walls to find a vantage point where I could see the entire village.

When I arrived at this overlook looking eastward, it was late afternoon. The higher peaks to the West were already casting part of the valley in shadow, but parts of the city were still harshly illuminated. As I only had 90 minutes until sunset, I decided to set up and wait for softer light. Once the mountains behind me blocked all of the direct light, I started shooting.

The valley was all in shadow, but the ambient light bouncing off the atmosphere still rendered the details below. When the pinkish hue arrived in the East, I think it also added some saturation to the reddish rooftops.

It takes a commitment to visit Albarracín. It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Valencia, perhaps 3 hours from Toledo, partially on narrow and winding mountain roads. In my view, it is worth the effort and one of the most picturesque hill towns in Spain.

Rising From The Depths

During the past three years, I have photographed several buildings designed by Santiago Calatrava. I discovered his work accidentally when I visited the transportation hub in New York City. Since then, I have sought out his other projects in Europe. I suspect that his work can be divisive, but enjoy his combinations of architecture, art, and whimsy. They almost always present multiple photographic interpretations. When I discovered that he designed the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, I immediately started planning a trip.

There are four structures in this image. The closest structure is L'Hemisfèric (an Imax theater) and is meant to resemble a large eye. The next structure is the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe, a science museum with a bone-like exterior. The Assut de l'Or Bridge is the third structure with the final building being L'Àgora, a concert and event hall. All are different in size and shape, yet from this angle, they blend together into one piece. Add in the pools of water that surround much of the project and a creature emerges, rising from the depths.

I hoped to photograph the structures at night, as Calatrava often illuminates them in interesting ways. I positioned myself on a bridge overlooking the area, as the elevated view better revealed the wonderful reflections. The water is shallow and choppy during even mild winds, but the dark scene allowed me to soften it with a long exposure. The dynamic range of light in the scene was more than my camera sensor could process. As a result, I blended this long exposure with both a regular exposure and an under-exposed image (for the very bright lights).

More to come from Valencia & Calatrava...here are links to my interpretations of his other designs.

Golden Sentinel

Skeleton Key

Baleen

Alquézar Alight

This past spring, I went to Spain to explore some lesser-known areas. Alquezar was near the top of my list as it is situated near the Pyrenees adjacent to the Sierra de Guara national park. The area has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it is much less visited than the amazing cities of Barcelona, Toledo, Madrid & Valencia...this is both a shame and a blessing.

The castle or citadel was built in the 8th century and served as a defensive position for the surrounding area in a strategic and beautiful location. The village was built up around the castle in the 11th century and features multiple narrow streets that all wind you up in the direction of the castle. All of the buildings are built of the same stone and roof materials that make the village resemble one large, multi-faceted structure when viewed from above.

It is a rather small village...I think I walked all the city streets in about an hour. It was a joy to explore and find the various views over the cliffs into the canyon and beyond. Tired of the narrow streets, I decided to hike up a nearby hill to find a view of the village itself. Once I reached this spot, I knew I would come back here to capture a photo.

During sunset, the sky showed glimpses of color, but it never really materialized. The clouds, however, were dynamic and since I love the blue hour, I waited for it to come. As the darkness crept in, more and more lights lit up the medieval town. Very few tourists, if any, are here to witness this. Regardless, the village lights up the streets and the castle for the benefit of the locals and anyone (me) who happens to stick around.

I thought to myself, "what would the builders of this castle think if they saw it lit up at night?" Can you imagine what this town was like in 700AD without electric lights? Of course, there was the random torch or lantern, but nothing like this!

A great spectacle in a serene place...and a great stop for anyone visiting eastern Spain…add it to your list. :-)

Golden Sentinel

The Opera House (officially named Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía) is a magnificent structure by architect Santiago Calatrava. It is one of several modern & unique architectural designs that comprise the City of Arts & Sciences in Valencia, Spain.

I was not able to go inside during my visit, as part of it was being renovated and entry was only allowed for those with event tickets. However, I did walk around the building several times admiring the lines & curves and wondering how Calatrava dreamt up such a structure.

It is completely colorless on the outside...only blacks, whites and shades of gray can be found. As a result, I expected that if I did capture a perspective that I liked, it would best be suited as a Black & White image. But something unexpected happened one evening as I was waiting for sunset...the monochrome facade transformed into complementary colors!

For a brief period, the setting sun was low enough on the horizon to shine golden light on the underside of the exposed roof, where it was reflected in some parts of the interior. There were no clouds in the sky, so it remained mostly blue in the direction I was facing and cast down its hue on the normally white exterior. I was in the position I had scouted earlier in the day and was able to capture the conversion as it happened.

I don't know if Calatrava designed this building to have this effect, but if he did, he deserves even more accolades. I suspect he did not, as I have not seen a similar image posted online with these color characteristics. I think it was a combination of the correct time of year, time of day & weather conditions that allowed it to occur.

Then again, perhaps Calatrava is a fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Remember that scene where Indiana Jones is in the ruins holding the staff? At the correct time, the sun shines through the hole in the roof, hits the gemstone and reveals the location of the Ark...makes you wonder.

The Watcher

In the spirit of Halloween I decided to do something a bit different this week and post an image I find to be a bit creepy.

This ghost-like, golem-like creature towered over me one day in Barcelona. I have to say, I felt a little eerie looking up and seeing this thing staring down at me. It was easily three times my size and the dark void of its eyes watched me very intently the entire time I was in its presence. Fortunately, it never moved…it only watched…and I was able to escape unharmed down a nearby staircase.

In case you are curious what this really is, it is one of the statuesque chimneys atop the roof of Casa Milà (La Pedrera) in Barcelona, another fantastic building by architect Antoni Gaudí. This chimney/statue/creature greets you when you climb the stairs and reach the rooftop. It is one of a dozen or more functional statues on the roof and was easily my favorite. 

Boo!

Happy Halloween! :)

Spotted

This was captured in the atrium of the MACBA modern art museum in Barcelona. In addition to hosting a collection of over 5,000 works, the building itself is piece of art. It is almost devoid of any color with white walls and black floors, but the various pillars, ramps, stairs, shapes and lines make the interior very striking.

After making my way through various exhibitions, I leaned over the edge of the third story balcony and looked down into the atrium. Immediately this splash of color caught my attention. I didn’t notice the red spot on the floor when I entered the building. Apparently, I was too busy looking upwards to admire the lines and curves and shadows inside the space. 

Looking up has become somewhat of a habit for me when photographing architecture. We spend so much of our lives looking straight ahead, that we often neglect the view above us (myself included). This time, however, looking down allowed me to see what I had missed…a perfect combination of shapes and tones and color. Simple, clean, pleasing.

This was not part of any exhibit. Nevertheless, it ended up being my favorite part of the entire museum. 

spot•ted

adj. - marked with or characterized by a spot or spots.
verb - to detect or recognize; locate or identify by seeing: