portrait practice

be relaxed please

Álvaro, a former colleague of mine, is now the Director of Commercial Business at a prestigious real estate agency in Madrid.

We met in the outdoor area of the Wine Bar Beria one evening while I was also in town.

We had discussed doing a small portrait session during our chat. Whether it was for that reason or simply because of his profession, I’m not sure, but he arrived in an elegant suit.

For me, it’s important that the people I photograph come across as authentic. My goal is to capture something that typical studio sessions often miss. That’s why I like to start in a café or a bar, easing into the process and beginning to take photos naturally. This approach helps the other person feel more accustomed to being photographed and eventually perceive it as more normal.

Because, truthfully, it’s not. I feel the same way as anyone else would when being photographed. But I believe a key part of the process is building a connection. And if you already know the person, then it’s about helping them feel comfortable and relaxed.

I think these photos reflect Álvaro as he truly is. He’s a businessman—serious, successful, and traditional. But he’s anything but boring.

Light is key

Do you take photos as well? As usual, I was shooting without any external lighting. Most of the time, I work with what’s naturally available. However, it was quite dark at the location, and I found the contrast in the initial shots at ISO 3200 and 6400 to be too low.

my light source …

That’s when I noticed the table lamps, which were made from flowerpot-like containers corked into empty wine bottles. I uncorked one and used it as a fill light, holding it in my left hand. The LEDs inside were surprisingly bright, which made things a bit tricky as the light was relatively harsh. But as they say: light is better than no light!