Is the photograph a metaphor or a record true to reality? Is it meant to tell a story, to reveal meanings, to prove a point, to raise awareness, to disclaim, to shock, to entertain? Is it charged with emotion or humor? Does its success depend purely on aesthetics or on meaning and relevance?

I began my photography journey as a teenager under the mentorship of my uncle, who was a war photographer and anthropologist. He referred to photography as "The Gift," describing it as a visceral art form that compels us to capture moments where light, subject, composition, and timing come together to create a meaningful image.

Venezuelan by origin, I’ve lived in different parts of the world until I settled in Madrid. My story in many ways is probably not so different from so many photographers. However much we invest in effort, time, training, and money, we know that few things can top the feeling of capturing the essence of a moment and a place in our work.

I primarily focus on landscape photography, hoping o capture form, light, and emotion. My goal is to provide an intimate perspective of the landscape by directing attention to the essential elements of the composition. Whether altered or untouched, landscapes inherently bear the mark of human presence. I aspire for my photographs to go beyond mere documentation, seeking to encapsulate the unique essence of the scenes and, in doing so, convey their beauty and inspire others.

Please reach out to me directly for projects or if you are interested in purchasing my work.

Some thoughts on my photography

Throughout the years I’ve sought out pristine landscapes; remote locations where the human imprint is barely perceptible, striving to capture some of the awe and wonderment of the experience. Those rare, precious, and unspoiled places are charged with their own particular energies, hard to describe, and even more difficult to capture with a camera.

But our footprint on the environment is almost ubiquitous. Any landscape, altered or not, is a scenario in which we inevitably project our presence. And yet, people seem to connect more with images that contain a human element. Pure nature landscapes may be perceived as quintessentially Ivory Tower; decorative, idealistic, and somehow remote. I find that both make for valid subject matter, but given the choice, I’ll seek out unspoiled nature any day.

I also attempt to work with minimum post-production manipulation, concentrating on the essentials of composition and the emotional dimensions of the scene. Images with strong composition, good light, and clearly defined subjects will greatly simplify the viewer’s task of finding meaning and intent. Others, more subdued or abstract, will pose more of a challenge in eliciting emotions. However, both approaches are valid and with potential for creating memorable images.

Even with a specific subject and composition in mind, I still try to approach a scene without fixed preconceptions. Many times I’ve failed at producing a worthy image from a grand view that I thought would lead to a knockout photo. The same scene might, however, offer tight crops or close-ups with a special meaning and compositional power in their own right.

Ultimately, the photographer’s motivation is to create images with not only a personal significance, but that transcends the limitations of its two dimensions to communicate to others. As an abstraction of a specific reality, and taken out of its natural context, I would define a strong photograph as that which resonates with the viewer, not leaving him or her indifferent, no matter the subject matter.

What makes a great subject? How much does post-production affect the end result? To use color or black & white, to crop or not to crop, to shoot a panorama or zoom into a detail; these are creative and technical choices that make or break an image.

Color or black & White?

In this image, it seems clear that converting to black & white improves the overall impact of the image.

Easy choice.

Color seems to add little to this image, even though the two complementary colors, blue and yellow, dominate. However, in black and white, the shadow and the shape of the billboard are now more integrated and I can push tones and shadeing in monochrome to add character without introducing garish tonal shifts. Overall, the graphic nature of the image is emphasized.

Sometimes the choice between the two is not so clear cut.

I found that choosing between color and black & white between these images was not so easy. The deciding factor came down to be if the images were to be viewed alongside others as a collection or shown individually.

I guess it comes down to personal preference. Viewed strictly as a family, it might seem more harmonious to organize a collection of photographs of similar tones, subject matter, treatment, etc. However, the decision again is one of intent. What is the photographer trying to convey with a single image or with a collection?

Wide Panorama or tight crop?

In this example, both the stitched panorama of the grand vista (above) and the cropped detail of the valley between the cliffs work well.