Although you wont be able to tell, Andrés is a self taught photographer specializing in architecture and urban geometry. He is currently living in Estonia but photographs all over the world.
Tell us about yourself and how you came to be a photographer?
I'm from Alicante, in Spain, and I come from a background in advertising, marketing and a little bit of graphic design. So I always considered myself to have a strong visual culture. However, it wasn't until 2012 when my photography journey started. I got my first DSLR camera as a gift from my mother and my brother, and photography has been my biggest passion ever since. As many other self taught photographers, I started practicing with many subjects until I realized that architecture and urban photography was my thing. Both my parents are architects, so I guess that's a big influence in my work. Photography was a hobby for me, but at some point I started to be published and get my first commissions, so I started to invest more time and effort into it. Until I quit my job in 2018 to become a full time photographer.
How has your photography changed from when you first started shooting?
As a self taught photographer there has been a constant development in my photography. Especially in the first 3-4 years I'd say. I had very little photography culture, so my initial photography was more graphic (due to my graphic design studies) and post processed. After then I reached the moment where I currently am, when I know what kind of photos I want to do and also, what kind of audience and clients I want to reach. Of course, I also enjoy getting out of my comfort zone from time to time, and recently have been experimenting with still life and product photography.
Where do you get inspiration?
Most of my inspiration comes from the work of other photographers and artists, the internet makes it quite easy for us to keep an eye on what's new. But I think my biggest inspiration comes from my mom. Being an architect herself, she knows very well the industry I work for and gives me great advice.
What about shooting architecture do you love the most?
My favorite part is talking to the architects and understanding their vision, so I can reflect that in my photos. Traveling is another big plus, since it's another of my biggest passions.
What is your creative process?
My creative process varies depending on the type of project I'm doing and the freedom I have. I do quite a lot of personal projects, like my ongoing series 'Urban Geometry' which recently got published in a book. This project started in 2013 and has taken me to travel to many different cities in Europe in Asia to capture architecture in a more graphic way, focusing on details, geometry, color, light and shadows. In the beginning I was allowing myself full freedom, but as the project started growing I understood I needed to give it certain consistency, so now I impose myself some criteria. In a way, I do my own art direction when shooting my 'Urban Geometry' series. These photography trips require quite a big research to find interesting architecture and locations to shoot. Once in the destination, a lot of walking and flexibility.For commissions, where I don't have that freedom, I try to understand as best as possible what the client expects from me and what are their wishes. It's important to understand what style and aesthetics they want to be recognized for, so communication is very important, both in the pre production and on the spot. But in most cases, when a client chooses one photographer it means they are on the same page, so I usually get a lot of freedom.
Are there any photographers or other creatives that you admire?
There are many indeed. Just some names: Luigi Ghirri, Cristina de Middel, Reuben Wu, Muhammed Muheisen, Chris Labrooy, Zupagrafika, Nina Geometrieva...
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Andrés is available for freelance work and collaborations. Check out more of his work on his site or follow along on Instagram.