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April 21, 2016

Matti Ameli and Mar Ortiz, psychologists

Professional portraits are one of the most interesting jobs that can be performed by a photographer, because if you have a little curiosity, you can learn about people. In this case I was in the office of Matti Ameli and Mar Ortiz, psychologists in Valencia, who are right in Valencia downtown, less than twenty seconds walk from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. That is what I call to be well located.

Matti Ameli and Mar Ortiz, psychologists

But hey, the important fact is that each of them has more than fifteen years of experience in the fields of therapy and coaching, although each of them explained their own specialty technically on their websites:Matti Ameli has http://mattiameli.webnode.es/ while Mar Ortiz has http://consulta-de-psicologia.webnode.es/.

In addition to their private practising, Mar and Matti will occasionally collaborate with me on the issue of photo shoots to improve self-esteem. How? Writing some articles related to the topic. It is very interesting to read the opinion of recognised and valued professionals like them, because they have an accurate perspective, guaranteed by their education and experience. It is a privilege for me to have their articles and I am sure that everyone will find them interesting.

I am Sergi Albir, photographer in Valencia, Spain. If you need professional portraits or a photo session to improve your self-esteem, a mail to sergi@archerphoto.eu or a call to +34 644 459 753 may be the first step.

April 10, 2016April 10, 2016

A free documentary about Edward Weston

Edward Weston was a key figure to understand photography in America. One of the most celebrated and appreciated photographers with a certain influence about the artists who came afterwards, Weston dedicated about 40 years of his life to the camera.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, moved to California when he was 21 where practised a wide range of disciplines, basically landscapes, still lifes, nudes and portraits. Weston is one of most appreciated artists in photography, especially in America, where he worked, dedicating his interest to common things and landscapes. These common elements became interesting and aesthetically powerful through the eyes of Weston. Pumpkins, peppers, seashells… They were inspiring Weston, like waiting for him to create art from the vulgar, the ordinary, and letting him grow as an artist.

Online resources:

http://edward-weston.com/

Gallery online:

http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/artists/1641/edward-weston-american-1886-1958/

Documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sF8K1NfHnM

Edward Weston: the greatest American photographer of his generation?
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/aug/18/edward-weston-photography

March 12, 2016March 12, 2016

Photographic experiments

Living among cameras have these things. I bought a lens I already knew it was broken for experiments. Well, also I had some old RAM out there, so all together, you put a little light and play a bit in Lightroom. And if you become fairly well, or so you think, then you can show it. It is not, is hidden on the hard drive if you think of something good to do with it. Or a bad thing, but something. The volume of photographic experiments there on my hard drives is remarkable, and occasionally take something for air.

Sometimes my experiments involve people, but often they have to be done with what I have on hand at home to try. In this case, the Samsung NX500, my beloved Minolta 58 1.2 and material I mentioned before: memory and a 135 Hanimex 2.8 for Nikon totally unusable.

In reality, even if it sounds much better thinking about it as photographic experiments, it is simply messing around. If you write a good cause, as talking about the importance of the next against the absurd and the unknown distance, for example, everything seems much more artistic and transcendent, but the truth is that would probably only cause widespread yawn. So I upload some pictures and that should be enough. If you like, you can share the post or comment.

Photographic experiments

I am Sergi Albir, a photographer in Valencia and if you need me, you are in Valencia or anywhere else, my email is sergi@archerphoto.eu and my phone, Whatsapp available, is +34 644 459 753.

January 22, 2016August 23, 2016

Francisco Segarra and N5

Despite not being an expert in gastronomy, here am I again uploading a post related to food. Specifically with N5 (depending where they are showing the name, Nº5, as a “Number 5”), a restaurant in Castellón (Spain) owned by Francisco Segarra, who also dealt with the great image of the restaurant. Africa Laguna and I went to N5 and shot some photos to both of our posts, hers has a bit of additional info about the company and some different pics and it can be read here: http://hiplover.es/fs-furniture-vintage/

Francisco Segarra and N5

Segarra produces, imports and distributes lots of vintage-looking furniture, especially designed for restaurants and shops. Besides furniture, the company develops complete decoration projects and as a photographer it was a real pleasure to spend a morning with him in his company’s facilities. I told him that many of his creations would fit very well in the Gotham TV series, which is recreating the atmosphere of the city for the young Bruce Wayne, who later became Batman. The TV series is also highly recommended from my humble point of view.

Returning to the subject of food, I took the classic burger which was fabulous, and Francisco recommended I try their Wine Burger, a specific wine to pair with this type of food. I was very pleasantly surprised, although, again, my views on the line gastronomy are so good – or as bad-as anyone.

Sergi Albir

I am Sergi Albir a professional photographer in Spain. Contact me in sergi@archerphoto.eu or in the phone, +34 644459753, with Whatsapp and Telegram.

December 29, 2015

Competitions: Bikini Class 2015, Open Héctor Defez in Castellón, Spain

Bikini Class usually arouses more interest than any other in bodybuilding and fitness championships. It is actually the entry class for women, while men enter into Men’s Fashion or Physique. Or something like that because often classes are named a little different, not to mention that each organizer named as you want. Lately I’ve been to some championships, both AEFF (NAC) and IFBB, which are currently the two most powerful federations, at least in Spain.
In the higher classes, men and women they have more muscle, so there’s always discussions in the public on the tastes of each other on the amount of muscle and how much it motivates each each physical.
I have chosen this competition -the Hector Defez Open (IFBB), held on September 12th 2015 specifically for two reasons: because the level was much higher than that of a standard regional championship and because the winner got a photographic portfolio by me as a prize.

Bikini Class

Georgina Pedrós, tercer puesto en el Open Héctor Defez. — Georgina Pedrós, third place in Open Héctor Defez.

Miri Calderón en el Open Héctor Defez. — Miri Calderón in Open Héctor Defez.

Yolanda Romero en el Open Héctor Defez. — Yolanda Romero in Open Héctor Defez.

Finally, a picture out of competition. As soon as fhe awards were presented I was flying to backstage to take a picture of Claudia, the brand new champion, with the check. It is quite logical that just as the championship ends, athletes are wishing some relax and often even go away from the premises, and I did not want to miss the opportunity.

Claudia Fernández, ganadora de la categoría Bikini — Claudia Fernández con el cheque por un book fotográfico.

I am Sergi Albir, professional photographer. If you want to contact me, sergi@archerphoto.eu is the easiest way. You can also try the phone, +34 644459753, with Whatsapp and Telegram.

December 15, 2015December 15, 2015

Night Urban Pictures (I)

Some say there is nothing like film pictures. I may respect fundamentalists of celluloid, but I can not agree. Since we have digital cameras we can work at night with good results without dependence on the flash and tripod. The better our camera, the easier it will be for us. Although night it is not a particularly strange event, in my case, it has a special attraction.

Night Urban Pictures

I like to shoot at night in the city. There are a raising number of amateur astrophotography but it is not my thing. Valencia sky it is too bright because of the light reflected from the streets: excess of ill-designed street lights . So if it’s not a good place to take pictures of the sky, it’s fine to shoot on the street with that excess of luminosity.

One of the key factors is -in addition to working with high ISOs, high luminosity lenses and godd cameras- a steady hand. Personally, I almost never carry a tripod or monopod with me, so I just have to lean against a wall, lamppost or the like to obtain not trepidated photos . My system, apart from the above, is to shootjust after I have emptied my lungs with well placed camera. But it not always works.
Another important issue is knowing that many of the photos will not be fine, but do not fall into despair just for that. After all, only we’ll only show the good ones. In many cases the secret for success of urban and night shots is a matter of patience.

London, Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid are among the cities that I have photographed at night. If you are interested in purchasing any of these pictures in large, you can email me, because I still have not an operative online store.

Fotos urbanas y nocturnas — Canary Wharf, London

Puerto de Valencia de noche — Valencia Port

Apagón. Foto de Sergi Albir, fotógrafo en Valencia. — Blackout in Valencia

Finsbury Park, por Archerphoto, Sergi Albir, fotógrafo para empresas. — Londres, Finsbury Park. Rain.

Madrid, Paseo del Prado. Foto de Sergi Albir, fotógrafo profesional. — Madrid, Paseo del Prado

If you need a professional photographer, forget Jimmy Olsen: my name is Sergi Albir, my phone is +34 644459753 and my e-mail es sergi@archerphoto.eu .

November 2, 2015November 2, 2015

Quique Dacosta Restaurant in Denia

Some things happen even when you’re not ready for them. For business reasons I ended up having dinner at the Quique Dacosta Restaurant, in Denia (Alicante, Spain), and I had the opportunity to meet in person and talk briefly to a photo of him.

Quique Dacosta Restaurant in Denia

Since I am not a person with a special fondness for the art kitchen, I find special merit int the impression the place left me after I ate there. There would be little value in my critical analysis of this restaurant with three Michelin stars because cooking is not, by far, my specialty. The question of taste and experience in organizing local Dacosta is, yes I have to say, an original event perfectly designed, prepared and executed. It is not just eating and discovering textures, shapes and flavors that are out of anybody’s reach when you get used, but this Caceres guy (yes, even the Valencian what vindicate him, Quique Dacosta was born in Jarandilla de la Vera, Caceres) has a clear sense of entertainment and tries to astonish the visitor. In short, despite my limited expertise in matters of food, it’s a great experience.

Here are some pics of my visit to the restaurant, which until 2009 was called the Poblet, and now goes by the name of Quique Dacosta Restaurant. El Poblet is the name of the current Quique Dacosta Valencia restaurant.

Arroz ceniza ,Quique Dacosta Restaurant — Ash rice

Corals

For more information, it is obviously advisable to go through its website, which includes menus and more info on the two restaurants currently Dacosta owns, one in Valencia and the one I visited in Denia, Alicante. http://www.quiquedacosta.es/

However, for a more technical perspective, with explanations you can also visit his blog, http://quiquedacosta.blogspot.com.es/, which also includes information on other activities Dacosta, as his exhibition at the Valencian Museum Enlightenment and Modernity (Muvim).

September 21, 2015

Valencia City Council

The Valencia City Council had remained inaccessible to the general public for many years until the recent arrival of Joan Ribó, the new Mayor. The style of government, based on proximity and setting clear differences with his predecessor, Rita Barbera, has brought available access to both tourists and Valencians themselves, when before they had access to the municipal building only in specific cases. Today, while there is a security for access, anyone can come and have a look, even out on the balcony overlooking the square.

The Valencia City Council is a building composed of two bodies: the House of Teachers, built in the eighteenth century and the front, built between the second and third decades of the twentieth century, with a pretentious style with neo-Renaissance and neo-baroque elements designed by Carlos Carbonell.

The architectural value of the building is not the point here, but the significance acquired by the virtual capacity of the visitor to the building. My particular interest is directly curiosity: I had gone in the building just and I was barely able to see anything. Being able to shoot there gets my attention. So here are the photos.

Matti Ameli and Mar Ortiz, psychologists

Photographic experiments

Francisco Segarra and N5

Bikini Class

Season’s Greetings 2015

Night Urban Pictures

Quique Dacosta Restaurant in Denia