Photography vacations in Spain

It’s almost easier to talk about what you won’t see on a photography vacation in Spain, than what you will. You won’t be in the packed streets, big attractions and overtouristed markets of Barcelona, for a start. Nor will you be on the classic Costas, photographing fry ups and fried Brits; budding Martin Parrs, be warned.

But other than that, the scope of these trips is virtually limitless. They take place in provinces that boast both mountains and sea, often within a 30-minute drive of each other. They visit majestic cities and tiny villages, filled with farmers and fishermen. Some are even empty, having been abandoned in the 20th century as lifestyles changed. There are dramatic gorges, steep cliffs, beached dotted with strange rock formations and even semi desert. Maybe one photography vacation in Spain won’t be enough…

As rural lifestyles change, young people move to the cities and populations age, there are a growing number of abandoned villages across Northern Spain, particularly in the provinces of Asturias and León. The villages of Los Beyos, tucked into a wild and remote corner of the Picos de Europa, are some of the best known. They sit atop the steep Beyos Gorge – an extraordinary setting – with crumbling houses lining cobbled streets making for eerie photo opportunities. Close to the Galician border, the lush valleys of Los Oscos also conceal abandoned hamlets. The thick, stone-walled houses with their tiled roofs, and traditional granaries, have an almost Celtic feel.

Spain’s Moorish heartland has some wonderfully photogenic sights, both within its ancient cities as well as in its untamed landscapes province. You’ll find beautiful Islamic tile work and intricate architecture in Granada’s old Arabic quarter as well as famous Alhambra– ideal for working on photographic details and mastering composition. The whitewashed ‘Pueblos Blancos’ sitting atop the surrounding hills are quintessentially Andalucian; what you might not expect to find here, however, is the lunar-like landscape of the Gorafe semi-desert. This surreal protected landscape is known as the ‘badlands’, and is characterised by sheer-walled cliffs and dried riverbeds stuffed with resilient plants. Nearby, some 240 dolmens – Neolithic stone tombs – date back 5,000 years and form a surreal sight up on the high plateau.

Some trips, based in Granada, offer a week of Spanish classes each morning, with a couple of afternoon photography sessions – you’ll return home with two new skills.

Groups tend to be very small, sometimes with a maximum of just seven people, to ensure everyone has one-on-one time with the tutors, and gets plenty of tailored feedback. That means these trips are suitable for photographers of all abilities, as you’re treated as individuals, rather than as one big group. It’s not advisable to use point and shoot cameras though, or mobile phones; you might as well make the most of the expert tuition with a camera with plenty of manual settings. The vacations are designed for DSLR cameras, or ‘bridge’ cameras, which sit between DSLR and point and shoot options.

As you’re heading well off the main tourist drags, accommodation tends to be small, locally owned and unique. You might be staying in a restored farmhouse in Asturias, a traditional hotel in a friendly fishing community, or a charming house in an Andalucian village. Expect to be eating meals produced with local ingredients, and a warm, homely atmosphere.