Today, I realised a photo shoot in Barcelona for the inauguration of the Eroica Caffè. This is the second Eroica Caffè to be opened after the original one in Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany (Italy) and more will probably be opened in the world in the near future. The name of Eroica Caffè is linked to the famous L’Eroica annual non-competitive cycling event created in 1997 by Giancarlo Brocci which takes place in the unpaved roads of the beautiful Tuscan countryside.
Southeast Asia is a sultry and colorful kaleidoscope of many countries, cultures, people and wildlife. A five-week journey brought me again in this world’s corner after many years from my last visit. Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Indonesia remains my favorite country in the area. Every island of this incredibly varied country is a unique blend of the people who live upon it among fantastic beaches, dangerous volcanoes and breathtaking historical temples.
If you’re visiting Zaragoza and have some time left to explore its surroundings and, above all, you would like shooting photos of a ghost town, make sure to visit the abandoned village of Belchite, located some 50 km south of the Aragon’s capital. Belchite was the location of a sadly known battle that took place in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. The Battle of Belchite was fought by Spanish Republicans, who represented the democratic government set in Spain just a few years before and the Nationalist rebels run by Francisco Franco. At that time, Belchite was a fortified town with some 4,000 inhabitants. The town found itself on the front lines of these two armies as the Republicans were trying a new series of offensives in order to slow down the Nationalist advance in Aragon.
As a professional travel photographer, I am constantly faced with unpredictable challenges: unwanted cranes, historical buildings swaddled in scaffolding, hordes of tourists and, above all, inclement weather. Weather dominated my recent trip to Madrid: unusual Arctic weather blanketed half of Spain with snow and producing freezing temperatures. High winds disrupted my shooting plans but meant that dramatic black storm clouds alternated with sunny spells.
If you plan to visit a Muslim country here are a few tips and explanations about Ramadan for travel photographers. Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims around the world. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Quran was revealed. Being the Islamic calendar a lunar calendar, months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 10 to 11 days shorter than the solar year and contains no intercalation, Ramadan varies every year.
In 2018, Ramadan will start on May 15 and end on June 14.
During this period, observant Muslims tend to abstain from food (sawm), drinking or smoking from dawn to dusk and also restrain from all activities or behaviours that are not compatible with Islamic values.
