Our second day starts at the exciting Encants flea market. One of the oldest flea markets in the world, it has been running continuously since the 14th Century. Up until 2013, traders would lay out their wares in a chaotic mess in a designated open area. Since then, the market has been transformed into one of Europe’s most impressive buildings. This purpose-built 3 storey structure has a roof like nowhere else. Set at different angles, an amazing mirrored canopy covers 500 stalls, a mix of antiques, books, ornaments, clothes, furniture and just about every item of junk you can think of.

The Encants flea market makes for a great morning of photographing the locals in a wonderfully photogenic location. The flea market makes up part of Sant Marti – the district with the most recent urban development and transformation of the former industrial area of Poblenou. Using the ultra-modern architecture that lines the Diagonal Mar street as a backdrop, we will also spend time capturing the action in this dynamic and upcoming part of the city.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Raval – Barcelona’s oldest district. Situated on the south side of the Ramblas, the Raval was located within the city walls until they were knocked down in 1859 as the city began to expand.

In contrast to the Eixample neighbourhood with it’s perfectly placed octagonal buildings, tree-lined boulevards and Bentleys parked in front of top designer stores, the Raval is typically known for it’s large-scale immigration, poverty and other social issues. Unsurprisingly, this makes the Raval probably the top location for street photography in the city. Laundry-clad facades line winding, narrow streets. Graffiti seems to be everywhere, as are the amazing photo opportunities on offer.

One of our favourite hangouts is outside the MACBA [Modern Art Museum]. An open plaza with pedestrians passing through, skateboarders come to meet and practice their skills in front of the glass facade. Behind this building, you will explore another great spot where people add scale to an impressive blend of classical and modern architecture at the CCCB [Barcelona Centre of Contemporary Culture]. But just wandering around the residential areas, searching for directional lighting at the numerous intersections, composing little elderly ladies in front of urban decay as they come back with their groceries from the market, to a friendly chat before photographing tattoo-covered subjects that are often willing to oblige to be photographed – the Raval is the kind of location that you can return to time and again. (B)

On day 3 we start early as we arrive to the Gothic Quarter during morning Golden Hour. This district is especially beautiful at this time of day, when the light makes the wonderful stone architecture literally glow. Deep shadows and directional lighting create depth and atmosphere. These types of backgrounds are best suited without crowds of people, but rather picking out individuals when they pass into pockets of light at the decisive moment.

Historical documents claim the true history of Barcelona began right where the Gothic Quarter stands today because this is where the Romans laid claim to the land and built their first settlement, which was fortified by the addition of a thick wall that rose up to a full 60 feet and boasted 78 towers. Within the Gothic Quarter lies the old Jewish Quarter [known locally as El Call], and is notable for containing the oldest Synagogue in Europe. As well as housing the Santa Eulalia Cathedral dating back to the 13th Century, the Gothic Quarter retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into quaint open Plazas. The Gothic Quarter is undoubtedly Barcelona’s most photogenic section of the city.

When the light gets harsh, we will head to the famous La Boqueria market at the Ramblas. Local farmers have been trading here since as far back as 1217. Initially a meat market, by the 14th Century, farmers sold their products here that were grown around the villages surrounding Barcelona. Today, it stands as one of the world’s premiere markets with it’s wonderful scope of quality local and international gastronomic products.

Apart from the enormous variety of fresh products on offer, there are some excellent tapas bars located here. It’s not everyday that you see people dining as a butcher passes by with a Jamon slung over his shoulder. As the light is lower inside the market, it is also a great place to practice adding movement into our shots. The fun, dynamic and lively Boqueria Market is an excellent location for environmental portrait photography.

Making use of the wonderful light during afternoon Golden Hour, we will wander through La Ribera and explore the labyrinth of cramped, residential areas. La Ribera is one of the areas of the quarter of Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i La Ribera of Ciutat Vella [the Old City].

This is the perfect area to go over the various camera techniques and settings that we have learned to date. Due to the fast-paced nature of street photography, deciding which settings to use, and consequently navigating around the camera quickly, means there is a lot to learn. We aim to simplify the process and help you take control of the camera, as well as showing you the importance of patience, predicting a scene, engaging with your subject, and being confident in your surroundings. (B)

On day 4 we will head to the metro station and head up to the Gracia district. Dating back to the 17th Century and previously a separate village located outside of Barcelona, Gracia was integrated within the city when the Eixample was being constructed.

Gracia is known as the most authentically Catalan neighborhood of Barcelona. In contrast to the multicultural districts located around the centre, Gracia is known for it’s unusual mix of elderly and pro-independence residents. The Catalan language is spoken far more here. Even the restaurant menus are often only written in Catalan. Likewise you will see more pro-independence flags and graffiti here than anywhere else in the city.

This quaint district is self sufficient in its own unique way. Markets, stores, cafes and restaurants abound, and you get the sense of a village environment, compared to the bustle around the Ramblas. Our morning will be spent wandering around the area searching for subjects that reflect this authentically unique district. We will enjoy our farewell meal at one of our favorite restaurants serving traditional Catalan cuisine.

From Gracia we will walk down through the beautiful, tree lined Paseo de Gracia of the Eixample district until reaching our hotel, where we will spend time going over our selected images to date. We believe that a critique of our images will help us understand what makes an image stand out from the crowd. Being self critical and striving for quality rather than quantity is crucial in order to grow at successful street photography. We will also discuss post processing techniques, and some of the most important tools used in Photoshop Lightroom.

After our group critique, we will exchange contact information and bid you farewell. Some in our group may extend their stay and join us on our 4-day Barcelona Architectural Photography Workshop. (B)

We meet in the morning at our hotel in Barcelona, where we will discuss PWA’s “10 Guiding Principles to Great Photography” as well as our “THE ART OF SEEING” photographic technique.

From here we will set out for a pleasant day of shooting that starts at Plaza Cataluña before walking down the famous Ramblas and through the old town – the district known as La Ribera. Here we will explore some marvels of Modernism, such as Gaudi’s first commissioned work at the Placa Reial, before entering another Gaudi site – the stunning Palau Guell that was designed as a city palace for the Industrialist, Eusebi Guell. From here we will continue to the Placa del Pi, the Plaza housing the Santa Maria del Pi church, a fine example of Gothic architecture built in the fourteenth century.

During lunch, we will have informal discussions on what our guests are trying to achieve in their photography, architectural photography styles and techniques.

After lunch, we will explore some of Barcelona’s cutting edge architecture at the Centre of Barcelona Contemporary Culture and the Centre of Contemporary Art in the Raval, Barcelona’s oldest district. With their interesting lines and reflections, these buildings offer a glimpse into the homogeny of architecture from different eras that are so well implemented by local urban planning.

In the evening we celebrate with our Welcome Dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, before taking our tripods to photograph the spectacular light, water & music spectacle at the Magic Fountain. Nearby is the Royal Palace that now houses the Catalan National Art Museum where we will enjoy fabulous viewpoints over the city and the fountain display. Located in the Sants district, the beautiful architectural style surrounding the fountain was designed in 1929 for the International Expo. (L)

Day 2 brings us a glorious mix of Gothic and Modernist architecture in one of the world’s premier locations for architectural photography. Starting at the Santa Eulalia Cathedral that dates back to the fourteenth century, we will capture the details of the interior and visit the tranquil courtyard at the adjoining cloisters.

From here we will explore the stunning Medieval and Roman architecture of the Gothic quarter. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Gothic quarter went through a major renovation project, however remnants of the city’s tumultuous past have been left as testament for future generations, such as damage from aerial bombardment during the Spanish civil war, which can be seen in the Placa Felip i Neri.

From the town hall at the Placa de Sant Jaume, to the beautiful Pont del Bisbe and the Placa del Rei, the narrow alleyways and quaint plazas that make up the labyrinth of the Gothic quarter is a visual delight for any photographer. Within the Gothic quarter, the tiny ancient Jewish quarter houses Europe’s oldest synagogue, and other remnants of its Jewish past.

From the ancient remnants of the city, we spend the rest of the day photographing the beautiful Modernist architecture on the Paseo de Gracia. Located within the Eixample district, this ingenious grid system with the buildings in perfectly placed octagonal shapes, were designed to alleviate traffic while accommodate parking. The grid was the first of its kind in Europe, and is an example of the advanced urban planning of the city.

We will enter one of Gaudi’s most beautiful monuments at the Block of Discord. The Casa Battlo [house of the dragon] is one of Gaudi’s gems, and one of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as is La Pedrera, yet another Gaudi building that we will visit on the Paseo de Gracia. (B)

Our third day begins at the magical Parc Guell. Dating back to 1900, the area was originally designed as an estate of plots of land for wealthy families, but eventually became unviable due to a variety of factors. Eusebi Guell, a wealthy Catalan entrepreneur and friend of Gaudi, commissioned Gaudi to transform the land into a public park. As well as Guell’s own house, Gaudi also built himself a house and lived here from 1906. This fairytale park contains a harmonious blend of architectural ingenuity and flora. Here you will see many examples of Gaudi’s trademark Trencadis – the use of broken tile shards rearranged as a beautiful protection against the elements.

After spending the morning at the Parc Guell, we will return to the city centre to explore one of our favorite neighborhoods – the Borne district has become of the city’s most fashionable corners of Barcelona, due to it’s trendy restaurants, bars, artisan workshops and independent shopping stores – all set amongst some of the city’s most interesting Medieval, Roman and Modernist architecture. From the old Roman walls that used to encircle the city, to Gothic gems such as the famous Santa Maria del Mar church, where sailors would visit before going out to sea, to the interesting “Iron Architecture” found at the structure housing the local market that was the progression from it’s Medieval past and into the 19th Century.

Within the Borne is one of the world’s most beautiful examples of Modernist architecture. The Palau de la Musica [Music Palace] was built between 1905 and 1908 by the Catalan architect, Lluis Domenec i Montaner, and is another monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Designed around a central metal structure and covered in stained glass, this masterpiece of design was created with an interior of exceptional acoustic characteristics.

In the late afternoon we will head to El Guinardo – another of Barcelona’s 10 districts. Continuing on works by Lluis Domenec i Montaner, we visit the spectacular Hospital de San Pau. This extensive complex, composed of 12 pavilions connected by underground galleries, is the largest building in the Art Nouveau style.

What makes this complex so amazing is how much attention to detail has been applied. Constructed in stone, iron, tile, glass and wood, it is equally satisfying to photograph the smallest details as well as the building in its entirety.

To end off an exceptional day of photography, we head to Barcelona’s most iconic site – the Sagrada Familia. Viewing this church for the first time as it towers above the city is awe-inspiring. You don’t need to be an architecture aficionado to be thoroughly impressed by its design and scale. Work began in 1882 and is yet to be completed. Upon completion, there will be 18 towers – 12 associated with the apostles, 4 for the evangelists, 1 for the virgin Mary, and the highest tower associated with Jesus Christ. We will photograph the exterior facades before entering to capture the stunning interior when the light casts a multitude of colors through the stained glass windows. (B)

On day 4 we start the day with a pleasant walk through the Ciutadella park. This part of Barcelona originally housed a citadel, and dates back to the Bourbons before being the site of a prison for political prisoners.

In 1888 the World Exhibition was located here. The most beautiful landmark in the park is undoubtedly the Cascada [waterfall], which was partly constructed by the young and then unknown Antoni Gaudi. Also of note on the perimeter of the park is the Castle of the Three Dragons. An early example of urban Modernism, this predominantly brick structure, adorned with decorative tile and wrought iron, has an interesting Moorish style. The building now houses the zoological museum.

Continuing from the Ciutadella, we walk towards the Arc de Triomf – the gateway for the World Exhibition. Located on the Passeig Lluis Companys, the huge Modernist style lamps lead up to the structure itself. The stark red brick of the arch is adorned with sculptural motifs, evocative of the neo-Mudejar style at the time.

In the afternoon, we spend our time shooting modern and futuristic architecture in the Barceloneta district. As a polar opposite to the architectural styles found in other neighborhoods, the futuristic structures along the seafront have confirmed Barcelona as one of the leading cities in modern, avant-garde architecture.

Notable buildings are the “W” Hotel, located right on the shore that reflects the sunrise on its mirrored facade, to the Natural Gas building with its angled mirrors and interesting forms, to the unique whale structure by the Arts Hotel. The Photovoltaic Pergola [solar power roof] offers some great photo opportunities for architectural photography, especially when a person is under it, giving a sense of scale of this ultra-modern structure.

Upon our return to our hotel, we enjoy our Farewell Lunch and our final group discussion, review our past week’s photos, trade contact information and bid you farewell. (B) (L)