Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain’s premier city of culture and art, is rich in delicious dichotomies. From the 13th century gothic Barcelona Cathedral to the 19th century art nouveau masterpiece of the La Sagrada Familia, from the respectful and beautiful graffiti to the citywide art installations—here world-class food, art and architecture are woven together to create one of the most beautiful and photogenic cities in Europe.
Tour Gallery
Tour Details
September 4-9, 2022 — Completed
This is a 5-night, 6-day tour. Your adventure begins on the morning of September 4 and ends after a final slideshow on the afternoon of September 9.
$3,800 + applicable taxes. Register below.
Skill level
Open to all who have an understanding of the basic principles of photography and of their cameras.
Group size
12, with 2 instructors — 6:1 ratio
Tour Leaders
Registration
This event has passed. Thanks for your interest!
| • Deposit of $800 is required to reserve your spot on the tour. |
| • Balance of $3,000 is due on June 6, 2022. —>Pay balance here. |
| • You may choose the “Pay in Full” ticket if you desire to pay all at once. |
| • Last day for a cancellation request is June 5, 2022 (see cancellation and refund policy). |
| • The tour fee does not include lodging, food (except for the welcome and farewell dinners),airfare, or transportation to the hotel or to our nightly shoot locations. |
| • The tour fee does include the welcome and farewell dinners, as well as location entrance fees. |
The Barcelona Experience
Day or night. Indoors and out. Back streets, alleys, plazas and grand boulevards. Public museums and parks. Cathedrals and casas. And everywhere, art, art, art. Barcelona is a city that rewards the curious and creative.
On this tour we’ll take in all that this beautiful city has to offer. Like all of our international tours, this trip differs from our Passport Series workshops in that we will be exploring and photographing both day and night. There is no classroom instruction, but Tim and Chris will be available to work with participants as much or as little as they like in the field.
We’ll visit many of Barcelona’s most famous attractions as well as its hidden gems. Places such as the Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló just can’t be missed. And no trip to Barcelona would be complete without spending time in the Gothic Quarter and exploring its many local neighborhoods.
Food is also a big part of the Spanish culture and we’ll make plenty of time to enjoy the specialties of this unique city. Two group dinners are included on this tour.
What You Should Know
We’ll be spending lots of time shooting in low light and night conditions both indoors and out, so participants must have at least basic photo skills, know their cameras well, and be comfortable shooting in manual mode with a DSLR or high-end mirrorless camera. Night photography experience is not necessary but recommended.
If you would like to attend this tour but are unsure whether you have adequate night photography skills, we can offer pre-trip tutoring to get you ready for your adventure with us. Alternatively or additionally, a few of us have written books that may be productive pre-tour reads. Tim has also authored a 6-hour video titled Lightroom: Library and Develop Modules, in case you are interested in exploring this skill before you arrive.
What You Will Learn
The primary emphasis of the tour will be on creating images rather than learning new techniques. If you are relatively inexperienced, we will provide you with field instruction, and as time permits, impromptu image reviews. We’ll give room to explore, but not leave you on your own. Each participant will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with Tim and Chris in the field.
We do not tell our attendees what to photograph, and won’t line you up in a row to all shoot the same thing. Instead, we encourage you to use what you have learned to create your own unique images, and to let us guide you through the process should you desire. We do not teach you to do what we do, but rather how to develop your own night vision.
Night Conditions
Logistics & General Info
Travel
Barcelona International (BCN) is typically a one-hop flight from most of the major European hubs. Our base of operations is approximately 20 minutes from the airport. Taxis are readily available and a convenient way to travel to our hotel.
You will not need a rental car for this tour. All locations are reachable by foot or the reliable taxi services of Barcelona.
Food & Lodging
To experience the best of Barcelona, we’ll be staying in the heart of downtown near both the Gothic Quarter and many of the city’s more famous attractions.
You are not required to stay at the official tour lodging, though doing so does make it easier to meet with the group. Lodging info and group code will be sent after registering. You are responsible for arranging and paying for your accommodations.
Barcelona has amazing food. We’ll be supplying the first and last nights’ dinners, but all other meals will be your responsibility.
Weather
Barcelona's weather in September is sublime. Expect daytime highs around 80 F and nights around 70.
Recommended Attire
As always, comfort is of utmost importance. Both daytime and nighttime temperatures will be very comfortable, but packing a light jacket/rain jacket just in case is always prudent.
Considerations
The exertion level of this workshop is Easy. (See more about our classifications.)
No vigorous activity will be required during the tour, but please consider your physical abilities prior to registering. We’ll be doing plenty of walking through museums, cathedrals and city streets, so comfortable city shoes are a must.
Please read our FAQs section for more information about skill and gear requirements, and other information that pertains to all our tours and workshops.
If you have questions, please contact us—we're happy to talk it over with you.
The hidden art of Barcelona ...
“What I found was amazing. This charming little street completely transformed from a quaint local neighborhood to a colorful array of artists’ canvases.”
The first time I visited Barcelona I was simply blown away by the way the Catalans live art. It’s present everywhere in this city—from the history of its architecture and the way people dress, to what they eat, to the environment they create for themselves.
This creative mindset extends well beyond the traditional art forms. In fact, I found it to be very vibrant among the city’s graffiti artists. Now I must admit, the only thing I know about graffiti culture is that it exists. Growing up near New York and Philadelphia, I came to equate graffiti with urban blight. It seemed to appear only in places you would pass by and not want to stop at. While many of the paintings were certainly works of art, they usually did not incorporate into or complement their surroundings.
Barcelona’s graffiti scene seems to be different. “Respectful” is the word that comes to mind. Instead of marking territory, the artists’ collective goal seems to be to enhance the area. This thought first hit me on my second walk down the Carrer d’Avinyó in the Gothic Quarter (one of my favorite strolls in the city).
On my first trip down this photogenic street I saw some evidence of graffiti, but nothing to make me stand up and take notice. It was simply an ancient street lined by beautiful stone architecture. This narrow throughway was thronged with people visiting the upscale shops and local eateries. It was daytime. My next visit found me there at twilight. Some of the shops were already closed while some were just wrapping up for the day. What I found was amazing. This charming little street completely transformed from a quaint local neighborhood to a colorful array of artists’ canvases.
The shops all had vertical metal sliding doors that would come down at night revealing the hidden art of Barcelona. Every door was different. Every door was a piece of art.
I then started to notice more and more of this art around the city. Rarely did I find the typical spray paint defacing beautiful buildings and structures. It’s almost like an unwritten code that no paint shall be applied to stone. Of course there is the occasional exception, but by and large the artists keep to the doors. They stay in their lane, so to speak.
Now, this is only my perception. I truly don’t claim to understand the rules by which the city’s graffiti artists work. But I found both their restraint and their ability to create art from two completely incongruent media to be truly inspirational. I can’t wait to get back and continue my exploration of Barcelona’s hidden art.
