Pancho Amat: Cuban trova and jazz

A while ago, in Madrid. The great Pancho Amat with his "tres"on fire. A beautiful fusion of Cuban trova and jazz, with the virtuoso Javier Colina on the bass. Sometimes, you just need to look at the feet...

Madrid airport, Barajas

At the Madrid airport, going through a kaleidoscope. Or, like Alice, falling through a rabbit hole. At the end of the tunnel, Edinburgh.

© Nacho Hernandez

Ava Gardner´s thighs

I'm one of those who believe they don´t make women like Ava Gardner anymore. Whoever called her "the world's most beautiful animal" was not exaggerating. Or maybe just a little bit. Ava Gardner could look at any man in the eye and make him go crazy; abandon family, job and everything for just one more glimpse of paradise. Follow her to perdition and be happy about it. I don't even care if she was a good or a bad actress.

The other day I was having dinner with some friends at a very old restaurant in Madrid. While we wolfed down a stew of bull's tail, the owner was telling us stories about the restaurant in the 50s, its golden era, when it was a meeting point for bullfighters, then demi-gods in Spain, and their friends and admirers. Among them the ubiquitous Ernest Hemingway, of course. Ava Gardner, who enjoyed very much the company of bullfighters, was usually there too.

Our new friend, the owner, was reminiscing about the parties they organized for these people, when he was just a shy teenager full of zits, recently landed in the big city and working at the restaurant as an apprentice waiter. An old signed photo of Ava Gardner followed our discussion from the wall, big tell-story rings under her eyes. "She knew how to party" he said looking at the photo, a sudden spark in his tired eyes and his mind flying back more than fifty years. "I remember seeing her dance in the center of this room". Small pause. "The way she flashed her thighs".

Long pause.

"Those were the very first woman thighs I had seen in my life".

Not a bad start, we all agreed.

The colors of Madrid

Photographers, like criminals, tend to go back to the "scene of the crime". We like to go back to a place where we have found a good photo before, or where we think we can find one. I like to go back to this corner, near my home, by the supermarket where I buy food regularly. Specially late in the afternoon I love the combination of warm colors and shadows. Then, once you have your stage, it is just a matter of "waiting for something to happen".

© Nacho Hernandez

After many years in the Philippines, I am now back working as a photographer in Madrid. I'll be adding more photos from Madrid and Spain to my website.

Casa Labra, Madrid.

Back in my hometown, Madrid, I am revisiting my favorite places in town. One of them is Casa Labra, one of the oldest taverns in Madrid. It is famous for its fried cod and its cod croquettes, perfect with a vermut for the aperitivo. Casa Labra is also famous because the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) was funded here in 1879, during a clandestine meeting of workers. Will it last 138 more years? Well, Casa Labra might; their cod is really delicious. The PSOE? After seeing their current leaders in action, I have my doubts.

Casa Labra                                                                                                                                     © Nacho Hernandez

Do you need a photographer in Madrid? Get in touch!

Back in Spain

So, after many years roaming around I'm back in Spain and in one of my favorite cities in the world. It also happens to be my hometown: Madrid. Probably a good time to relaunch this blog of mine too.

Happy to change my title and to be, again, a freelance photographer in Spain. From my base in Madrid I'll be covering Spain, Portugal, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Do get in touch if you need a photographer in this part of the world.

A coffee at the Circulo de Bellas Artes.                                                                                              © Nacho Hernandez

Rugby World Cup 2015 (RWC2015): 1st week

I am in England to continue working on my photos of English rugby, or on my rugby project, in general. A rugby world cup is, of course, the perfect opportunity to capture some images of rugby fans from all around the world. They are, at the end of the day, as important to rugby as the players themselves.

One week (and a few days) into the Rugby World Cup 2015, here are some of my favourite photos so far.

I spent the last few days in Wales, but that deserves its own post. Coming soon.

All photos © nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

© nacho hernandez

Notre Dame, Paris

One of the most photographed views of Paris, but always hard to resist. Not for nothing they call it the city of light.

© nacho hernandez 2014, all rights reserved

RIP Jose Saramago

© nacho hernandez

RIP Jose Saramago. Thank you for the good times.

From the archive: Lisbon

© nacho hernandez

While listening to the extraordinary Madredeus today I suddenly had a longing for Portugal and spent the best part of an hour revisiting the photos from Lisbon from my archive. The photo above is from Belem, a parish of Lisbon and home to, among other things, the best pastry in the world.

I really miss that city. I am not Portuguese but I think I have a strong attack of what they would call saudade. The music of Madredeus doesn't help ...

Hallelujah

Photo: © Nacho Hernandez

I am back in Madrid for a month or so, before moving to the Philippines. I arrived in my hometown at the best of times, that is, when Leonard Cohen was visiting. Almost literally from the airport to the arena to watch an amazing, mind-blowing, soul-shaking concert.

Hallelujah, indeed.

Here are my two favorite versions of the, maybe, best song ever written:

Paris, Museum of quai Branly

Photo: © Nacho Hernandez

As if Paris needed more museums ...
The excellent quai Branly museum of indigenous art is the latest addition. Well worth a visit.

Notre Dame de Paris

Photo: © Nacho Hernandez

Art and coffee

Photo: © Nacho Hernandez

El Circulo de Bellas Artes is one of my favourite spots in Madrid. Many floors with exhibitions, a rooftop with amazing views of the city, and one of the best cafes in town. Get a table by the huge windows and watch life passing by ...

Madrid, Paris

Photo: © Nacho Hernandez


I am shooting in Madrid until December 25th, and then in Paris until January 2nd. Please send me an email if you need specific images from any of these two cities.

Some images from Paris and Madrid already available in my archive.

Lisbon, the city of light (and shadows)

Images from my trip to Lisbon last Summer.

All photos available for licensing. Check them out at my website, or directly in my archive by clicking on a photo.

Josef Koudelka

Photo: © Nacho Hernandez
(Photo in background: © Josef Koudelka)


Josef Koudelka, member of Magnum, last night at an exhibition of the famous photos he took in Prague in 1968. This was a great opportunity to listen to one of the legends of photography talking about his work.

Check out his portfolio.

Tuscany

I spent a week in Tuscany this Summer, taking a workshop with photographer David Alan Harvey, of National Geographic fame and a member of Magnum photo agency (hopefully some of his magic rubbed off).

You can also access my photos from Tuscany going to my archive.

Barcelona

Photo: © Nacho Hernandez

I had not been to Barcelona for quite some time. A meeting with some very dear friends and a brand new high-speed train from Madrid were the perfect excuses to visit this lovely city again.

In the image, a Ronaldinho impersonator shows some skills at the Paseo de las Ramblas (he didn't get the memo; somebody please tell him that Ronaldinho is now playing for Milan).

Lisbon smells of sardines

... and I mean it in a nice way. The smell of grilled sardines creeps up the narrow streets, grabs you and doesn´t let you go until you have had half a dozen with a nice bottle of vinho verde.

The (very big) "sardines" in the photo are from Lisbon´s Oceanario, one of the biggest in the world...

Stay tuned for more photos from Lisbon, where I am shooting now.