I’ve been going to my families small farming village in northwestern Spain since I was about five years old. Every summer I’d spend a few months there with my grandparents. I’d go from a loud city in the U.S. to a place where the days revolved around farm work, and friends. It was a big shift, but I liked it. I liked having things to do, and I liked how quiet it was. It slowed everything down in a way that felt normal to me.
I picked up a camera in my late teens, mostly just messing around. Photography didn’t really become serious until much later, I built a darkroom and started paying attention to how photographs are made. Even though Spain was a big part of my life, I never really photographed it. Life took over, school, work, relationships, marriage, having a kid, and I spent years away. During that time my grandparents died, the village itself didn’t change much, though. There are still about 140 people there, not much more than before. It’s one of those places where time moves, but it doesn’t really shift.
When I went back recently, I knew I wanted to do two things. I wanted to show my son where I grew up spending my summers, and I wanted to finally photograph the place. I brought my 4×5 camera because it felt like the right tool, slowing down is what you do there. Carrying it around wasn’t fun. Buying film locally to avoid airport scanners was expensive. Shipping the film back to the U.S. was a hassle, but it felt appropriate. Its not supposed to be easy.
Going back after being away for 15 years gave me just enough distance to see things clearly. Having my son there added something unexpected. Watching him experience the village made it feel less like something I was revisiting and more like something that’s still happening.
I don’t think the photos are about nostalgia. It’s more about finally paying attention and using photography in a way that matches the place, or maybe it’s just what you do when you get older. I still have a lot more to document there, it was only 10 days, maybe Ill do it again next year.
All photos were taken on Ilford HP5, a Chamonix 45F-2, and any of the following 3 lenses: Nikkor 150mm f/5.6, Nikkor 300mm f/9, Nikkor 90mm f/8. I dont take very good notes. Shipped back to the US and developed in Mytol 1:1.
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What more could you want! Thank you for sharing.
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