European Vacation

Please tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in photography.

I studied psychology at university. Until then, photography was just a hobby for me. They were pictures I took on my travels.

Four years ago, I received a grant to study photography for one year. This is when I started to develop my different projects, and from that moment, photography took all of my time. I started sharing my work on Instagram and then had my first few exhibitions. Hopefully, I’ll be able to continue doing this for many years to come.

Quite a bit of your work includes older people. What attracts you to them?

Senior citizens seem to like me, and I have empathy for them. The population is getting older and we now have a longer life expectancy, but that isn’t reflected in the media. They continue to show young people as the only protagonists. It seems that older people are invisible to society, and that truly bothers me.

My photographs reflect the community in which I live. Spain has one of the oldest populations in the world, and this is apparent in the streets.

What inspired you to begin photographing people on the beach?

I have always felt that the beach is a place where people forget about their problems and nothing bad can happen. I’m attracted to all the bright colors, and to these people that seem to be happy and uninhibited. This combination creates absurd, funny and even surreal situations.

Do you find it difficult to take candid photos?

No, I’m very comfortable doing it, and really enjoy capturing these moments with my phone. I feel that the scenes are of reality, but I can project my point of view on them, through my pictures.

What are you trying to say to your audience?

I use photography as a way of expressing myself, and the story behind all my photographs are the same. It’s the way I see the society in which I live, and in some cases, how I would like it to be.

We live in a time that lacks glamour, and I use my imagination through my photography to reconcile myself with this reality.

Are you continuing your beach series or are you exploring different areas of the town?

I’m going to continue to revisit the beach but, I’d also like to explore the city. At this point, I’m definitely open to taking photographs anywhere there are interesting people.

Maria Moldes | Website | Instagram |

Guest interviewer: Lisa Guerriero