Life is a constant cycle of change and transformation.
How I started the project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
To begin creating my work, I seek inspiration in the everyday moments of life. I observe and get lost in anything, as if at that moment the rest of the world disappears and I center all my attention on it. And I always ask myself the same question: Why is it like this?
This time what left me totally fascinated was the metamorphosis that many animals undergo, and of course, the butterflies. So, I set out to create a series that would bring together that metamorphosis. Many abstract thoughts emerged in my head and I realized that not only butterflies are capable of that transformation, we all have that quality. The quality of change.
Life is a constant cycle of change and transformation.
This process is like the rebirth of life, a new beginning that reminds us that we can always transform and change our reality. Butterflies emerge from their cocoon like a blank canvas, ready to write their own story and conquer the world with their beauty and grace..
But we cannot talk about butterflies without mentioning flowers, which are the thread that connects this metamorphosis. Caterpillars feed on the leaves of plants, transforming into chrysalises on their stems and branches. And when the butterflies emerge from their cocoons, they fly towards the flowers to feed on their nectar and pollen, ensuring their survival and continuing the cycle of life.
Flowers and femininity, since the time of Classical Greece, also symbolize the rebirth of life, as they spring forth from the earth every spring, blooming in an explosion of colors and aromas that remind us of beauty evolving through different stages of life. Similarly, femininity has transformed and evolved into a new being that soars freely and now delights us with its flights. We must evolve to be able to fly together and not have the sadness of seeing it drift away.
It’s like nature is saying, “No matter how much time passes or how much suffering we endure, there is always a new opportunity to start again.”
The metamorphosis of butterflies is a life lesson that reminds us that we can always transform and change our reality. Flowers are the thread that connects this metamorphosis, representing the rebirth of life and the beauty that surrounds us. And femininity is the aura that gives soul to these images.
So, let’s move forward like butterflies, flying towards a new world full of possibilities, feeding on the flowers of life, and enjoying their beauty while we can.
How the photo shoot unfolded
Ava. Project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
Ava arrived at the studio with a big smile and a suitcase full of clothes. Days before we were having coffee and talking about what the session would be like. I explained to her what my project was and what she wanted to reflect. From the first moment she understood my idea and helped me in the development.
I have to say that all the models have helped me a lot in the development of the project, even though several of them were not professional models and had experience in photo shoots.
Ava is a fantastic girl who has a strong character and a great personality, and that is something I love about her. Of course that character and personality had to be reflected in the final shot.
After analyzing all the wardrobe that she had brought, and while she served more coffee, we came to the conclusion that the photo session would take place with the white dress.
Ava put on the white dress and stood in front of the camera on set, and then the session became magic. I think I shot more than 200 images. While we were having a third coffee… we watched the session on the computer, and when I got to the photograph that is challenging the camera… we said at the same time… we have this one.
Margaret. Project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
Margaret is a good friend and a wonderful theater actress. When she told him what project she had in her head, she said… “I hope you plan to count on me,” while she made a gesture with her index finger. I had no doubt that Margaret was going to be part of the “Women, Butterflies and Flowers” project.
Margaret is a tenacious, constant and very self-confident woman. She would be the representative of these qualities in my project.
She arrived at the studio in a van and with her partner. She had asked him to help load and unload all the clothes from the van. She had filled the van with theater costumes. I think they couldn’t do the show that day because there were no costumes.
The Elizabethan period dress, together with her slender figure, is everything a photographer can dream of. The session lasted about four hours, but it was for pleasure. Well, it is a pleasure to be able to do a photo shoot with a costume like this.
The final photograph, in lateral perspective and with a haughty pose, was one of the first I took, and I knew I had the final photograph…but I wanted to continue… like this for up to four hours, four hours of enjoying with friends
Magle. Project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
Magle has been a Venezuelan friend for many years. She is an enterprising woman, a family member, a friend of her friends and a fighter for women’s rights. As a good Caribbean Latina, she has a very strong and very sweet character. With it I wanted to reflect the sensuality of that metamorphosis that is a brave character and a smile that heals.
So we began the session with the premise of reflecting what was previously said, reflecting strength and softness, strong character, sensuality and sweetness.
Sometimes the muses refuse to appear, and what seemed like it was going to be an easy session turned into something difficult. Perhaps the trust and complicity that exists between us on this occasion hurt us and we had to do three sessions to get a series of photographs that were close to what I wanted to achieve.
Finally I was left with this image that was taken while “Deceiver” by Disturbed was playing, if I knew it I would have played David Draiman first.
Emily. Project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
I met Emily at a trial. They had hit my car and she was the lawyer for the guy who hit my car. I still don’t know why I thought about her when I was preparing the Women, Flowers and Butterflies project, because on the day of the trial I saw that she was a person who reflected values that I wanted to show in the project, that capacity for transformation because she must defend someone who in a principle is guilty.
Finally the judge agreed with me, something that was obvious. During the trial Emily told me that her specialty was Tax Law, I found her interesting and asked for a business card. You never know if one of them might need it. And I’m glad I did it, because it allowed me to contact her some time later.
I had to travel more than 300km with the entire team because she had moved to another city due to her job and she didn’t have much free time. So after talking and explaining my project to her, we agreed that the photo session would take place at her house. She didn’t have much time, two hours to set up lights, stage, do the shoot and pick up. I couldn’t give myself more time.
So with the pressure of not leaving anything to chance and having to do an excellent session where there was at least one image that convinced me, I set off towards Madrid.
In the session there were three costume changes, and the truth is that I could have gotten something from any of them that would have been useful to me. I have looked at the files and there were 157 photographs that I shot in total.
The truth is that Emily is charming and although she is not used to posing in front of a camera, she immediately began to flow. He ate the camera and I can say that I have worked with professional models with whom it has been much more difficult for me to do my job.
I finally decided on the dress with a black top, and in the final edit I transformed the dress into a flower.
Eleanor. Project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
Eleanor is my English teacher, and she is the one who helps me with the language. She is also the woman who has helped me the most in preparing the project. With her, and taking advantage of English classes, I have had long conversations about how to approach the project.
Eleanor’s personal history has not been easy, which has forged a very special character in her. She is a woman who does not stop in the face of any adversity and she always has a smile to give. And of course this had to be reflected in the final photograph.
As she is an admirer of Spanish culture, and with a loving nod to the typical cliché of the image that other countries have of Spaniards, she arrived at the session wearing an Andalusian dress.
In the session there were three costume changes, which were all very significant. From a punk costume, since Eleanor is a big fan of this musical genre, to the Andalusian dress that I mentioned before, including her wedding dress that was not exactly white.
In the end the photograph chosen was the Andalusian dress. It is the photograph that best reflects the energy with which she faces her daily life.
Thank you very much Eleanor
María Paz. Project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
María Paz is a kind and delicate woman who decided at the time to make the decision to leave work to spend more time with her children. When we were talking about it, she told me that she made this decision completely freely, because María Paz is an architect and she didn’t lack work, and she won’t lack it when she returns, and that she doesn’t regret anything.
This radical change in a person’s life seemed to me to represent the soul of the Women, Butterflies and Flowers 8 reflexes project, “Life is a constant cycle of change and transformation”, so I did not hesitate to talk to her to explain my project.
The day the session was scheduled, it dawned a fantastic day, so I suggested doing part of the session outside, although photographs were also taken in the studio.
She arrived accompanied by her three children, the youngest one year old, who was the real protagonist. She was very nervous not knowing how to pose, but the children with her magic make everything much easier. As an anecdote, I will tell you that the dress that appears in the selected photograph was a dress to celebrate her ten years of marriage and that her partner had not yet seen. Having the opportunity to photograph an exclusive in someone’s life is always nice.
Merci. Project Women, butterflies and flowers. 8 reflexes
Merci is the doctor for my mother, who has Alzheimer’s. As it is a disease with a very long development, it gives time to establish a friendship with the medical team. During this period there was time to talk about my projects. When I explained the women, butterflies and flowers project to him, it didn’t take long for him to become interested and ask me to collaborate on it.
The medical profession is, of course, a vocational profession that has many unpleasant experiences and requires constant updating both professionally and personally.
The truth is that Merci, although she is not a professional in the world of fashion and in theory she does not know how to pose in front of a camera, the session was developed in an easy and simple way. You can say that she looked like she had been doing it all her life.
When things are done with passion it shows, and Merci does everything with passion.
Thanks Merci
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