My best 2020 images. Part I: Spain photography

Happy new year! 2021 is finally here, and with the new year, it is time to do a recap of what 2020 meant for me at a professional level. It has been incredibly challenging to create content continuously. The uncertainty of the lockdown, quarantines and mobility restrictions made it almost impossible to travel. This year, unlike the previous ones, I only did one big trip. But more on that later. This is aniolvisuals’ 2020 Spain photography recap.

During the whole month of December, I run a daily Instagram poll, where I asked my followers to vote between two different photos, eventually obtaining my audience favourite shot (listed in this series). From a photographic point of view, though, there are some other photos that I enjoyed taking, and that I would like to share.

Due to the nature of this year, instead of doing a monthly recap, I will organize the shots depending on where I took them. Thus, I divided this section into 2 parts. This first one where I share 5 photos I took in Spain, and a second one (available soon), where I share my 6 favourite shots of Japan. They are not listed in any specific order, feel free to comment your favourite one! For each of them, I will share some interesting technical and composition aspects, together with the photo story. Hope you like them!

1. Belaustegi Fall, Basque Country

This is a very special location for many reasons. The Basque Country is famous for its food, for the Game of Throne locations (such as San Juan de Gaztelugatxe), and for being one of the most beautiful areas of Spain.

However, hidden in the Gorbea Natural Park, there is a place that looks like taken out of a fairytale. Magical waterfalls, dense forests, impressing trees… Gorbea is not just a place to hike, but also a magical land where after intense rainfall, the forest comes to life.

After a week of storms and constant rain, it looked like there would be a short break with time enough to take some photos. There was fog, everything was wet, but the rain remained. Yet, I decided to go for the shot.

This is quite a technical spot. Mud and water are everywhere, and it is difficult to get a good shot in these conditions. However, the hike paid off.

There are two main elements in this image, the tall waterfall in the background and the small but powerful waterfall in the foreground. The smaller waterfall splashes in multiple streams of water.

I used a long exposure, long enough to get the silk effect on the water, but short enough to capture the strength and wrath of the water. For more information on how I take waterfall photos, visit my waterfall photography guide!

It made sense to use a vertical framing, both because this was the direction of the water stream and because there weren’t any objects of interest next anywhere else in the frame.

To edit this capture, I mainly used Lightroom. I focused on the green tones, did some small modifications on the colour of the water, and played with the lights and shadows to help to direct the attention to the two streams of water.

2. Lagos de Covadonga, Asturias

One of the most special sunrises of this year. This summer, for a brief period of time, it was easier to explore new places. Thus, I decided to do a trip to discover some of the most beautiful spots of the Spanish Northern coast. One of them was Lagos de Covadonga, a couple of lakes in the Asturian part of Picos de Europa.

Part of the mission was to take some Milky Way shots (that were amazing), but I was surprised by the sunrise and its magic. After not sleeping for more than 48 hours, I was alone at this fantastic location and I decided to take a photo of myself to show how it felt. The contrast between the first sunbeams in the highest peaks and the silence of the lake and the reflection create one of my favourite 2021 images.

To make this image I used a tripod, set a continuous timer and took different shots. This way I could make sure I got the posture or gesture I liked the most. I used the vertical version of this photo on social media, but it was originally shot on 16:9. Due to the social media requirements sometimes I abuse of the vertical framing. However in this case I am glad I went straight for the horizontal shot. Don’t miss this photography location (2020 or at any time) if you visit Spain!

3. Barrika Beach, Basque Country

I said that the mountains of the Basque Country were taken from a fairy tale. Their beaches are together with the ones of la Costa Brava, the most beautiful ones in Spain. The rocks formations, the so-called Flysch, creates a unique landscape, one that changes with every tide and storm.

This photo was taken during the summer. It is not usual to get crazy skies during the summer in the Basque Country. Instead, it is quite more likely to happen during autumn or winter. However, it was a special day. It was cloudy and windy. The hopes of an amazing sunset were low. Then, this happened. It lasted 10 minutes. Clouds came back and it went back to grey. I was ready for it.

I like this photo because it is not the classical Barrika shot. Most shots at Barrika use the Flysch as their main element, with the so-called dragon tail. Thus, this reflection, taken at a different spot of the beach creates an image I had never seen before of this place. Something complicated, given that Barrika is one of the most well-known photography spots of the Basque Country.

Again, I opted for the horizontal version, later on, cropped and shared on social media. The main element of the image is the reflection. However, the sand on the foreground helps to create depth to the image, a very necessary element for any reflection photography. With the sun located behind the rocks on the left-hand side, it was easier to exposure correctly the whole scene.

The edition of this image was quite simple. I recovered most of the details of the rocks on both sides of the photo, exaggerated a bit the sunset tones and blended the whole image with this characteristic blue/purple tone that I really like to have on my images.

4. Urro del Manzano, Cantabria

This is a well-known spot in the Cantabric coast, Northern Spain. It is a common photography location in Spain, and I finally got to visit it this 2020. These rocks have received many different names, like “the gates of the sea” or “the door”. Despite being an ideal location for sunset, this image was taken on a sunrise.

A bit of context. My trip along the Spanish coast started and ended in Bilbao, where I was living by that time. From there, one of the first locations I jumped into was the so-called ” Costa Quebrada” or “Broken Coast”, a well-deserved name, considering the number of impressive rock formations that can be found in the area.

I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from this place. Nice clouds, tones… but it was my first time at this location. After a whole week exploring Spain, I went on a circumpolar mission at Lagos de Covadonga (yes, the same location listed above). At 4 a.m., exhausted after a 4h shooting in the middle of nowhere, I drove 200km and arrived at Urro del Manzano for the sunrise. A random but very satisfying decision.

This spot calls both for horizontal or vertical framing. It is also possible to take the photo of the rocks alone or add some foreground to give some perspective. In this specific image, I added the rock on the foreground because of the tiny plants that help to direct the attention towards the main photographic element: the rocks.

I used a long exposure to add some movement to the clouds, as well as to create the silk effect on the sea.

To edit this image, I used Lightroom only. Although I tried very carefully not to over-edit it, I also wanted to make it a calm and quiet image. The clouds pointing at the rock, plus the green details on the foreground were accentuated, making the navigation through the image easier.

5. Banyoles Lake, Catalonia

I would be lying if I said this was my first time at Banyoles. It is not only a place very close to my hometown (Girona), but also one of my favourite photography locations. Banyoles is a small town/village at around 20 minutes by car from Girona. I feel very close to this location, as this is one of the places that I can call home. This is quite a big lake, with lots of activities to do in and around it. Rowing, running, cycling, swimming… and taking photos.

Fun fact! once a year, there is a swimming competition that consists of crossing the lake swimming. I have completed it 3 times already, and it is one of the funniest experiences I have ever had. looking forward to future editions. Back to the photo.

This lake is perfect for both sunrise and sunset. However, the type of image and location changes drastically. Sunrises are perfectly taken from the opposite end of the lake, where there are some wooden walkways that can be used as a foreground element. Moreover, on cold winter mornings, there is mist all over the lake, creating a very moody environment. Instead, it is better to capture the sunset from the “populated” part of the lake. The little houses sitting on the lake are perfectly oriented for sunset lights.

I decided to take the horizontal version of the image, but cropping it for social media. The sunset is located just behind the house, the main element of the image. Tree branches and some plants frame the house and the sunset. It was not a windy day, thus I shot a long exposure, getting the movement of the clouds and a smooth reflection, mantaining the sharpness of the leaves.

The edition of this image was tricky. For a correct exposure of the sky, I had to underexpose the rest of the scene. Thanks to shooting in raw and to a long Lightroom + Photoshop session, I could obtain this final image.

Wrapping up

These are my favourite 2020 Spain photography locations, and the images I obtained from each of them. What is your favourite one? Have you visited any of these locations? Spain has many interesting photography locations, have you visited any new one this 2020? What should I put on my bucket list for 2021?

The second part of this series, featuring Japan will be available very soon. If you want to keep updated, not miss any post, follow me on Instagram. You can find me as @aniolvisuals or clicking here. If you want to use any of my images or just chat with me, contact me at hello@aniolvisuals.com.