A place in four pictures: Salamanca, SpainMogens JohansenThe West AustralianSat, 5 July 2025 8:52AM
It’s a cold crisp morning but I hardly notice because I’m having a great time photographing the beautiful Baroque architecture at Salamanca in northwestern Spain.
The town, founded in the 1100s, was an important intellectual centre in the 15th and 16th centuries and is known for its ornate sandstone architecture and for the Universidad de Salamanca — so I don’t have a shortage of picture opportunities.
I like photographing architecture . . . once you start looking, it reveals so many nice pictures — but it’s important to take a little extra time to chose the right focal length and line things up nicely so the lines don’t bend and the symmetry is just right.
I’m using my Sony A7III fitted with a 24-240mm zoom lens. I often chose this lens when I’m travelling because of the versatile range of focal length of the lens. It’s particularly well suited for a day like this when I’m roaming around looking for nice architecture shots. The 24mm wide angle allows me to fit a lot in but also to zoom in to capture details and compress the view of a street scene.
Here are a few of my snaps from Salamanca.
TIPS FOR CREATING A PHOTO STORY
Once you’re at your chosen location, put your photographer’s hat on and start looking for pictures.
Set the scene: Look for a nice establishing shot that shows where you are.
Keep it simple: Identify a key element in the shot and use composition techniques like leading lines, frames or the rule of thirds to draw attention to it. Simple, easy-to-understand pictures are always best.
Keep it clean: Eliminate unsightly elements in the frame by changing your point of view or focal length.
Mix it up: A mix of wide and deep pictures or a close-up or detail shot in a series can add some variety.
Pick your time: When we travel, we aren’t always at a location at the best time for photography. The soft light and long shadows around sunrise and sunset are always nice, so if you can, time it so you are there for the “golden hours” to really make your pictures pop.
Once you’re home: Edit your pictures well. Quality beats quantity. If you have taken lots of photos at a place, you may end up with several sets. Group them together like chapters in a book.
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