Granada in one image

For many, there is just that one quintessential picture of Granada: the view of the majestic Alhambra with the narrow streets of the Albayzin in the foreground and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada in the background.

The quintessential view of Granada.

Another classic image of Granada.

For some it may also be the view from the other side, overlooking the town from inside the Alhambra.

Many years ago, Mr. Colors and I spent 10 months in Granada. I bought my first digital camera for this occasion, and with no knowledge of photography at all, I happily snapped away to document our time there. I documented everything, starting with our quest for an apartment with windows and heating in all rooms (in which we did not succeed), and continuing with all the tapas we ate. I photographed the churros we had at Cafe Futból and I made a small essay about how the university was closed and protected with a fence when a macrobotellon (gigantic organized public drinking) was approaching in spring. None of these images is really remarkable except that they remind me of the wonderful time we had there.

But there is one image that is special to me for reasons beyond the memories attached to it. During Semana Santa, as we were watching the processions (the one on the left, to be precise), I spotted a combination of street art and a faded advertisement for a bullfight which seemed to capture Granada’s very special character: the contrast between the fashionable and modern university town and the city’s more traditional side. I took a photo of the wall, and this very simple image has long been my favorite. It was this picture which initiated my interest in photography as a way to express myself. It is even possible that we would not have this blog if I had not seen that wall on that day. Here is what I saw:

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This article was published on perelincolors.com.