Street Photography in Barcelona

Barceloneta was the city's old fishing district, and its beach is busy from sunrise into the night. You get sunbathers of every age and a free outdoor gym on the sand where people work out all day. Photographer Ben Arvi found locals playing dominoes at the far end even in December. Come at sunrise for backlit silhouettes over the sea. The streets behind the beach have laundry hanging from low old houses. Composition idea: a muscle-up at the beach gym silhouetted against the sunrise. Caution: this is a beach, so never photograph people undressing, and keep kids out of your frames.

La Rambla is a 1.2 km tree-lined pedestrian boulevard, packed along its whole length. walker finds it too commercial for authentic work, but the people watching is excellent. The Boqueria market halfway down is a colorful covered market of fish and fruit stalls. Go early on a weekday before 9 am, when stall holders are setting up. The market is closed on Sundays. Composition idea: a vendor framed by hanging hams under the stall lights. Caution: this is pickpocket central, so wear the camera across your body and keep bags zipped.

The Gothic Quarter is a maze of narrow medieval lanes and small squares, built on the old Roman town. Navarro recommends it at midday, when the tight streets keep the harsh sun out and slivers of light fall between buildings. Stand at a junction where a shaft of light hits the pavement and wait for someone to walk into it. The cathedral square and Placa Reial are the busiest spots. Composition idea: one figure in a stripe of light with deep shadow on both sides. Caution: expose for the highlights, or the light slivers will blow out.

Placa de Catalunya is the city's central square, where La Rambla meets the main shopping streets. It is never empty, day or night. You get tourists, locals, pigeons and frequent events or protests. Shoot the fountains and pigeon feeders in the morning, or the crowds crossing to the metro at rush hour. Stand at a corner of the square and use the paving patterns as a base. Composition idea: a burst of pigeons behind a person looking the other way. Caution: avoid photographing protests closely, and watch your gear in the crowds.

The Arc de Triomf opens onto a wide promenade that leads down to Parc de la Ciutadella. walker prefers it to Placa de Catalunya: more locals, a younger crowd, skaters, families, street performers and bubble blowers. Come late afternoon, when the low sun comes down the promenade and backlights the bubbles. Stand near the arch and shoot down the promenade, or turn and use the arch as a frame. Composition idea: a child chasing a giant bubble, backlit. Caution: many subjects here are children, so be careful about what you publish.

El Raval is Barcelona's most multicultural neighborhood, with large communities from Pakistan and North Africa among many others. Laundry hangs across narrow streets, and the light is best about an hour before sunset. The square in front of the MACBA museum is a famous skate spot, with the white facade as a clean backdrop. Stand at the edge of the square and pre-focus on a ledge. Composition idea: a skater mid-air against the white museum wall. Caution: parts of Raval have petty crime at night, and some residents do not want photos, so ask and respect a no.

Glories is a newer, more local area near the Torre Glories tower, with a big park, playgrounds and courts for basketball and ping-pong. It feels a world away from the tourist center. Combine it with the Sagrada Familia a short walk away, where crowds of visitors looking up make their own subject. Come late afternoon for games and families. Composition idea: a ping-pong player caught mid-swing with the tower behind. Caution: activity varies a lot by day, so pair it with somewhere busier.