I am a photographer based in the beautiful county of Hampshire in South East England. I specialise in capturing flowers, nature, and macro subjects, with a particular interest in close‑up and small‑scale details. With a background in chemistry research, I also have an interest in scientific photography.
I am interested in Conservation projects and I have volunteered as a photographer for the Fleet and District Beekeeper's Association and the Fleet Pond Society (moth survey at Fleet Pond).
My work has been recognised in international competitions and has been displayed at various group exhibitions, including the 2025 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition in Somerset House, London, the 18th International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) Exhibition in Kew Gardens and the 39th AOP Awards Showcase (Association of Photographers) in London. Several of my images have appeared in local and national publications and press.
My experience at Ágora has been very positive. Being part of the course and the community gave me the structure, training, and motivation I needed to create a project using chlorotype, a technique I had never tried before. The meetings with the mentors and other students, their input, and the support I received throughout the final project were essential for continuing to experiment and develop new ideas.
FINAL PROJECT
1. What was your photographic journey before joining Ágora?
My photographic journey began while I was pursuing my PhD in Chemistry in Barcelona. During those years, I attended darkroom classes at Espai Fotogràfic Pati Llimona, where I also took workshops on general photography and portraiture. I was fascinated by analogue photography and enjoyed developing black-and-white images, as well as experimenting with cyanotypes and stereoscopic slide photography.
After finishing my studies, I moved to England, where I began exploring digital photography. For many years, I focused on nature and macro photography, and more recently I have been experimenting with multiple exposures.
I missed the hands-on process and the experimental techniques, so in September 2024 I decided to join Ágora’s Diploma in Experimental Photography to continue learning and connect with other people interested in experimental photography.
2. What was the biggest challenge you faced during the program, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was developing my final project. During the Specialization Course, I decided to study solar printing techniques because I am interested in sustainable photography, and I specialized in chlorophyll printing (chlorotype) using plants from my own garden.
In chlorotype, the final image depends on factors such as the intensity of sunlight, exposure time, humidity, temperature, and the type of leaf used. Since I live in England, the conditions that allow good results within a reasonable timeframe only occur during a few weeks each year. This meant I had to plan carefully, have a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve, prepare all my materials in advance, and closely monitor the weather to make the most of sunny days.
Another important challenge was learning to embrace the uncertainty of the process, as every leaf reacts differently and there is no complete control over the final image. Accepting that variability and working with it, rather than trying to control it, became an essential part of the project.
3. Which class or technique transformed your way of working the most, and why?
The technique that transformed my way of working the most was chlorotype. It requires careful planning, patience, and close attention to environmental conditions. I had never experimented with the photosensitive properties of plants to create images before, and discovering that they could function as light-sensitive surfaces opened up a completely new way of understanding the photographic process.
Unlike more immediate techniques, chlorotype is a slow process. Even under favorable conditions, the image required at least one or two days to develop. In addition, because natural leaves are used as the photographic substrate, I had to learn which species responded best to light and produced the strongest results.
Working with this technique meant adapting to the time needed for the image to form, replacing photographic paper with plant-based substrates, and embracing the uncertainty of the outcome.
4. What role did your mentors and the Ágora community play in helping you reach this point?
The support of Pablo Giori, Célica Véliz, and the Ágora community was fundamental throughout the entire process. The monthly online meetings were extremely valuable, as sharing my progress with the mentors and fellow students, listening to their feedback, and seeing how their projects evolved motivated me to keep experimenting.
The one-on-one mentoring sessions with Pablo during the development of my final project were also incredibly enriching. Our meetings gave me the opportunity to solve questions and receive detailed feedback. Our conversations encouraged me to reflect on the project's structure, define its message more clearly, refine the content selection, and improve the sequencing of the images. Pablo also shared references from his photobook library, and together we analyzed contemporary examples that inspired me to explore new ideas.
5. What would you say to someone who is considering enrolling but hasn't made the decision yet?
I would recommend visiting the Diploma website to explore the techniques covered in each stage of the program. The first block introduces 62 experimental techniques, while the Specialization block allows students to explore several of them in greater depth.
If someone is interested in experimental techniques and wants to develop a photographic project, I would definitely encourage them to enroll, as my experience has been extremely positive. Being part of the program and the community gave me the structure, knowledge, and motivation I needed to create a chlorotype project—a technique I had never tried before. On top of that, the Ágora community provides a welcoming and supportive environment that is ideal for exploring and discovering new ways of making photography.
