Women’s March 2018: Madrid

January 23, 2018January 23, 2018 Joseph Lyttleton3 Comments

Over the weekend, protesters and activists gathered in Madrid’s Plaza de Isabel II for a Women’s Rally in solidarity with the Women’s March that took place in cities all over the world.

The original Women’s March, which took place on January 21st, 2017, was centered in Washington D.C., where nearly 500,000 people showed up a day after Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. In New York City, where I was fortunate enough to be among the crowd last year, hundreds of thousands of people marched, in part to demonstrate against the new administration, but mostly, and more profoundly, to proclaim solidarity with one another. It was a remarkable moment.

Images from 2017

I’ll admit, this year, as I saw the images from the anniversary marches on Saturday popping up all over social media, I was a little jealous and wistful for my time back in New York. There is much in the United States to be dismayed about these days, but the gathering and amplification of marginalized voices is a wonderful salve.

Here in Spain, the Women’s March and the #MeToo movement are not as prominent, for reasons both obvious (the March was organized, in large part, as a response to Donald Trump) and cultural (in a culture where physical touch is the norm, even among strangers, certain notions of sexual misconduct aren’t shared).

Madrid is fairly “liberal” by American standards. While unquestionably a Catholic city (with all the conflicting implications that would suggest), gay couples walk hand-in-hand most everywhere without a second thought and the younger population, at least, tends to express sympathy for refugees. There is also a large expat population here.

On Sunday, a day after the marches in the US, a Women’s March was held in the heart of Madrid. Billed as a “march,” it was, in fact, a rally, contained to the one plaza, with various speakers addressing the crowd of, perhaps, a couple thousand (my estimate is based purely on my view and no scientific analysis).

Speakers came up in pairs, with one person speaking in English and the other interpreting to Spanish (or vice versa). The speakers addressed various topics from many backgrounds, including poets and comedians, both women young and old, and even one man, a representative of the United States’ Democratic Party who was there to encourage Americans to register to vote and vote from abroad.

At times, chants would break out in the middle of the speeches, in pauses between interpretations. Usually those chants were in Spanish, sometimes in English. Mostly, though, the crowd expressed themselves with their signs, again, in a mix of both languages.

Even from a distance of 3,800 miles (or 6.100 kilometers for my Spaniards), there was one man who featured heavily on the signage and in the chants. Can you guess who?

La humanidad contra Trump — “Humanity against Trump.”

In Spain, where U.S. President Trump is more a curiosity (“por que?”) than a direct or existential (or nuclear) threat, his outsized reputation in both the media and on social networks keeps him at the forefront of the conversation about equality, racism, and sexual misconduct. An abundance of signs with expressions like “Impeach Trump” suggest that most in the crowd were Americans making their voices heard from abroad (it’s yet to be seen if those same voices will vote this year).

Despite the tendency of America (and Americans) to take center stage, there were other issues on the minds of those gathered, as represented by some of the signs.

Aborto en Irlanda — “Ask me about the abortion law in Ireland.”

There were two or three different signs (in Spanish) regarding abortion laws in Ireland. I’ll admit my ignorance on the specifics (I didn’t ask her), but I am, of course, aware that Ireland is staunchly Catholic, and abortion rights are always a hotly contested issue.

The crowd was definitely heavily weighted towards Americans and English speakers, but plenty of Spanish women (and men) were in the mix. Like the marches in the United States, people came for different reasons and with individual purposes, but they were unified under a cause of furthering equality, challenging unjust systems, and holding those who abuse their power accountable.

Acabemos — “Let’s end the culture of silence.”

Most broadly, they were there to show unity, as women, as feminists, as LGBT, as Spaniards and Americans, and as global citizens. And as the march in 2017 had been, being among the many impassioned and dedicated women at the rally in Madrid was invigorating and affirming. I was happy to be there, and grateful to be there with many of my friends.

For those who would question the purpose or efficacy of the marches, I have to ask, “Have you been paying attention?” The #MeToo movement was represented by Time’s Person of the Year selection of “The Silence Breakers” while 2017 was awash in conversation about sexual misconduct and assault. Now, in 2018, a record number of women are running for political office in the United States. It’s not a coincidence that last year began with a massive unification of women.

What lies ahead for this political movement and moment is uncertain, but it’s hard to imagine these voices suddenly going silent. If 2017 was the year women finally said, “Enough,” it seems pretty much inevitable 2018 is the year they say, “Now it’s my turn.”

From my vantage point, it’s clear they mean business.

Aerial Black and White

January 16, 2018January 15, 2018 Joseph Lyttleton3 Comments

Eriana is a dancer who splits her time between the US and Europe. We met over Christmas and arranged a photo shoot just a couple days before she returned to the States.

This was an incredibly fun shoot and a lucky one: it had been cloudy and cold all week, but on this day, the sun came out and the temperatures were reasonable for late December in Madrid (I wouldn’t have wanted to try this shoot in New York).

This set was far more complex, both in the shooting and the editing, than anything I’ve done before, and a great learning experience. Luckily, Eriana was game for most everything and a versatile model (quite important when you have someone literally hanging upside down on a bridge).

Every new shoot is a chance to learn more, and boy did I learn a lot. As I’ve discussed previously, I’m shooting with very limited equipment (just a camera), and lack a lot of the tools (light bounce, varied lenses, etc.) that a professional might use. That means getting creative with the light I do have, and learning new editing techniques in Photoshop.

I’m far from a pro, but I’m learning bit by bit.

I’m posting all of my black and white photos from the shoot here, but if you would like to see the full color set (and all my sets), you can click on 1000 Words in the top menu or go directly to Eriana Aerial.

Click on the images to see them full size.

And a couple tinted experiments:

Thanks for taking a look and let me know what you think in the comments. And if there are any models (or aspiring models) in or near Madrid who would like a free shoot, click on my contact page to get in touch.

Cheers,

València

January 9, 2018January 9, 2018 Joseph Lyttleton2 Comments

This past week, four friends and I traveled to the idyllic beach city of València, located on the east coast of Spain.

València is the sixth Spanish city I have visited, after Madrid, Barcelona, La Alberca (well, village), Toledo, and Segovia; and, perhaps, my favorite.

Originally settled by Romans over 2000 years ago, the city was shaped by Moors and, later, Christians, and now stands as the third largest city in the country, as well as the third largest metropolitan area.

Throughout our three-day trip to València, I found myself having déjà vu for various cities that I had previously lived in or visited. The easygoing beach vibe of the city immediately took me back to my year in Costa Mesa, when I spent every other day on a southern California beach. Alternatively, at times, while passing the colorful storefronts and idiosyncratic street art, I had flashes of New Orleans. Yet, València is unquestionably itself.

Whereas Madrid is a fully modern, European city that, at times, feels like it could be in any country, València never lets you forget that you are firmly planted in España.

València is located, simply enough, in Valencia, one of 17 autonomous communities in Spain. Its inhabitants are bilingual, speaking both Spanish and Valencian, a language similar to, yet distinct from Catalan (which is commonly spoken in Barcelona).

València was originally situated around a river, Turia, that weaved its way through the middle of the city. However, every rainy season, the river would overflow and flood the city, so they decided to divert the river and turn the original path into green space. Now, there is a long snake of exquisitely maintained parks that curves through the city, which the locals still refer to as the river.

On our second day in València, the group opted for a bike tour of the city, which turned out to be one of the best choices of the trip (even if there were a couple, um, accidents).

The tour carried us from the past to the future, taking us from some of València’s most historic sites, through its modern park, to its “futuristic” Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Our tour guide helpfully explained the sites when we stopped and, while riding, would point out worthy locations to check out on our own.

She also had no qualms about telling us that, no, in fact, it wasn’t normal for bike tours to have three different people wipe out during the tour. Welp.

I cannot recommend highly enough taking a bike tour through the city if you’re visiting. Granted, we lucked out in that we had unseasonably warm and sunny weather for our first two days in València (our last day was cold and overcast), but the ride really opened up the city to me and made it feel like some place I could call home.

The rest of our time in the city was one part walking tour, one part extended barhop. One evening, we met a group of auxiliares from England and Australia at Café Berlin. The Auxilar Program in Spain allows native English speakers to assist in classrooms throughout Spain. A few of the expats that I’ve met here are considering this route as a way to stay in Spain an additional year.

We found the restaurant proprietors to be quite friendly, especially one married couple we met on our first night who went out of their way to accommodate our special requests. As we sat in their empty dining room, talking late into the night, the husband brought us over shot glasses and poured us two oddly colored concoctions. The first, a thick yellow potion, he poured for my four female companions. Apparently, as I was the one male, this drink was not right for me; instead, he poured me a thick brown shot that tasted of coffee. After those shots went down, though, he cheerfully poured us all more and we mixed and matched the liquids, creating an oddly indefinable taste.

We didn’t get to the beach until Friday, the coldest day of our trip, but the sun was out and the views were beautiful. Even as we shivered in the wind, I felt the enticement to return to València in spring or summer.

It was a short trip – too short – and yet, a very affecting one. I’ve always known I wanted to live in a second city in Spain to get a fuller picture of the country (I’ve lived in a dozen US cities and still feel like I could learn more), and after this trip, València has risen high to the top of potential new homes.

Whether I ever do end up moving to València, this visit stands as a highlight of my 4+ months so far in Spain. Our trip only scratched the surface of what the city has to offer and I am absolutely determined to return sooner than later.

Pssst, hey! Hey you! Need a book to read? How about Yahweh’s Children, available now.

Three Months

December 12, 2017December 12, 2017 Joseph Lyttleton

It’s been a minute.

In so many ways, I’ve just begun.

Three months is how long one can have a “Tourist Visa” for the Schengen Area, the territory made up of 26 European states (including Spain) that have a common visa policy. Everything after that is, well, just life.

I have been in Madrid just over three months. I am still a visitor.

I’m surrounded by Americans here. My three roommates are all from the States, as are most of the people I associate with on a day-to-day basis. My situation is unique among the group because I am the only one not enrolled in the language school, and thus lack those direct connections and gateways into the wider culture here.

Admittedly, it’s made things difficult.

I never had any illusions. Moving to Spain was always going to be more difficult than any of my 10 US moves for one obvious reason: I don’t speak the language. Every challenge associated with relocating is amplified by that deficiency. Which, of course, is the point. Each challenge should be harder than the one that came before, otherwise, there’s no growth.

I am on my own.

As I said, I have a group of Americans around me, and I’m grateful for their company. We spent Thanksgiving together, traveled to Toledo as a group, and have enjoyed a wide range of activities, both Spanish and otherwise, including photo shoots, dance classes, and bar hopping. Like so many other cities before Madrid, I have landed within the comforting fold of a collective.

But after my many years on the road, I’m acutely aware of the solitude inherent to my life. Carpool lanes don’t exist on this highway.

I scan through a lot of travel blogs and social media posts by people who have moved to another country. A common trope across almost all of these mediums is the grandiose self-examination, the “What have I learned so far?” post.

I get it. Not only are we a species prone to taking stock of where we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going, but our friends and family are always asking us about all that David Copperfield kind of crap. Why move across an ocean if you aren’t going to learn new things about the world and yourself?

So, here’s some knowledge: Mahou, the name of a ubiquitous beer in Madrid, is one syllable and rhymes with “wow.”

Something else? Well, hm, a euro or two is sufficient tip for a full meal.

Still more? I’d rather not.

Three months isn’t long enough to “know” anything. I am new to this country – to this continent – and I have experienced relatively little in the grand scheme of things. If I returned to the States now, I could certainly share insights into life in Spain and on how it differs from life in the US. They would be shallow observations, though, because I haven’t come here to report back on my findings.

I’m here to live. Solo mirando solo.

When the original 10 Cities/10 Years project concluded, my biggest struggle was explaining the “why” of it, both to others and to myself. I did it, it happened, there was nothing more to it. The project was such a massive undertaking that it’s nearly incomprehensible to suggest there was no grand purpose to the endeavor, and yet.

Now in Spain, I feel a similar disconnect. The people I know have different reasons for being here, either seeking a break from their life, or improving their Spanish, or even escaping a painful past. Some will be here a year, others might push it to two. In the end, though, they will return home, because home is something definite to them.

I’ve nothing to return to. I’m home here. And then, some day – a year, two years, a decade from now – I’ll be home somewhere else. Home is always the future, never what’s past.

I have no idea where I will be in a year. In some ways, that’s standard operating procedure for me, but in the past there’s always been scaffolding to provide shape to the uncertain future. I might not have known what city I would be in, but I knew I’d be somewhere new, starting over, getting on with the process of life and building towards New York.

A year from now, I could be in Madrid or Barcelona, some other European country, or somewhere in Asia. Maybe circumstances will force me back to the US or into some heretofore unimaginable corner of the planet. I mean, probably Madrid, but also, if the wind blows, so be it.

I am on my own.

This much I know. Everything is up in the air and the roads undiscovered are plentiful, but there has been one truth to my life that hasn’t changed: I will find my own way.

May it not always be a lonely path. Cada camino es un buen camino.

Madrid sure is pretty, isn’t it?

Dia de Muertos

November 28, 2017November 28, 2017 Joseph Lyttleton

The Day of the Dead – Dia de Muertos – is a traditional Mexican holiday that involves praying for family members and loved ones who have died in order to help them on their spiritual journey “on the other side.” This holiday has spread through much of Latin America and even into Europe and throughout the world. And now, with the release of the new Pixar film, Coco, it’s probably about to become a much bigger deal among the world’s toy-loving children.

Since the Day of the Dead falls on November 1, in the United States, American’s tend to associate it with their own death-themed holiday, Halloween, which falls on October 31.

In Spain, though, November 1 is a different holiday known as All Saints’ Day (Todos Los Santos), a traditional Catholic celebration that recognizes, as the name suggests, all the saints in the religion. Across the country, there are numerous regionally-specific holidays dedicated to individual saints throughout the year (for instance, the Feast of San Antonio in La Alberca), but All Saints’ Day is celebrated nationwide.

Halloween in Madrid

On Halloween last month, my roommates and I went out into the Madrid night to see how – if – the city celebrated the morbidly amusing holiday. As has been explained to me by locals, Halloween was not traditionally celebrated in Spain, but over the last decade or so, it’s slowly grown in popularity here (America is insidious like that).

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — A little make-up goes a long way on Halloween

Though the Day of the Dead and All Saints’ Day are very different holidays, their roots are similarly based in commemoration of the deceased (either relatives or the saints) and a celebration of the changing season. Likewise, Halloween shares many of the same roots, so though the three holidays hold very specific cultural meanings within each country, they make for pretty natural bedfellows.

While All Saints’ Day isn’t traditionally associated with costumes, the mixture of American and Latin American expats has created a blended holiday here in Madrid. On the streets, not many people were dressed up for the night, but those that did opted for rather simple costumes (including me and my roommates). There were quite a few Day of the Dead-inspired skull designs.

I’ve experienced some of America’s most enthusiastic Halloween cities – New Orleans and Chapel Hill are two must-visit spots for any Halloween-obsessive – so in comparison, Madrid was fairly subdued, even considering that the next day was a national holiday.

Yet, when our group split up and a few of us attempted to find a taxi home, we found ourselves S.O.L. in Sol, Madrid’s tourist-heavy, bustling city center. Ubers and Cabifys were unavailable and every passing cab swung past the crowds like they were urgently navigating through hordes of zombies. By the time we finally found a ride, we’d been stuck for over two hours.

Model Shoot

Speaking of Dia de Muertos (look at that segue), last week I was contacted out of the blue by two artists from Los Angeles who were traveling through Spain and wanted to do a Day of the Dead-themed model shoot. Erika, the make-up artist and founder of Drop Dead Gorgeous Artist, specializes in Day of the Dead designs, while the model, Marcia, is a wardrobe stylist who serves as Erika’s go-to travel companion/make-up guinea pig.

Meeting on a Tuesday night, we walked through Madrid’s richly decorated neighborhoods, looking for unique and colorful backdrops. The shoot lasted a few hours, and in the process I saw areas of the city that I had never known existed. Our wandering took us from Sol to Matadero Madrid and back up to Chueca (we might have hit a few bars along the way).

I had a blast doing this shoot, though it offered me a number of challenges, not all of which I’d say I overcame. For one, I had to quickly adapt to a variety of light sources I could not control as well as a number of areas with very low light. Additionally, shooting such bright and expressive make-up on top of a luminous red dress, while wonderful for eye-popping imagery, created some editing headaches.

Of the 150+ photos I took for the shoot, I’m solidly happy with maybe half of them. A professional photographer certainly could have advised me on how to make my failed attempts work better, especially if I had more adaptable equipment (for instance, a portable light source), but for my first make-up-centric shoot, I ain’t mad. It’s all a learning process.

To see the full Dia de Muertos model shoot, click here or go to the 1000 Words link at the top of the page. Let me know what you think.

Madrid in Black and White

November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 Joseph Lyttleton

Continuing on a theme I’ve been focusing on for the past month, I’ve been walking about with my camera (an Olympus) again, this time photographing my current home, Madrid, and “developing” the images in black and white.

Black and white photography was my first love, as I would bet it was for many photographers who started in the days before digital. I still have some of my old negatives from back in those early high school days, though I can’t imagine for the life of me what I would ever do with them.

Digital photography is particularly effective for capturing bright colors and creating brilliant images, but those same details can be put to great effect when working within a monochromatic scheme. At least, that’s the hope.

Madrid offers all variety of eye-pleasing views, and the fact that it’s sunny here almost every day means shooting in natural light, my personal preference, is usually an option.

These three photos illustrate essentially my three current modes of development. The first has the detail accentuated, which gives the water a cool, crisp texture, but also leads to the sky looking like it were being ripped open by unseen forces. The third image has had the detail minimized, focusing more on the contrast of light and shadow. The second image seeks to strike a balance.

I like all three images for different aspects, but also have my issues with all three. That’s the fun of photography, there’s always a way to improve, always a better image just waiting to be captured.

I’m striving always to see the world with a photographer’s eye. Life’s more fun that way.

And since I’ve got you, here is a teaser from another model shoot I’m still editing. Hopefully I’ll post the final results soon.

For my American readers, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving this week. For my part, I’ll be doing my best to arrange an expat’s Lost Soul Thanksgiving here in Madrid.

Cheers,