The Alcázar of Seville, Spain – 85mm Collection

16 May 2017 – It was hardly a surprise to read that Lonely Planet had recently ranked Seville as the top city to visit in 2018 – after all, the capital of Spain’s Andalusia region certainly has a lot to offer travellers in search of culture and beauty, from its share of famous historical landmarks and sights to more modern architectural wonders like the Metropol Parasol.

Out of all the historical landmarks, Seville’s Alcázar would have to be most visited in the city. Considered to be one the most beautiful palaces in the country, it is a stunning fusion of both Christian and Mudéjar architecture, originally starting life as a fort before serving as a royal palace for Moorish kings.

Before our visit to the Alcázar, I set myself the challenge of sticking to just one lens – the Canon 85mm f1.2. Why the 85mm, you might ask? Well, the main reason was that I wanted to try something different. The lens is one I rarely use while travelling (compared to others with wider focal lengths). I was hoping that the change would spark some creativity by allowing me to focus more on the details – for example, in the tiles, facades and ornaments within the magnificent palace.

As it turned out, the challenge was quite a fun exercise even though I couldn’t resist borrowing my wife’s camera for a handful of wider shots (which I hope to share in a later post).

I hope you’ll enjoy the series of photos presented here. Personally, I found that limiting myself to a focal length more suitable for portraits has enabled me to tell a different kind of story…while not revealing the broader context of a place, what is offered instead is a more intimate version of the visit.