Journey of Simplicity: Clemente Vergara’s Minimal Photography on Architecture, Landscape, and Objects.
By capturing the essence of architecture, scenery, and objects, Vergara ignites a sense of wanderlust and curiosity.
Clemente Vergara: a Barcelona-based Photographer specialized in Architecture and Travel has emerged as a visionary artist, known for his minimalist approach. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of light and composition, Vergara’s photographs evoke a sense of tranquility and simplicity that captivate viewers and reveal the essence of the subject matter.
Through his careful compositions, masterful use of light, and attention to detail, he unveils the beauty and harmony in the uncluttered and the understated. By eliminating distractions, he draws attention to details that might otherwise go unnoticed, inviting viewers to contemplate the beauty and sophistication found in simplicity. In his architectural photography, Vergara goes beyond the surface, seeking to reveal the soul of each structure. By distilling his compositions to the core elements, he showcases the fundamental lines, shapes, and textures that define the architectural form. Through meticulous attention to detail and masterful use of light, he emphasizes the elegance and balance inherent in each building.
Travel photography is another realm where Clemente Vergara’s minimalism shines. As he explores different cultures, cities, and exotic locations, he captures the essence of each place in a distinct and captivating way. Whether it’s bustling streets, iconic landmarks, or hidden corners, Vergara’s images reveal the spirit and character of each destination. His focus lies on the essential elements that define a place. By eliminating distractions and capturing the unique atmospheres, moods, people, and colors.
During our conversation with Clement, we had the opportunity to delve into his captivating inspirations, journeys, and cities that sparked his passion for photography.
RP: What initially sparked your interest in photography, and how did you develop your skills and style over time?
CV: I started taking photos very late in life (around 5-6 years ago), and I don’t have any studies in photography or arts, but in my family, art and architecture was always very present through all the books my parents used to buy when I was a kid. They also took me and my sisters to lots of art exhibitions, and my father was always asking me to choose my favorite paintings in museums, I guess as a way of keeping me busy and let him enjoy the museum. I remember being always drawn to artworks of the artists from Bauhaus school (Paul Klee or Kandinsky used to be my favorite artists), I was drawn to geometric shapes, clear lines, volumes and pastel or intense colors. Later in life, I guess I was seeing those geometries and colors in my daily life, and I was looking at buildings, details, interior spaces or the built environment in cities with that vision that somehow was stuck on my brain. Then I basically started portraying those corners with my phone camera, until at some point my father insisted on me using one of his analog cameras. The first roll I developed was mainly of architectural forms and I was fascinated with the result, so I started to shoot rolls and rolls, first at random places in my hometown and then also to great pieces of architecture on my trips. That is how I first started shooting and creating my own style. With time I was refining it through the use of digital cameras, and learning more postproduction, but always preserving that way of looking at things.
RP: Can you share some of your favorite projects, photographs, or cities you’ve taken or visited? What makes them special to you?
CV: I have seen a lot of cool architectural places, and it’s very hard to choose, but the first that come to my mind are works from Ricardo Bofill, Fariborz Sabba, Le Corbusier, or cities like Tokyo, LA, Lanzarote Island… Also, I have to say that apart from enjoying great pieces of architecture, or cities that are well known from their famous buildings, what I enjoy the most is finding beautiful vernacular architecture (architecture without architect, as defined by Bernard Rudofsky), in remote villages around the world, or just the typical blocks in turistic coastal tourist destinations, with low architectural value, but with great visual interest for me.
