Photographing Barcelona 92 Olympic Pool

The Montjuic Pool is one of the best off-the-beaten-track spots for photography in Barcelona. This Art Deco pool complex was built for the Barcelona '92 Olympic Games. The complex was built by the government aiming to regenerate the city and create a legacy after the games.

The complex is a fully preserved public pool, hosting advertising campaigns, video clips, movies and sports tournaments. I lived in Barcelona within walking distance of the Montjuic Pool, which takes the name of the mountain where the complex is based.

As a photographer, I have been amazed by the different photo opportunities at this spot. The pool is open to the public before the winter. That is when from dusk till dawn there is almost a 360° view of the city of Barcelona. Adding the human component from normal visitors to athletes training, diving or water polo competitions, this fusion of cityscape, with a unique Art Deco location and the human factor, creates a unique photographic experience.

I was fortunate to photograph a moment when a young diver paused before the dive with the sky of Barcelona in the background. That was a perfect moment of concentration before the subject plunged out of the camera's frame.

I am biased, as I lived for several years within a short walking distance to the pool, and have enjoyed seeing it through different seasons—from winter when the pool is closed but you can feel the calm and serenity, to the summer, when everything happens. Regardless of the season, this is one of the best photography spots to capture the landscape view of Barcelona.

I am biased, as I lived for several years within a short walking distance to the pool, and have enjoyed seeing it through different seasons—from winter when the pool is closed but you can feel the calm and serenity, to the summer, when everything happens. Regardless of the season, this is one of the best photography spots to capture the landscape view of Barcelona.