Los Madrileños: A Photo Story

Los Madrileños: A Photo Story

Shooting a city’s streets always poses a big dilemma in photography. Black & white or color? In the case of Madrid, the answer was clear from the beginning. Even though the city has some amazing Art Deco buildings that would shine in monochrome, still it yells color. And above all, so do its inhabitants.

I spent twelve days in Madrid during which I walked its charming streets from dawn till the early hours; admiring the beautiful Spanish sun as it hit the pastel colored buildings and the wide squares of the Spanish capital. I loved the Spanish way of life and the easiness of its people who fill with warmth and  life this magnificent city which would never be what it is, without them—Los Madrileños.

A girl on a scooter

The heart and soul of Madrid lies in small cobbled alleys during empty afternoons, when the Spanish sun peeks around the city’s corners. I loved El Rastro—Madrid’s biggest flea market. But most of all, I loved the small streets around.

Los Madrileños A guy serving coffe in a cafe

This character was always like a daemon behind the bar. Rough around the edges, he worked fast and his talk was straight and to the point. Some would perceive him as rude, I kept going every day…

Los Madrileños woman peeking through a restaurant's door

An old lady checking the traffic of Plaza Mayor through one of the many centuries old shops that exist around the grand square.

Los Madrileños a fat guy dressed as spiderman

Many cities in the world have great architecture and awe inspiring museums but none has Fat Spiderman. He makes random guest appearances in Plaza Mayor—his natural habitat, where he puts to shame every street artist in existence. Here, the legend seems to be a little concerned by the youth’s unsocial behavior.

people sitting on a fountain at puerta del sol

Puerta del Sol is The meeting point for Madrilenos. This small square is overcrowded almost around the clock.

four tricycles coming head on

The gang of El Retiro. These tricyclists give tours around Madrid’s second biggest park for a living.

a girl walking on plaza mayor with her umbrella

Plaza Mayor on a rainy day. One of the few occasions when the buzzing square actually gets empty of tourists.

a man walking with a crate on his shoulder Los Madrileños

Madrileños are easy and jolly most of the time. Their attitude contributes a lot to the city’s cozziness.

three people on a cobbled street

I kind of became an expert on getting lost in the city’s street and after a while, it became my favorite occupation. I loved the way that Madrid’s buzz went from loud to total silence every time I turned to a side road.

a man and a border collie playing with a ball on an empty square

I found these two playing on Plaza de Xose Tarrio. They were so absorbed in their ball game that never seemed to notice me or any other passer-by.

A woman rolling down a shop's grille

She “caught” me raising the camera and got out of the way thinking I wanted to shoot the shop window. I smiled and took a shot. Then, she went back to her business.

a street merchan outside the gran via metro station looking around in case the police show up

The night market of Grand Via. The merchants, whose vast majority is of African decent always set a pretty effective network of spotters. The merchandise—mostly haute couture bag counterfeits, are always on a canvas whose four corners are tied to equal ropes. The seller can pick everything up and be gone literally in a split second.

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Chrisostomos Kamberis
I'm a travel photographer and writer. Having worked in the tourism industry for years, I created Trip & Trail to share my love for
travel and photography with friends and anybody who has the same passion.

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15 Comments

  1. george t george on 10 October, 2018 at 07:41

    You have captured Madrid in splendid colors. Puerta del Sol, the meeting point for Madrilenos seems too crowded.

  2. Vedante | The Lavish Nomad on 11 October, 2018 at 10:59

    You have really managed to capture a day in life of this city beautifully. Loved going through these pictures!

  3. Adrenaline Romance on 11 October, 2018 at 21:55

    Beautiful! So full of life and culture. We love walkable towns and cities like these—they have a certain charm to it.

  4. blair villanueva on 15 October, 2018 at 05:32

    Thank you for sharing these candid photo story from Madrid. I like this better that those curated photos. It tells a lot and shows their genuine emotions and beauty of this city.

  5. Anwesha on 15 October, 2018 at 05:50

    The photos are very beautiful and makes me feel like I am there on those streets looking at those people. Good job!

    • Chrisostomos Kamberis on 21 October, 2018 at 09:03

      Thank you! I’m glad I managed to convey the feeling of the streets of Madrid.

  6. Sav on 17 October, 2018 at 17:49

    Stunning photos! I don’t see enough photo essays these days. They’re generally what truly inspires me to visit somewhere because they show what the place is like. Much better than a top ten things to do list as far as inspiration goes, IMO. Anyway, I’m going to go subscribe to your newsletter now.

  7. Jayne on 25 October, 2018 at 08:01

    I love all the photos! It saya everything

  8. Daniel on 25 October, 2018 at 09:25

    You did a great job of capturing a normal day in Madrid. Your pictures are absolutely stunning. Thank you for sharing!

  9. Esther on 1 November, 2018 at 13:14

    You captured really amazing shots of Madrid! I love how colorful the city is.
    You didn’t just take photos, you captured moments

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