Travel & Hospitality Awards | Europe Awards 2018 | www.thawards.com

Paris
JUAN JEREZ
DEL VALLE
Q&A
QUESTION: Tell us a little about yourself
JUAN JEREZ DEL VALLE: I think my first
contact with photography was during my years
as a student of Art History in Granada. I spent
hours and hours watching images, not only
photographs but also building plans, façades,
engravings and, especially, paintings. The
history of painting has a great influence on my
work. I was fascinated by the universal power of
the image, the narrative capability of the forms.
Photography is for me a way of seeing the
world, of being in the world. In the same way
as literature, photography is an instrument which
allows you to have access to the essence of
things, a ticket for the front row in a show. I
have always dreamed of having the ability to
create images capable of telling a story, the
ability to become a kind of writer working not
with words but with lights, shadows, shapes...
Q: What made you decide to set up a Photo
Blog in Paris?
JJDL: I moved to Paris for work. I immediately
fell in love with the city. During the first three
months, I used to spend the whole day walking
and shooting and, after that, I had a lot of
material to show. I decided to start sharing
myphotos atthat time.
Q: What are some of the most photography
trends right now in the city?
JJDL: It depends. There are a lot of classic
spots in Paris and normally most people try to
photograph them. But there are also new places
which catch theattention of the creatives and
inspire them. For example, there is a basketball
court in Pigalle reallypopular now; the colors of the the
ground are fantastic. The Louis Vuitton Foundation in the Bois
the Boulogne is another trendy place.
Q: Are there any neighbourhoods you’d recommend to
perfectly capture the city?
JJDL: Well, if you really want to capture the city I recommend
not to go to the touristic neighborhoods and visit other places.
You will be able to find a different Paris, moreauthentic. The
11 th and 20 th districts are perfect for that. The area behind
the Bastille or around the Père Lachaise cemetery, the Parc
des Buttes- Chaumont or the Aligre market arefantastic for
that.
Q: Have you ever considered showing people around
yourself, maybe doing a photography tour?
JJDL: Yes and, actually, I have already done it and I have to
say I loved it! It was a wonderful experience. I have studied
History of Art and I really like to explain the history of a city
(I did it in Rome for along time). If, in addition, we can also
take photos, the combination is perfect!
Q: Best place to grab a coffee & why?
JJDL: I really love the coffees in the 5th arrondissement. I
lived there for one year when I moved to Paris. The coffees
on Rue Mouffetard oraround the Pantheon are my favorites.
Q: Favourite local Restaurant?
JJDL: Well, I really love a popularrestaurant near Bastille.
I usually go there once or twice a week.It’s a verytypical
Parisian restaurant. Its name is Cafe deL’industrie
Q: What is the “best off the beaten path” attraction?
JJDL: One hidden place I love is the Promenade Plantée,
a former elevated railway track transformed now into an
Urban park.
Q: Where would you go for a day trip outside the city?
JJDL: I would go to Normandie. Ireally love its landscape and
there you can find the closest beaches to Paris. The cliffs of
Etretat, the old port of Honfleur, the local food...Everything
is wonderful!
Q: What would you say is the best way to get around Paris?
JJDL: To get lost as the flâneur of Baudelaire. To walk
aimlessly, following the beauty of the city.
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