In Spain, the bright, harsh sun makes for difficult lighting conditions for photography. Clear blue skies also make the featureless sky boring. Whenever possible, I prefer to take photographs when there is light cloud cover, particularly white fluffy clouds. On this particular day, a storm was forecasted for the afternoon, and the clouds were already starting to build. So, keen to make the most of the conditions, I set off with my camera and my dog Flo to photograph two abandoned cortijos I had discovered some time ago.
A Spanish cortijo is a traditional rural dwelling or farmhouse typically found in southern Spain, particularly in regions like Andalucia, Extremadura, and parts of Murcia. These structures are an integral part of the agricultural landscape and reflect the historical and cultural heritage of the region.
Cortijos were historically used as residences for farm owners, agricultural workers, and their families who lived and worked on large estates known as “fincas” or “cortijadas.” They served as the centre of agricultural activity, providing housing for the landowners and farm labourers and storage space for agricultural equipment and produce.
I took all the photos on this page using a Pentax Spotmatic SP camera with Ilford Delta 100 film. I developed the negatives with Ilfotec LC29 at 1+26 for 6 minutes and 45 seconds @20C.
The photos were digitised using a Nikon Z6 mirrorless digital camera with a Tokina AT-X Pro Macro 100mm f2.8 D lens and processed using Capture One software.
This was clearly a very large and grand cortijo. The owners must have been well off and, judging by the outbuildings, housed their workers and possibly animals within the complex.
Approaching the first cortijo, the sky was lightly overcast with the sun peeking through, providing a nice soft light.
Behind the main house was a stone wall (see photo above), probably enclosing a courtyard garden. This linked the main house with further outbuildings around the back - see below.
An outbuilding, possibly used as a barn or storing produce. It may have also served as an animal pen or stables.
We followed narrow country lanes and dirt tracks. The almond trees were in blossom, and it was pleasantly warm with little wind. It could have been a spring day, but it was still early February.
A narrow country lane with an almond tree in blossom and a private hunting sign on the right
