Amidst uncertainty and tension at dusk, those most skilled with cameras had a great opportunity during the blackout. The capital of the Marina Alta was the perfect model for the occasion.
Fran Martínez, a nature photographer from Dénia, has skillfully captured the town at a time when night was beginning to overcome daylight. Our protagonist is "The chronicler of the fires in the Marina Alta", who has also carried out graphic documentation work on the pandemic in Dénia.
The artist of this story saw the perfect opportunity: "The night presented ideal conditions for photography lovers. The new moon allowed the sky to shine brighter than ever. Everything was calm, with a light westerly breeze." The photographer says that, as during the pandemic, people reported hearing noises that were not typical of a bustling city. "Last night during the blackout, with everyone at a standstill, nature also sounded much louder, especially from where I was."
Fran explains these photographs, which he shows exclusively for Dénia.com, which are "technically very complicated." The photographer from Dianense, who was spending his time confined in Calp, traveled to the Pare Pere hermitage, at the foot of Montgó, to begin their journey to the Cova de l'Aigua and thus achieve impeccable snapshots.
"I worked with very light-sensitive equipment, with special lenses for this type of image." Car headlights streak across the city streets, and in some, an orange sky can still be seen succumbing to the night. "I had to work with various exposures and set the right parameters to capture everything." The photos were taken around 22:30 p.m. Shortly after, at 23:12 p.m., the lights returned to Dénia.
"The whole process to get back home took me about three hours. It was interesting to see how, from above, the light was gradually returning to the towns. I could see how Valencia in the distance and Oliva closer by were already receiving power. In Dénia, some streets got it sooner than others." The Dénia-born photographer remembers seeing very strong points of light, like in supermarkets or hotels, while the rest of the towns were in darkness.
