Variety of glass bottles and glasses in shades of brown, gray and green, arranged on a table with light that creates shadows and reflections.

Javi Dardo

Barcelona

Embracing change and seeking beauty in every moment.

Person with shirt and cap in foreground, background of a building with green doors and windows protected by bars, in a simple urban environment.
Three-story building on a corner, with green and white walls, balcony with metal railing and clothes hanging on the clothesline, electrical wires crossing the street, and windows with bars and shutters.
A female person with dark glasses and black dress, lying on the floor, on a wall background with peeling paint.

When did you pick up a camera for the first time?

I don't remember an exact moment when I picked up a camera for the first time, but I do remember, from a very young age, wanting to take the analog camera away from my parents and being the one to take all the pictures on trips with my family or at my older cousins' weddings. I also remember, with special affection, going to collect the developed images with the excitement of seeing what had come out of it all. I still maintain that excitement today with each of my rolls of film.


What is your deepest feeling about photography? What was the spark that ignited your passion?

From a very young age I spent long hours of the day writing short stories, and even started some novels. As soon as I bought my first camera, when I came of age, I started to create these little stories with images; I enjoyed creating characters. At first I photographed my friends, but little by little I started photographing models, who were the perfect canvas for the stories I had in my head.


You worked in an art gallery and collaborated with several publishing houses. Can you tell us a little about the influence of art?

I worked for several auction houses and art galleries for about five years, photographing their catalogs and pieces on display or at auction. Thanks to that, I got my hands on the works of many different types of artists, and I worked with many people who had extensive knowledge, and they taught me a lot about art. On the one hand, I learned to understand the value of the artist's context and the moment of creation of the work, to give it more meaning. On the other hand, I also stopped idealizing all the creators whose works hung on those huge white walls or were sold for hundreds of thousands of euros; I learned that something could have a great value in the art market and not interest me at all. And also, that there are many creators with immense artistic value who would never be recognized.

A woman holding a bouquet of flowers, seen through a window with reflection of trees and sky.
Woman in long orange dress and black sandals, showing a leg opening, on a background of stone walls.

Creatives often find themselves doing work for clients that they may not like as much or that give them little creative freedom. How do you deal with this situation? Do you take on projects that don't excite you or do clients often seek out your signature/style? What is essential for you to get involved in a project?

I take on all those jobs where I see that I can contribute something to make the brand or publication better or grow in some way. It's practically impossible to live solely on projects where you have 100% creative freedom, but it's also a challenge to navigate that tug-of-war with clients so that your personality shines through while respecting their brand values and your own. Other times, clients may limit you because they have a clear vision of what they want to achieve and just need an executor, and that's okay too. We shouldn't romanticize our work; sometimes, it's about execution, and that's okay.


Which projects have you enjoyed the most? Or which ones represent you the best?

Lately, I've been enjoying still life projects more because there's not the same sense of urgency that you feel when photographing one or several models. I feel that in still life I can reflect on each shot and take my time with each photograph.


How would you describe your identity? What is the process you went through to build it? Any anecdotes?

I believe that a creator's identity is formed over time and is constantly changing. In my case, I currently strive to create clean, elegant and timeless images. I pay special attention to details. I prefer not to have an excess of elements, only those necessary to create geometric shapes and interesting compositions. I like to play with primary colors that are easily recognizable.

Woman dressed in red dress, standing in a labyrinth of stone walls, in an outdoor location.
Close-up of the face of a person with dust and sand stained skin, surrounded by pieces of bread dough or dirt on a brown earth background.
Artistic decoration with glass, ceramics and pastel-colored objects, in an open space with a stone floor and metal background
Set of sculptures and glass objects in blue tones, some with bases in different materials, in a space with concrete walls and earthen floor. It includes pieces with varied shapes, such as bottles, vases and abstract objects.

You love music, what is your relationship with it, how is it reflected in your photography?

Music is my greatest passion, and I am a huge vinyl collector. I strongly link photography and imagery to the music industry, as I believe that great music icons are always recognized by their distinctive looks, and the most historic albums are always linked to an image that is established in the collective imagination. Who doesn't know that the Beatles have a cover with them crossing a pedestrian crossing, that Frank Ocean has an album with a portrait of him with green hair covering his face, or that Lady Gaga has an album in which she transforms into a motorcycle? How an image linked to an album can become a cultural moment seems magical to me.


Do you go outside of photography to find inspiration? That is, do you have any specific sources of inspiration outside of photography for your work? Tell us a bit about that.

It may sound cliché, but sometimes the best way to get inspired is to step away from photography and just observe and live. It's important to stay connected to current trends and movements, but we're constantly bombarded with images, and sometimes what really helps is to step back, rest your gaze, and suddenly images and ideas start popping into your mind. One of my next projects, for example, came up while walking at sunset on a sunny street in Madrid.


How does your environment inspire you or affect you when working or developing an idea/concept? What things, moments or people have the biggest impact?

My environment inspires me when in a conversation, having dinner or a glass of wine they recommend me a movie, a record or an art project that I should know about. I'm very curious and, as soon as someone mentions something, I quickly write it down to investigate it when I have a moment.

Young girl wearing white fashionable t-shirt and accessories like necklace and belt, posing with sky and clouds background, in vintage style.
Metal spoon on a white table, partially shaded, with a large watermelon in the background.

Briefly, how do you see the current photographic panorama? How do you see yourself in comparison with your colleagues? How would you like to be seen?

We are in a very interesting moment as we have photographers interested in analog photography, traditional photographic development and slow, leisurely work in which every click matters. On the other hand, there are creators who use AI to generate futuristic, otherworldly images. And finally, there are photographers who use digital photography and Photoshop as their tools and signature. All the coexisting currents seem equally valid to me, although some interest me more than others.


Do you think your photography conveys its message, or do you prefer the viewer to interpret it?

I'm not sure if it carries my "statement", but I do think it reflects my personality or my signature. And that seems hard enough to achieve sometimes.


What would be your perfect work environment? Do you dream of being part of a particular project?

The truth is, as I've gotten older, I've stopped dreaming of a particular magazine, brand, location or team ..... I think I've often jinxed or idealized many situations or big names and, in the end, I've ended up in places I never imagined and I've enjoyed the process and the surprise of getting there.


What do you do on a Wednesday afternoon?

My favorite question already, hahaha. Well, during the week I try to read a lot, especially music or whatever novel I'm reading at the moment (currently the latest by Irene Sola). Also during the week I always get some sport.... And work, always work: there's always an email to answer or an appointment to send.


Your favorite corner?

My house is my sanctuary. I'm always at home here.

Latest works and publications

¡Uniqlo, Puma, Nike, Mango, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Heaps & Woods, Desigual, Neo2, Cosmopolitan, Schön! Magazine, Fucking Young!, Vanidad, Pertegaz, Men's Health, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, System Action, Kosma Menorca.