About Cosme Lapena,
Barcelona Street Photographer
I am Cosme Lapena, a street and urban photographer based in Barcelona. I have been photographing for most of my life, but for the past 25 years I have pursued it with a deeper intensity — working the streets, the architecture, and the hidden corners of the city, always trying to refine my eye and my craft.
bCLPhoto is my online portfolio and photography blog — where I document what I find behind the lens: street photography from Barcelona and beyond, travel photography from cities around the world, urban architecture, reflections, and the occasional moment of unexpected beauty that stops you in your tracks.
I shoot with a Leica Q3 and a Sony a7R IV. Both go almost everywhere with me.
My passion is street photography — the everyday moments that most people walk past without noticing. The street is unpredictable, and that is exactly what makes it interesting.
I am drawn above all to Barcelona, but I also love nature photography in Catalonia, portraits, and travel. Cities like New York, London, Istanbul and Berlin have shaped the way I see light and people in equal measure.
What is photography for me?
Photography means walking with the camera in my hand, looking in every direction, paying attention to the things, the people, and the situations around me — sometimes simple, sometimes surprising. I take the shot, and that image is mine, forever. Later I look at the photos on the computer, make small adjustments, and sometimes print them or show them to others. The whole process gives me enormous personal satisfaction.
It is a way of seeing. It sharpens my attention and makes me notice what I would otherwise miss. When I carry a camera through Barcelona, I see people, textures, and situations that stay invisible on an ordinary walk. It makes me feel more awake.
What does it mean to be an "amateur" photographer?
I define myself as an amateur photographer — and I mean that in the best possible sense of the word. To me it means freedom: the freedom to experiment with styles, techniques, and compositions out of pure curiosity, with no commercial pressure. Beyond the images themselves, it keeps my creativity alive and my mind at ease.
I started at 15 with a borrowed Voigtländer, wandering the streets of Barcelona. Decades later, I am still chasing those fleeting moments — and I hope to keep doing it for the rest of my life.
Over the years, some of that work has also made it off-screen: since 2011, I've taken part in several group exhibitions at Espai [b], a contemporary art gallery in Barcelona's Gràcia neighbourhood — growing from a single photograph in that first show to over a hundred in the most recent one, alongside close friends and fellow photographers Jordi Comes and Benet Solina. More on that on the History page.
On this site you will find:
A portfolio organised by theme — street photography, urban architecture, reflections, photomontage, grafitti & street art and travel photography.
A photography blog where I write about specific shots, locations and the stories behind the images — from the streets of Barcelona to the coastline of Ireland, from New York to the floral festival of Girona.
A monthly newsletter for anyone who shares this obsession — practical photography tips, new posts, and the occasional behind-the-scenes.
If any of this resonates with you, stay a while.
Curious about my current gear or my photographic journey? Check out
and
Like the images?
The photographs are available as signed, numbered fine art prints on archival paper. See sizes and order →