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Devour Tours’ “Tapas Challenge” in Barcelona ~ Photography & Film Project

Last updated on November 23, 2020


A few months back, before COVID-19 forced us all into lockdown, I was hired to photograph and film the team from Devour Tours during their fun food and vino-fuelled annual summit in Barcelona.

Like me, they’d all flown in from their respective cities around Spain, Italy, France and Portugal, with many meeting their teammates in the flesh for the very first time.

With my camera in hand, I followed them (they did know I was there, don’t worry) while they joked and jibed, sipped and nibbled, hopping from tapas bar to tapas bar during their ‘Tapas Challenge’ team building exercise.


I joined them as they tipped back a few bottles of the good stuff at a winery in Alella, just outside Barcelona. And it really was, in every possible sense, an absolute dream of an assignment.

The shooting conditions, however, were challenging throughout: flat light, retina-burning midday light, flickering low interior light and almost no light at all during our nighttime video shoot. But I loved every second of it and am over the moon with the results (as were the team, to my delight).

But more than that, I felt proud and honoured to have been made to feel so welcome by this passionate group of global vagabonds – to be accepted as a fellow ‘Devourer’.

Our mutual love of food and culture, and life experiences as perennial expats, drew us together with all the warmth of a hand-knitted cardigan.

We Need You

I wanted to publish this post to share some of my favourite photos from the shoot (as well as the video, of course), but I also wanted to encourage you to support tourism companies like Devour, and the many thousands of tourism professionals who depend on your travel money to feed their families and pay their rent.

2 Simple Ways to Support Small Tourism Companies Like Devour During the Travel Lockdown

1. Postpone, don’t cancel

If you’ve already booked a tour with a small tour company like Devour, consider postponing it instead of cancelling it altogether and asking for a refund.

I’m sure any travel company out there, regardless of the country, would be more than happy to extend the validity of your ticket rather than cancel your booking.

What’s more, you can still look forward to going on the tour once the virus has moved on.

2. Invest in gift certificates

Love to travel and eat? Know someone who does?

Gifting experiences is always a sure winner, but it’s going to be worth more than gold by the time this whole Coronavirus thing blows over.

Support the travel industry by investing in gift certificates – see Devour Tour’s gift options here – and give your loved ones the gift of something to look forward to.

This lockdown cannot and will not last forever!

3. Pick up some other goodies!

Many tour companies like Devour sell branded merch and other goodies. Treat yourself to a copy of the Devour Tours cookbook and try your hand at some of their ultra-authentic recipes (from Spain, Italy, Portugal and beyond!) in your own kitchen.

We may not be able to go on one of their amazing food tours right now, but you can still support them and indulge your foodie fantasies by picking up a copy of their amazing cookbook, which features 52 authentic recipes from Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, San Sebastian, Lisbon, Rome, Paris, London.

Devour Tours Cookbook – Recipes from the Devour Tours Kitchen


Want to work with a photographer/videographer?

Funny you should mention it… I’m available and happy to work pretty much anywhere and everywhere, worldwide.

I’m a one-man band which means I can keep costs much lower than many bigger outfits. And I pride myself on my “can-do” attitude and ability to work with all sorts of people in pretty much every type of environment.

If you hire me, you’re not simply hiring a cameraman, but a creative professional with vision and a passion for storytelling.

Shoot me an email and I’ll look forward to hearing about your project – ben@driftwoodjournals.com


 

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2 Comments

  1. Ashley Ashley

    Ben, we seriously lucked out with you! You were such a joy to be around during the trip and could not have fit in with the group any better. And then these incredible photos and the video exceeded our wildest expectations. If anyone out there is considering hiring you, you come very highly recommended from the whole team at Devour! We can’t wait to work with you again soon.

    • Gracias Ashley! It really was a joy for me too… I’m so glad we made it happen in the end – with me flying over to join you guys. Little did we know at the time that it would one of our last outings for a while.

      I hope you guys are all staying safe, well and sane during this crazy lockdown period. I will look forward to the day we can do it all over again!

      Gracias Ashley, and salud!

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