Portraits
A selection of portraits produced on assignment for El País Semanal, the leading weekly magazine in Spain, alongside editorial work for Time, Le Monde, The New York Times, Sunday Times Magazine, Der Spiegel, Stern and Financial Times Magazine.
Editorial & Fine Art Portraits
Portraits are at the core of Markel Redondo’s practice. Over more than fifteen years working as an editorial photographer across Europe and beyond, he has developed a visual approach built on presence — faces that carry weight, moments that feel unrehearsed, light that serves the subject rather than the other way around.
The work in this gallery spans a wide range of contexts: commissioned editorial work for the international press, personal fine art projects, cultural documentary series and sports photography. Athletes photographed before and after competition. Artists in their studios and on location. Cultural figures and public personalities. And, just as often, strangers met by chance whose faces demanded to be photographed.
Assignment Work & Publications
Much of this work has been produced on direct assignment for some of the world’s leading publications. Markel’s editorial and documentary work has appeared in Time, El País Semanal, Sunday Times Magazine, Le Monde, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde Diplomatique, L’Express, Financial Times Magazine, Stern, Monocle and Neon, among others.
This breadth of editorial experience — across cultures, languages and contexts — has shaped an approach that is adaptable without being generic. Whether working in a controlled studio environment or in the field with available light, the priority is always the same: a photograph that says something true about its subject.
About Markel Redondo
Born in Bilbao in 1978, Markel Redondo grew up in the Basque Country before leaving to study photojournalism in China, where he completed an MA and began working for international agencies, newspapers and magazines. He returned to Europe in 2007 and is now based between Bilbao (Spain) and Biarritz (France), working across the Basque Country, Spain, France and internationally.
He is fluent in Spanish, Basque, English and French — a practical advantage when working on location across different countries and cultures, and one that shapes the quality of access and connection he brings to every session.
Markel is represented by Panos Pictures, one of Europe’s leading documentary and editorial photo agencies.
Recognition
His work has been recognised with a number of industry awards and selections, including:
- Eddie Adams Workshop alumni
- PDN30 — Photo District News 30 emerging photographers
- DJI Drone Photography Award
- EsoDoc alumni
He has exhibited work in London, Paris, New York, Singapore, Valencia, Barcelona, Dublin and Guernsey.
Approach & Style
Good portraits are rarely the result of technical perfection alone. The best ones happen in the space between direction and spontaneity — when the subject forgets the camera is there, or when they look directly into it with complete intention. Markel’s photography prioritises that moment above everything else: the right light, yes, but more importantly the right atmosphere, the right silence, the right question asked at the right time.
Portrait Commissions
Markel is available for commissions across Spain, France and Europe. Whether for editorial assignments, corporate photography, cultural institutions or personal projects, he brings the same level of attention and craft to every shoot. Working cities include Bilbao, San Sebastián, Vitoria, Pamplona, Biarritz, Bayonne, Bordeaux and Pau.
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