Madrid Spain The Last of Autumn in Retiro Park

Retiro Park is a must see gem in the heart of Madrid, Spain. If you feel like taking a stroll on a Sunday afternoon, it definitely goes above and beyond your typical “day at the park.” With giant installations, statues, artworks, and fountains, walking through Retiro is like wandering through Wonderland, where you stumble across something new and enticing at every turn. It’s a great spot to take photos, so I went on a snapping spree with my Samsung NX300.

My favorite treasure is the Crystal Palace, which name invokes memories of watching the 1980’s classic The Dark Crystal. So although you can imagine I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of mythical creatures lurking in the palace’s corners, there was definitely plenty more to satisfy my fantasy pangs.

NX300 | 1/200 | f/5.6 | ISO 100 | 35mm The Crystal Palace
NX300 | 1/200 | f/5.6 | ISO 100 | 18mm Glass Interior
NX300 | 1/125 | f/5 | ISO 100 | 37mm Natural Paintings

Above the glass windows create the illusion of paintings in the form of many triptychs.

NX300 | 1/160 | f/5 | ISO 100 | 18mm Wonderland

The architecture and lighting present a whirlwind of different atmospheres both inside and outside of the palace. At some times of day it can seem ethereal, especially peaking out through the trees, while within the interior, darker shadows can create a ghostly and even menacing feeling.

Adjusting my Samsung NX300 for the right atmosphere I was able to adapt to interior and exterior spots based on the time of day and lighting.

NX300 | 1/250 | f/6.3 | ISO 100 | 22mm Ghostly Windows
NX300 | 1/400 | f/5.6 | ISO 200 | 18mm Continuum
NX300 | 1/250 | f/8 | ISO 100 | 55mm Afternoon Boating
NX300 | 1/160 | f/5.6 | ISO 100 | 55mm The Last of Autumn
Art from Palacio de Velázquez. From left to right:
NX300 | 1/80 | f/3.5 | ISO 200 | 18mm; NX300 | 1/125 | f/4.5 | ISO 400 | 33mm
NX300 | 1/40 | f/3.5 | ISO 400 | 18mm Continuum II

From it’s never-ending gardens to surprising modern art galleries within neoclassical exhibition halls, Retiro Park has more than enough to fill your day full of memorable snapshots.

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For permissions to use this photo contact Alessandra Roqueta at roqueta2@gmail.com.