Cristina Martínez Lalana has been one of the visible faces of the Zaragoza-based Agency Almozara for 30 years, a company founded by Miguel Ángel Vicente. Thirty years as a photographer, having shot her cameras thousands of times and witnessing how the profession has changed at a dizzying pace. However, for taking photos, good photos, the key remains the same as it was decades ago: the eye of the person behind the camera. On this topic, we began to chat with Cristina.
The way of working must have changed a lot since your beginnings, hasn’t it?
Thirty years ago, photography was analog. We worked with medium format negatives and slides, which required us to meticulously control the entire process from beginning to end to achieve a perfect photograph. With the arrival of digitalization in the early 2000s, everything became technologically simpler, but the photographer’s perspective, the light, the framing, and what turns an image into a work of art still depend on the artist.
So, even though technology in cameras, drones, and design programs is crucial, what really sets you apart is creativity and personal touch. What would you say is that touch in your work and in the agency’s productions?
Every photograph, every design, and every project is a world of its own. Successfully developing it involves diving into the medium and analyzing where we are headed. That sensitivity is innate in some people, and I consider myself fortunate, not only for the results of my work but because it allows me to be part of the projects and connect with people from very diverse fields.
Within photography, you work in various fields: product, gastronomy, weddings, professional photography… Beyond knowing how to use light and focus, these are very different areas. How do you approach each assignment?
For me, it is very important to analyze the client, whether it’s a wedding, a conference, or a product catalog. Each assignment is a challenge, and we must direct all efforts toward success. Whether it’s something as simple as a passport photo, a wedding, or a handrail with the King of Spain, in all cases, the client demands the highest professionalism, and I approach it accordingly. A challenge that must culminate in success!
Nonetheless, in what type of work do you feel most comfortable?
Advertising photography allows me to fully develop my creativity. Especially in gastronomy, which is where I have received the most success and awards. I have published over forty books, and my photographs have won international awards, such as the Gold Book of Aragonese Cuisine, awarded by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Yantai (China) in 2017, among others. Each published book, present in bookstores and on so many shelves, is a source of pride. That’s why I can say it is perhaps the work I enjoy the most.
Regarding the agency as a whole, it is evident that over time it has diversified its services: marketing projects, audiovisual productions, printed publications… How many people do you currently have? Is it a very multidisciplinary team?
With the digital age, we have grown and developed new projects to form an agency equipped with the necessary means for a wide range of work: book production, a newspaper called El Gastrónomo Zaragozano, conferences, gastronomic routes, etc. For this, we have journalists, designers, videographers, and image and sound technicians for audiovisual setups, totaling 10 people.
You also produce events, some as recognized as Nupzial. How did you enter this field of work?
In October, we celebrated 17 years since the first edition of Euronovios Live at the Congress Palace of the Expo. Since then, hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of couples have passed through there in search of the happiest day of their lives. The wedding world is fascinating. We stumbled into it right after the Expo ended, and we have continued as a partner of the Feria de Zaragoza with the Nupzial brand. Additionally, we have organized other gastronomic events, such as the two editions of the Agro-Food Fair of the Province of Zaragoza, with over twenty exhibitors and more than five thousand visitors in the courtyards of the Palacio de Sástago. Or the Gastronomic Routes of the Bull and the renowned Contest of Zaragoza Croquettes and Province, among others.
To conclude, you must have worked on hundreds of projects. Tell us about an early project you remember fondly and a more recent one where you feel your agency has demonstrated what it is capable of achieving.
One of the first photographic projects was the product brochure for Continente. The photographs had to be taken on slide film and then distributed to mailboxes throughout Aragon. It was 1996, and I was only 21 years old. Since then, many projects have come my way, some of which I cherish deeply, such as those done at FITUR and Madrid Fusión, where Agencia Almozara managed the production, management, and development of the audiovisual systems for the stand of the Government of Aragon. It is a significant and responsible job that we have carried out for eight years. And in photography, it brings to mind very delicate moments, such as the instant of King Felipe VI greeting President Azcón, where I had to capture the perfect photograph surrounded by Her Majesty’s guard. These are tasks that allow me to engage with well-known presenters and important players in international tourism.
Now let’s wrap up. What are you currently working on?
I am currently immersed in a project that excites me: The Great Book of Borage. It is a substantial work, with over 50 photographs of recipes, in addition to those of the fields, products, and cooking. Not to mention my favorites: candid shots of the chef Rubén Martín, a product lover from the Grupo Vaquer Flor de Lis. The texts accompanying my images are written by my husband and editorial partner, Miguel Ángel Vicente. This is my latest work, and I am sure it will be a piece we will be very proud of.
