Hands up if you reckon wedding and family photography have nothing in common with street photography?

You’re not the only one. But if you’re a documentary photographer like me, the genres are not quite the chalk and cheese that you might think.

Street photography is all about reacting to the situation you see in front of you and capturing life as you see it. That is exactly how I work at a wedding or with a family – no telling you where to stand, and definitely no cheesy smiles.

What’s more, the elements that made a good photograph apply as much to weddings and family shoots as they do in the street – a special moment, light, composition, humour.

Whenever I shoot street photography – which is very, very hard to do well – I always come back feeling sharper with my camera.

With that in mind, I headed off to Barcelona to hone my skills on a street photography workshop with the great (I don’t use that word lightly) Pau Buscato. Honestly, the guy is amazing – check him out.

The beauty of street photography is that there’s no itinerary, no plan, no set destination. Simply go with your instincts – if you spot something that catches your eye, photograph it, follow it, do whatever you want to do with it.

So, while I took in the usual hot spots on my travels such as Sagrada Familia, La Rambla, Placa de Catalunya, Barcelona Cathedral and Gaudi’s Casa Battlo, cloocking up tens of thousands of steps on a sunny weekend was a joy on its own.

A couple of my favourite places, in case you’re planning a trip of your own any time soon: Tibidabo, a hill with great views of the city and the majestic Sagrat Cor church at the summit; and Sant Pau, a 100-year-old former hospital full of colour, shapes and light which has been beautifully preserved.

Photography practice. A holiday. Glorified people spotting. Call it what you will – here’s what I got up to on a long weekend of street photography in Barcelona. Enjoy…