Tabernas Desert: Stories of Sand and Fire
The Tabernas Desert, with its arid and lonely landscapes, witnessed countless tales of justice, revenge and resistance. Three men, three destinies intertwined by the dust of the desert and the echo of gunshots. This zine captures their stories, along with the traces of a cinematic past that still lives among its deserted streets and empty buildings.
"The Last Dawn"
The sun was barely rising when John "The Wanderer" rode toward his final destination. He had wandered through barren lands, pursuing justice as intensely as others pursue gold. In front of McGowan's men, gunpowder marked the close of his journey. The echo of gunfire echoed for the last time, and his body fell, defeated. But though his eyes closed forever, the wind still carries his story across the desert, a warning of what it means to defy injustice in these forgotten lands.
"Revenge of the Solitaire"
Lonesome Jack entered the saloon with only one thing in mind: revenge. For years he had been on the trail of McCready, the man who betrayed his brother. At last he had him in his sights. The shot that hit him ended that search, but it also sealed Jack's fate. He didn't expect to get out of that bar alive, and he didn't. Like dust floating after a storm, his life vanished in a swift and lethal confrontation. The wooden tombs in the town's cemetery barely bear witness to that last fight between wandering souls.
"Tom Lawson, The Guardian of the Desert"
In Dusty Ridge, Tom Lawson is the law. The sheriff moves like a watchful shadow among the dusty buildings, his revolver at his side and his hat protecting the stern look that has seen too much. He is not a man of words, but his presence alone commands respect. In a place where justice is often forgotten, Tom Lawson stands tall, protecting his people with a code that seems to have been left in the past. He is the guardian of the desert, a man who remains a symbol of order in a world of chaos.
Western Scenery and Buildings
The Tabernas desert, beyond its stories of men and confrontations, holds the remnants of a cinematic past. The empty buildings, weathered wooden facades, and silent alleys are a reminder of the days when cinema brought the Wild West to life in these lands. Here, time seems to stand still; the shadows of the old movie sets still tell stories, even if there are no cameras to capture them anymore. This last section is a tribute to those sets that have seen so many fictional stories and that, somehow, have become silent protagonists of their own tale.
Stories of Dust and Memory
Each of these photographic series narrates a part of the soul of the desert. Through the stories of John, Jack, and Tom, and the buildings that still stand the test of time, I wanted to capture not only the images, but also the essence of a place that has witnessed so many dreams and struggles. This is a tribute to Tabernas, a corner of the world where reality and fiction merge under the same scorching sun, the sun under which many of us grew up next to the TV.
Check out the video version on Youtube.