Feature: Noel

Country	Spain

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GGotW: What do you like about dark places?

Noel: I feel a strange connection to dark places. I think they give me peace. But above all, these places inspire me.


GGotW: What inspiration have you received from dark places?
Noel: Thanks to the local cemetery in my small town, I was able to write my first book. I also write stories, and when I feel without creativity I decide to go to some forest or some shady meadow.

GGotW: What bands are you listening to currently?
Noel: Black metal groups like Batushka, Marduk...but I also listen to instrumental gothic music like Nox Arcana or Peter Gundry and by supposed bands like The Sisters of Mercy.

GGotW: Are you reading anything interesting currently?
Noel: Yes! I recently received the copy of the latest issue of "Witches Magazine" in which I have contributed one of my photographs, and it is an interesting read on the occult and paganism.

GGotW: Do you consider yourself a witch?
Noel: Yes, I have been practicing witchcraft for almost a decade.

GGotW: What values of witchcraft do you covet the most?
Noel: I think that something very important in witchcraft is herbology. I am a huge fan of plants. I also believe that dream spells are important. However, I am not a big fan of tarot or crystals although I would like to learn more about it.

GGotW: What object do you consider most sacred?
Noel: The skulls. It seems to me a metaphor of life and the death of a living being.

GGotW: Do you have skulls or collect skulls of any kind?
Noel: I have a small skull belonging to a rodent. I found that skull among henbane plants, in the corner of a church. Unfortunately it is the only skull I have, sometimes when I walk through the forest I try to look for a skull but at the moment I have not found another.

GGotW: How do you say Witch in Spanish?
Noel: "Bruja."

GGotW: Do you have a lot of plants in your home?
Noel: Yes! Luckily I live in a big house with a front garden and a back garden. I have aromatic plants, flowers, roses and two trees.

GGotW: Are there many clubs/places for Goths in your part of Spain?
Noel:

Unfortunately, there are not many gothic places in Spain. There are only small clothing stores and some metal and gothic music bars in Madrid, the capital of Spain. A few years ago, there was an event called "Madrid Gothic Week" where activities such as reading gothic books, concerts, etc. were held, but that event was canceled years ago. A shame.

GGotW: You seem to photograph a lot of things other than yourself, what is your favorite subject?
Noel: My favorite subject is portraits and dark landscapes like gloomy forests or cemeteries. There is a really beautiful and eerie stillness in these places. As for portraits, I think that through photography we can see a piece of the person's soul.

GGotW: What kind of equipment do you Photograph with?
Noel: With a camera Nikon D5200.

GGotW: Do you edit your own images?

Noel: Yes!

GGotW: What is your photographic workflow?

Noel: I use two programs for editing my photos: Ipiccy and Photoshop, of course.  When I edit a photo first I correct imperfections, bad light, contrast, color temperature ... Then I let my creativity do its thing.