Real Alcázar in Black and White | Spain | Seville by Laura Dijkslag

This work focuses on Seville's Real Alcázar, captured in a powerful black-and-white image that seems to make time stand still. One of Europe's oldest royal palaces still in use, the Alcázar exudes a unique blend of Moorish, Gothic and Renaissance influences. In colour, this is a place of warm tones, gleaming tiles and green orange trees, but the very removal of that colour creates a different kind of intensity here. The play of light and shadow, the geometric precision of the Moorish arches and the perfect reflection in the water are thus emphasised even more.

What particularly struck me as a photographer was the symmetry and almost serene calm of this patio. Instead of the bustle you often experience when visiting this monument, I wanted to create an image that brings out the stillness and monumentality of the place. The black and white choice forces the eye to linger on the details: the refined patterns in the stonework, the reflection of the arches in the water and the contrast between the hard lines of the architecture and the softness of the orange trees.

This work is not just a photograph of a famous monument, but a visual translation of the atmosphere I felt there: timeless, powerful and layered. An invitation to see Seville in a different way.