About Michelle

Michelle Chaplow is an award winning British freelance photographer based in Andalucía, Southern Spain with 20 years experience in the field and an vast collection of published works, including two books. Her specialist subjects include travel, tourism, luxury hotel photography and editorial features.

She is a member of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and has studied photography at Seville University. Over 100,000 high quality stock images are available from Michelle’s collection.
Her images, inspired by her experience of the people, landscapes and history of Spain, capture special moments and little known corners of Spain. Her intimate knowledge of the country, the people and their language give a unique depth and resonance to her photography.

Official photographer for the Spanish Paradors.

In 2012 Michelle signed a three-year contract to be an official photographer for the Spanish Parador hotels. Paradores de Turismo de España is a chain of Spanish luxury hotels, founded by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1928. These unique hotels, created to encourage tourism, are often in castles, palaces, fortresses, convents, monasteries and other historic buildings.

Presentation of a Contemporary art project “The Pool of Life” at the Contemporary Art Museum in Malaga.

In a series of images inspired by the leading Photography School in Europe, the school of Helsinki, six women were photographed by Michelle Chaplow in six abandoned pools over six months in 2012.

The series focuses on visual poetry of the female form, alone with an ongoing process of inner reflection shot with uniform diffused lighting, melancholic body language, and elements of water or the absence of water in a place where water should naturally be.

 “The Pool of Life” was Michelle’s final project for the diploma course in Specialisation in Contemporary Photography, organised by the CAC Málaga and the Fundación Valentín de Madariaga de Sevilla. The work was projected to an audience at the museum in July 2012.

Nominated in seven categories in the 2012 Black & White Spider Awards.

Michelle received seven nominations in the professional categories of the 7th Annual Black and White Spider Awards, the leading international award honouring excellence in black and white photography.

• Nominated the category of Professional Fashion with “Yamaia”
• Nominated in the category of Professional Silhouette with “Leaping Hare on Curly Bell”
• Nomination in the category of Professional Architecture with “A Lotus Flower and an Airplane”
• Nominated in the Category of Professional Fine Art “Bath Time”
• Nominated in the Category of Professional Still Life with “Glam Games”
• Nominated in the Category of Professional Advertising with “Five”
• Nomination in the Category of Professional Abstract with “New Shiny Objects”

 

Nominations in the Black & White
Photography Spider Awards.

In 2011 Michelle received two nominations in the Professional architectural photography category of he Spider awards for her images entitled Singapore swim and Gaudi. The Black and white Spider awards represent a collection of work from the world's finest contemporary photographers

 

Nominations in the Photography Masters Cup.

In 2011 and 2001, Michelle received three nominations, two in architecture and the third in the category, people. "The Science park in Valencia", "Lines and Triangles" and " Angelica La Palenquera". Photography Masters Cup is the leading international award honoring color photography.

 

Photographer specializing in the niche market of luxury hotel photography around the world.

In 2010 Michelle established, Hotel Essence Photography, specializing in fine photography for luxury hotels. Michelle states that "In the hospitality industry of today, images that simply depict a hotel's specific amenities and architecture are not enough. The global traveller wants more - images that reveal the intrinsic qualities of a hotel showing what it actually feels like to be a guest".
hotelessencephotography.com has one aim, to capture the very essence of the hotel in such a way that the viewer feels compelled to say, "take me there!".
The team behind Michelle includes, assistants, stylists, production, digital post production and journalists.

 

Associate Photographer for The Most Famous Hotels of the World.

Michelle has contributed since 2008 on several publications for The Most Famous Hotels of the World® This organization, documents hotels with over 50 years of history in the hospitality industry and includes some of the most famous hotel establishments in the world.

 

Tapas book " A bite of Spain" Food photography.

2008 saw the launch of A new Tapas book "A bite of Spain" Michelle was commissioned to carryout the photography, the project took 10 months to complete and involved both studio and location photography, throughout Spain.

 

Spanish National Television.

Michelle Chaplow participated in Seville's 2008 Flamenco Photography Exhibition. Spanish National Television, TVE, interviewed her as part of coverage of the event. Among her featured entries was an image of flamenco feet in complex motion that has been published in a National Geographic Travel Guide for Spain.

 

Inauguration of photographic studio.

2006 Michelle Chaplow inaugurated her state of the art purpose built photographic studio.




Coffee Table book on Spain.

2005 saw the launch of “Espagne” at the Frankfurt bookfair, a 288 page full colour coffee table book on Spain available from www.amazon.fr. A commission from the prestigious Parisian publishing house - Vilo




Michelle congratulated by King & Queen of Spain.

The picture on the right shows Michelle with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain at the Zarzuela Palace - Madrid at the end of her photographic assignment for the Washington Library of Congress.




Visions of Andalucia In 2004.

Michelle held her first one man exhibition “Visions of Andalucia”. David Clarke Head of Tate photography, London wrote “A beautiful exhibition, which really captures the essence of Spain”.




The Ortiz Echagüe prize.

In 2001 Michelle was awarded an honorary mention in the «Ortiz Echagüe» prize from the Spanish Ministry of Tourism and commerce. The honorary  mention related to her work in the field of photography promoting Spanish Tourism. (BOE Reference 031 5/02/2001 Sec 3 page 4336) Ortiz Echagüe was one of the first modern Spanish icon Photographers.




Turespaña the Spanish Tourist Board.

In 1995 Michelle was awarded the prestigious state photography contract by Turespaña the Spanish Tourist Board to document the coastline from Alicante to Huelva (BOE Reference 367/95 Numero 302 19/12/95 page 22683)

Michelle Chaplow

King Juan Carlos & Queen Sofia of Spain

Michelle Chaplow & The Prince and Princess of Asturias