Interwoven Cities - The Everyday Carry -Camera
Words and Photography by John Hendrick
An Unexpected First Step
My journey with Leica Q began, somewhat unconventionally. At the time, it was meant to complement my Leica M, but in hindsight, it became the main piece of gear, at least on this trip. Perhaps I approached it in reverse, but I’ve never once regretted that decision.
Last year, I spent ten days traveling across Europe, from Portugal's quiet corners to Spain's vibrant streets. I brought only one camera with me: the Leica Q-P. Lightweight, intuitive, and beautifully responsive, it proved to be more than enough. It lived up to its reputation as the “Everyday Camera,” discreet yet powerful, capable of capturing the small, fleeting moments that define a journey.
Lisbon: Light in Layers
Lisbon was the first stop, a city that doesn’t just reflect light; it sculpts with it. The geometry of its tiled walls and the way the sun spills across the cobblestone create images or moments you just have to capture. There’s a patience required in Lisbon. You wait, you watch, and then the light shows you where to point your lens.
Madrid: Skyward and Sacred
In Madrid, the architecture lifts you. Domes rise like constellations above the city, churches pierce the sky, and afternoon light filters through in golden tones. Here, space becomes sacred not just within places of worship, but in plazas and alleyways where life slows down just long enough to frame a moment.
The Q-P’s fixed 28mm lens encouraged me to get close, to be present. There's a certain humility in standing beneath something vast with a tool that demands simplicity. You learn to let the environment shape the image, not the other way around.
Seville: The Echo of Time
Then came Seville. The mood shifted, deeper, quieter. Cathedrals stood like memory itself, holding the sound of centuries in their stones. There’s a solemnity to Seville; the city is vibrant and alive yet feels quiet and calm.
I walked without an itinerary, just going with the flow of the city.
A Legacy of Less
Each city in this series reveals something about time, not just as it was, but how it continues to breathe through the present. In monochrome, the images feel timeless, stripped down to texture, tone, and emotion. The Leica Q-P was the perfect companion for this, discreet yet capable, minimal yet masterful.
Leica users often refer to the Q as the “Everyday Camera.” For me, during those ten days, it was exactly the perfect everyday camera. It allowed me to let go of gear and embrace experience.
Explore the Journey
This project is less about place and more about presence. It’s a reminder that sometimes the simplest setups lead to the most profound connections. One camera. One frame at a time.