Photographing The Fisherman Of Spain.

I've enjoyed documenting people's lives and sharing their stories from the moment I picked up a camera. And one subject I've continually revisited is the fishing industry; having always lived by the sea, I guess I have an affinity with their way of life.

Whilst on assignment in Spain, I spent some time in Denia, a beautiful seaside port city on the Mediterranean coast of eastern Spain. Famous for its red prawns, this unique crustacean is found off the coast of this traditional fishing town and is considered an international delicacy. Although it's not easy to catch, so the quantity caught each day is very low, making it an elusive, exclusive and expensive local delicacy.

This documentary photograph shows a fisherman at the port in Denia, pulling a trolley full of boxes of freshly caught fish. Photo © Scott Ramsey Photography

Through The Viewfinder:
The fishing boat had arrived back in port shortly before, and now the crew worked quickly to get the fish unloaded and transported to the nearby fish market, where an auctioneer was waiting to sell their catch. The fishermen need to get the fish on sale quickly, as this will often lead to a better price and from the moment the trawler docked, there was an urgency in the air, especially once the crew had unloaded the fish from below deck.
I had already spent some time photographing the unloading process, but I wasn't happy; I wanted an image that showed both the urgency of the crew and the boxes of fish. So at times like this, I usually step away from the action, relocate and look for an alternative angle.
I spotted a walkway above the entrance to the fish market, headed up onto it and created this photograph.
I was happy; on to the next photograph.

To be a good documentary photographer, one of the skills you need to have is the ability to keep one or two steps ahead of the action. Something that comes with years of practice.