PHOTOGRAPHY + FILM | Volvoreta

Spanish Photographer Jimena San Miguel of Volvoreta specialises in worldwide wedding photography and embraces an analog approach. She only takes on six weddings per year, to ensure that she can focus wholeheartedly on each wedding and create something unique for each couple. Volvoreta also always leave space for play within a project, as she believes that art is a continuous journey of exploration and creativity.

Tell us about your business!

It feels like just yesterday when I entered this industry (and this year marks 16 years!). Just like the creative processes that are always evolving, my style is ever-changing. I specialize in multicultural wedding photography around the world and embrace an analog approach.

I work with couples who appreciate that a photographer is not just a documentarian but a storyteller. This perspective is subjective, and you hire me for my vision and understanding of your unique story. Typically, I meet with couples four to five times in a relaxed setting—often with a glass of wine—where we can engage in intimate conversations.

I only take on six weddings per year, to ensure that I can nurture the project and create something unique for each couple. I always leave space for play within a project, as I believe that art is a continuous journey of exploration and creativity.

Although I have been using digital video for many seasons now, I’m developing something more authentic and distinctive by adding 16mm cinema film. This year, my video team and I have just launched the creation of a film shot in 16mm with a cinema camera, with the intention of shooting a wedding for the first time in this format. It is a very specific product for clients in the creative world, who want something truly different.

What would you like couples to know about you?

Many people know me as Volvoreta, which means "butterfly" in Galician, the region I come from. My name is Jimena, and what I offer is my vision of how I see the world.

Volvoreta is not just a name; it represents my universe — my work in weddings, my work in cinema (doing still photography and behind-the-scenes work), my work in fashion (with 20 years of experience, during which my analog photography has graced the covers of international magazines), and my personal projects (related family rituals).

While I operate in several different realms, I believe that it’s not the sector that defines you, but your vision. This is why I intertwine my work, allowing inspiration from film, fashion, and my family life to inform my approach to weddings and couples.

I feel that creating a successful project requires time. I invest time in getting to know the couple, understanding their intimacy, and the rituals they share with each other and their families. I listen to what is important to them, filter it through my own lens, and transform it into a creative project that reflects their unique story on their special day.

Where are you based?

I live with my camera in a suitcase. I am unable to stay still in one place for long, but when I do, I rest in a Spanish paradise called Galicia, very close to Portugal, which I call home. Every year I go to the USA for work and during the year I usually find myself in Italy, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland or Bali, where I usually retire for a few months.

Do you travel for weddings?

What is important is the energy of the couples in wanting to have something creative, linked to something intimate, relaxed and real about them. Be true. Having said that, if you have won me over, I'll go anywhere to get to know your story. 

How would you describe your style?

My universe is unified by film, fashion, weddings, and personal projects. I've never wanted to separate these into different websites or Instagram accounts. What makes my authorial vision special is that I allow everything to nourish one another. I draw inspiration from cinema for weddings, adding an editorial touch to a photo, or highlighting the more casual rituals of our lives. My style is a representation of my universe, told through an analog eye—because I am an analog soul!

As part of my creative process, I never overlook the importance of play. I always propose ideas to couples that I haven't tried before, motivating them to inspire me to explore new avenues. I believe that thanks to the couples I work with, I become a better artist, as they help me grow continuously.

What is your most memorable career moment?

Something memorable I could say was being the official photographer of the wedding of Rafael Nadal and Mery Perelló, the German royalty wedding, the Oscar-winning Guillermo Navarro and Susana Tembleque, the curator of the Victoria & Albert Museum, Dr Madeleine Haddon. Also, my first 100% analog wedding of a couple of artists in Sicily.

Regarding to fashion and cinema, I especially remember the cover of Moments magazine where we did an editorial 100% in analog in the snow of Austria at dawn that was unforgettable- or also the first movie in which I was in charge of all the photography. 

And last, but not least, all those jobs where I had a real connection with people, where I could observe closely and had a sincere invitation to be part of their world for a few days. Cultural weddings, in particular, touch my heart deeply because I feel fortunate to learn about different cultures around the world, all while contributing with my camera. I am so grateful that my passion has led me to meet such amazing people. 

What inspires you?

Ingredient 1: Cinema. Leaving the theater and pondering what the film's objective and main concept were. I study directors and watch their entire filmographies in order. I enjoy appreciating everything from Tarantino to Sorrentino. It's fascinating how cinema conveys emotions through space, clothing, colors, and light.

Ingredient 2: I'm A Podcast Geek; I find inspiration in listening to podcasts about life, motivation, and real stories of personal and professional growth. I believe that when you find yourself, you also achieve external success.

Ingredient 3: My Family; My family inspires me, as does the way, the people I love, communicate. I cherish the little gestures each of them has and appreciate them every day. I observe people.

Ingredient 4: Creativity Through Emotions. I am passionate about lingering over desserts and engaging in deep, existentialist discussions, conceptual art, land art, and anything related to creativity and emotions.

I place great importance on cultivating time in my life to allow space for all the things that inspire me, as those are the ingredients needed to start building a project.

How would you describe your working style?

I usually conduct all communications with couples through online meetings for project creation. During these meetings, we focus on different phases, ranging from family questions and discussions about the couple to creative games and conversations about what matters most to them. The project concludes with the delivery of a visual guide outlining the aesthetics and various creative ideas we will implement on their wedding days. 

I also travel to the destinations one or two days before everything begins to study the locations and the lighting. After the wedding, I first provide a summary, followed by the moment of delivery, both digitally and physically, along with the physical album I design for them, crafted by Spanish artisans.

Do you shoot digitally, on film or both?

I always shoot on analog, and my second photographer shoots on digital. Why do I choose the analog format? Because what I love most is being an artist—creating things with a human touch. I find myself increasingly distanced from screens. I believe that analog photography allows you to be present, connected with the scene and the people you are photographing, as you cannot see the results immediately. It encourages embracing imperfection and finding beauty within it. This philosophy is a fundamental part of how I see and enjoy life.

Do you have custom packages according to individual needs?

I like to listen to each story and think together about what might be the best fit for each case. 

What is a favourite product or service that you offer and why?

My favorite moments of the wedding project are those that arise outside of the wedding day itself.  

While it may seem that the most special part of a wedding is the wedding day, for me, being able to capture a family and a couple within their reality and having time to do things outside the planning are the moments that often occur before or after the wedding day:  A walk with your dog, a family breakfast, a beach swim.

So, I could say that my favorite product is the full experience weekend adventure. 

Where would you love to travel to for work?

One of my dreams destinations is to do a wedding in New Zealand, because I lived there for a year and have wonderful memories of its energy and the people.

Who is your dream client?

I can better develop my aesthetic proposals, with clients who appreciate the adventure of creativity and who give free rein to the fact that there are no imposed aesthetics, but rather there is complete creative freedom. Couples who want a wedding artist in one of the biggest adventures of their life. 

How do you select music for your films?

While the music is selected by the editor, we will get to know the couple's tastes during the creative process and see what type of music can best adapt to their project.

What is your advice to couples getting married?

Be true to your identity.

Volvoreta Website: volvoreta.com 

Instagram: @volvoreta