Most of us have hundreds of photos on our phones, and almost none of them are of ourselves — at least not ones we’d actually use. A profile picture, a website photo, something for your family, or simply a portrait that shows how you look and feel right now.

That’s what a portrait session is for. Ninety minutes, one location on the island with the right light, and someone who knows how to make you look like yourself on a very good day.

I’m Slavik, a portrait photographer in Gran Canaria since 2015, based in Las Palmas.

A woman in a white dress walking on sand with palms and mountains behind

Solo session on the sand

Woman resting on the sand by the sea in Meloneras

Meloneras beach

A smiling woman in white among the houses of Puerto de Mogán

Business shoot in Puerto de Mogán

Sunset on the Maspalomas Dunes

Woman in a tropical hotel garden at Costa Meloneras

Hotel gardens, Costa Meloneras

Woman in a blue dress on black volcanic rocks with waves behind

Blue against black lava

Black-and-white photo of a man in Barranco de las Vacas

Black and white in the canyon

Woman in a white dress at golden hour in Maspalomas

Golden hour, Maspalomas

Layered volcanic rock

Woman in white walking the shoreline near the Maspalomas lighthouse

By the Maspalomas lighthouse

Man in white on rocky ocean cliffs near Las Palmas

Atlantic cliffs, Las Palmas

Woman sitting on sand at sunset with backlit trees, Meloneras

Backlit sunset in Meloneras

Woman in black playing the violin on volcanic rock

Violin on volcanic stone

Woman in a strapless beige dress among tall palm trees

Among the palms

Woman in white raising her hat on the Maspalomas Dunes

Hat in hand on the dunes

Woman in a red dress with arms raised in Barranco de las Vacas

Red dress, dark canyon

Man in a red polo on a concrete wall in Las Palmas

City casual, Las Palmas

Woman in a teal dress on the terrace of Hotel Santa Catalina, Las Palmas

Terrace at Santa Catalina

Balcony at Paradisus

Black-and-white photo of a man in a white shirt

Simple light

Woman in a bright pink dress on a flower-lined path in Puerto de Mogán

Pink in Puerto de Mogán

Blonde woman sitting on black volcanic rock

Minimal on black rock

Woman in a teal dress on a rock in Barranco de las Vacas

Teal in the canyon

Woman in white leaning on a column at Hotel Santa Catalina

White stone, soft light

Person in a white shirt and jeans sitting on stone steps

On the stone steps

Man with a laptop on the terrace of Hotel Santa Catalina, Las Palmas

Working on the terrace

Woman in a rust-orange dress in side light, Barranco de las Vacas

Rust and sandstone

The historic lobby

Woman in a black strapless dress at Lopesan Hotel, Meloneras

Evening at Lopesan, Meloneras

Woman in a blue dress on volcanic rock formations

Courtyard, Santa Catalina

Woman in a floral dress leaning on wooden columns at a hotel

Midday shade

Woman in a bikini on the white sand beach at Anfi del Mar

White sand at Anfi

The colonnade

A woman in a blue cape walking the ridges of the Maspalomas Dunes

Blue cape on the ridge

Woman in a yellow dress in a narrow part of Barranco de las Vacas

The bronze greyhounds

Woman in an orange jumpsuit inside Barranco de las Vacas

Orange jumpsuit, canyon walls

Woman in a yellow dress seated on a rock in Barranco de las Vacas

Sculpted sandstone

A white horse

Dancer in black holding a low pose against a blue wall

Strong line

Between white pillars

Woman in a black dress reclining on rocks in Barranco de las Vacas

Resting in the canyon

Woman in a red blazer sitting on dark stone steps

Red blazer, dark steps

Woman in a white bathrobe with coffee and a newspaper on a hotel balcony

Morning on the balcony

Man in a colourful printed shirt walking past an old stone wall

Printed shirt, old wall

Woman in a flowing red dress posing on a chair

Red on a simple chair

A woman in blue kicking up sand on the Maspalomas Dunes

Kicking sand

Black-and-white close-up of a man in a white shirt

Direct light

Young woman with coffee on a hotel bed, Las Palmas behind

Coffee with a city view

Woman in a blue swimsuit floating in a natural ocean pool

Floating in a rock pool

Woman in a green suit on a hotel bed looking at her phone

Sunset at Las Canteras

Woman in a black dress walking across the Maspalomas Dunes

Long shadows on the dunes

Shoreline at Anfi

Woman sitting on a dune at sunset, Maspalomas

Last light on the dunes

Woman in a white coat and floral dress by historic columns in Vegueta

Old town, Vegueta

Who Books a Portrait Session

Solo travellers who want more than selfies from their trip. Women celebrating a birthday, a new chapter or just themselves. Entrepreneurs and creatives who need fresh photos for a website, LinkedIn or social media. Musicians, dancers, models building a portfolio.

Travelling alone? See my solo traveller photoshoot page. Need a headshot for work? Here’s how a business portrait session works.

Not Used to Being Photographed?

Most people tell me they’re not photogenic. Some are nervous the night before. That’s completely normal — and it’s my job to fix it.

I do much more than press the shutter. I find the angles that suit your face, choose the light, and give you simple directions: where to look, what to do with your hands, how to stand so you look relaxed rather than posed. Within ten minutes, most people forget about the camera.

Where to Take Portraits in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria has an unusual mix of settings for one island, which is why international fashion brands shoot here. Las Palmas even played 1940s Casablanca in the film Allied with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. Tell me the look you want, and I’ll suggest the place.

Las Palmas: Vegueta, Las Canteras and Hotel Santa Catalina

The old town of Vegueta has stone streets, colonial balconies and quiet squares — ideal for an editorial or classic look. Las Canteras beach gives soft sunset light, and the historic Hotel Santa Catalina has colonnades, palm gardens and a rooftop over the city.

Barranco de las Vacas

A narrow sandstone canyon near Agüimes, with walls shaped like waves. Light and shadow change every hour. A red, yellow or orange dress against those warm walls is one of my favourite combinations on the island.

Maspalomas Dunes

Clean lines, sand and sky. Flowing fabric, a hat in the wind, long shadows in the late afternoon — the dunes are the place for minimal, cinematic portraits.

Volcanic Coast and Natural Pools

Black lava rock, crashing Atlantic waves and natural seawater pools. Strong and simple — a light shirt or a bright dress stands out against the dark stone.

Puerto de Mogán and Anfi del Mar

Mogán has whitewashed walls, bougainvillaea and a colourful harbour. Anfi del Mar has white sand and turquoise water. Both are bright, summery and easy.

The North: Agaete and the Coffee Farm

Agaete has white and blue houses by the sea, a pebble beach and natural pools. Up the valley there’s a coffee farm with mango, orange and papaya trees — green, quiet and very different from the south. A hotel garden near you can work just as well.

Clothes, Hair and Makeup

Choose two outfits you love and feel comfortable in. Solid colours work best — reds, yellows and whites in the canyon and dunes, light colours on dark volcanic rock. Send me your options and I’ll tell you which fits the location.

If you’d like professional hair and makeup, I can arrange it with local artists I work with.

Price

A solo portrait session is €200: 90 minutes at one location, one outfit change, 100+ edited photos delivered within 3 working days. A second location is +€100. You pay after the shoot. All packages are on the price page.

I also photograph couples, families and sports.

If you’d like a portrait session, send me a message on WhatsApp with your dates and the look you have in mind. We’ll pick the place and time together.

FAQ: Portrait Photography in Gran Canaria

How much does a portrait photoshoot in Gran Canaria cost?

200 € for 90 minutes at one location, with 100+ edited photos delivered within 3 working days. A second location is +€100. You pay after the shoot.

What’s the best location for portraits in Gran Canaria?

It depends on the look. Barranco de las Vacas and the Maspalomas Dunes for dramatic, editorial photos. Vegueta and Hotel Santa Catalina in Las Palmas for a classic city style. Mogán and Anfi del Mar for bright, summery portraits.

I’m not photogenic — will it work?

Yes. Almost everyone says this. I guide you the whole time — where to look, how to stand, what to do with your hands — and most people relax within the first ten minutes.

Can I change outfits during the session?

Yes, one outfit change is included. Two different looks give you more variety, for example, one dress and one casual outfit.

Can you arrange hair and makeup?

Yes. I work with local hair and makeup artists and can book them for your session — just tell me when you book.

See you soon in Gran Canaria. — Slavik

Portrait Photographer in Gran Canaria