Menorca: Feel the Island, Capture the Beauty.
A photographic journey to the biosphere reserve
Menorca cannot be photographed: it must be felt. But when beauty overwhelms us, the camera becomes a way to breathe more slowly. To retain a little of the impossible blue of the sea, of the calm that floats between the stone walls, of that light that seems to come from another time. It is our way of saying: ‘This is mine, forever.’
Travelling to Menorca with the intention of taking photographs is not a question of having the most expensive equipment, but of knowing how to look. Even so, choosing the right tools helps. In reality, the best equipment is what you have with you, but let’s see how to get the most out of it!
The Traveller’s Arsenal: Choose Your Capture Companion
You don’t need to carry a study with you. Menorca calls for lightness and adaptability.
Travelling Light: High-end smartphones.
If you’re travelling light, a good smartphone is more than enough. Models such as the iPhone 15 Pro or Google Pixel 8 Pro capture more than you might imagine: textures, skies, reflections…
- Pro tip: RAW/Pro mode. Activate RAW mode or Pro mode. This gives you a ‘raw’ image file with much more colour information and detail, allowing you to edit without losing quality.
- Essential care: Clean the lens! Salt, sand and sunscreen are your worst enemies. Always carry a small microfibre cloth with you. And don’t shoot in direct sunlight without thinking: harsh light is the enemy of skin and serenity. Use portrait mode to isolate your subject from the background.
Technical Quality: Mirrorless Digital Cameras
If you like something more technical and are looking for the highest image quality, a mirrorless camera is your ally. The Sony Alpha 7 IV (for its focus and versatility in video) or the Fujifilm X-T5 (for its incredible colour handling and retro design) will open up a whole new world for you.
- Pro tip: Custom White Balance. In Menorca, the colours are like poetry: whitewashed buildings, golden sands, turquoise waters, soft greens inland. Play around with manual mode and experiment with white balance (WB). Try setting it to ‘Shade’ or ‘Cloudy’ even on a sunny day to enhance the warm tones.
- Essential Care: Sand is abrasive. Change lenses inside your bag, away from the wind, to prevent sand from getting into the sensor.
Total Immersion: Action Cameras
For the more adventurous, a GoPro Hero 12 or DJI Osmo Action 4 is perfect. It lets you immerse yourself — literally — in the experience.
- Pro tip: Grab a grip. A floating grip or small tripod/selfie stick not only improves stability out of the water, but also saves your camera if it slips away while snorkelling.
- Essential Care: Check the seal! Make sure you close the case/battery cover properly before jumping into the water. Waves are beautiful until they take your camera away… or flood it.
Bird’s-eye view and 360º view
If you’re into experimenting, an Insta360 X4 or a DJI Mini 4 Pro drone will allow you to see the island like a seagull.
- Pro tip: The ‘Drone Angel’. The DJI Mini 4 Pro is lightweight and easy to carry. Fly low (15-20m) over the coves at sunrise or turn 360° on a lonely road at sunset to capture that feeling of isolation.
- LEGAL ALERT! In Menorca, there are protected natural areas and airports where flying drones is strictly prohibited. Consult restriction maps (such as ENAIRE Drones) before turning it on. Be respectful of wildlife and privacy.
The Secret of Menorcan Light: The Best Hours
Menorcan light has its whims, and knowing how to interpret them is half the battle.
| Photographic ‘Hours’ | Aproximate Time | Description and Tip |
| Morning Blue | Before dawn (05:30 a.m. – 06:30 a.m.) | The sky has a deep indigo hue. Ideal for capturing urban lights (Ciutadella, Favàritx Lighthouse) or water in a silky tone. |
| Morning Golden | 06:30 a.m. – 08:30 a.m. | The sun rises with a gentle caress. The shadows are long and defined. The beaches are empty. |
| Avoid | 12:00 – 16:00 | The sun falls like a theatre spotlight. Harsh light, extreme contrast, very dark shadows. Take the opportunity to visit museums, eat or enjoy yourself without your camera. |
| Evening Golden | 06:00 p.m. – 08:30 p.m. (varies by month) | It’s a spectacle: everything turns honey-coloured and the textures of dry stone and facades stand out. Perfect for portraits and landscapes. |
| Night Blue | After Sunset (08:30 p.m.- 09:30 p.m.) | The sky darkens and the colours become saturated. The perfect tone for photographing ports and illuminated streets. |
The Photographic Itinerary: What You Can’t Miss
Menorca offers scenery for all tastes:
- Towns and Buildings:
- Ciutadella: The labyrinth of its noble streets, the harbour and the majestic cathedral (look for the textures of marés stone).
- Mahón: The harbour (one of the largest natural harbours in the world) at sunset, capturing the reflection of the sun on the water.
- Binibeca Vell: The white, labyrinthine ‘fishing village’. A play of lines and shadows in the early morning.
- Beaches and Landscapes:
- Cala Pregonda: A must-see. Its reddish sands and dark rocks contrast dramatically with the turquoise blue water.
- Cala Mitjana and Macarella/Macarelleta: The Caribbean cliché, but real. The best time to visit is first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds and capture the water in absolute calm.
- Camí de Cavalls: It’s not a place, it’s a concept. This trail that skirts the island will give you miles of dry stone landscapes, cliffs and Mediterranean vegetation.
- Talayotic culture (A touch of history!):
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- Torre d’en Galmés: One of the largest prehistoric settlements. Ideal for photographing navetas, talayots and taulas. Taulas (T-shaped structures) are perfect for minimalist compositions.
Post-production: The Digital “Laboratory”
Editing is where you give the photo your own voice. Aim for naturalness; Menorca doesn’t need dramatic filters.
- Capture formats:
- Photography: RAW (or DNG on mobiles). Essential if you want scope to correct exposure, white balance and lift shadows without “breaking” the image.
- Video: 10-bit LOG/HLG (on cameras). If your device allows it, these profiles give you flat colour video so you can grade the colour accurately later.
- Post-production tools:
- Photography: Adobe Lightroom (the mobile version is incredibly powerful) or Snapseed (free and excellent for quick, selective corrections).
- Video: DaVinci Resolve (free and professional for computers) or CapCut (ideal for quick and effective videos on mobile).
Framing and Destination: Vertical vs. Horizontal
Let the format depend on the destination.
- Horizontal (16:9 or 3:2): The landscape format par excellence. Use it to capture the immensity of the sea, the length of beaches, or when printing on paper to hang at home.
- Vertical (4:5 or 9:16): The king of social media (Instagram Stories, TikTok, Reels). It is ideal for portraits, or for focusing on a Talayotic table or the verticality of a lighthouse.
- Square (1:1): The Instagram classic. It is friendly, simple and forces you to simplify your composition. It is a good format if you don’t want to think too much.
The best advice of all? Don’t fall into the trap of living behind the viewfinder. Take your photos, record your videos, save your memories… and then put your device away.
Let the wind ruffle your hair at Cavalleria Lighthouse, let the sun make you squint, let the sea mess up your hairstyle. In the end, no camera can capture what it feels like to simply be there, breathing in the beauty and calm of Menorca.
Happy holidays! Go capture it and soak it all up!
