A bit about me

Hasmukh Kerai, but almost everyone calls me Has. Feel free to do the same. A born and raised Londoner, now based in Manresa, a humble town about one hour away from Barcelona. If I start to explain how that move happened, this “about me” section will quickly turn into a novel. Hopefully, you came this far because you like the photos you’ve just seen, so let’s stay focused.

I won’t pretend that photography is something I’ve been passionate about since I was a kid and I certainly never thought I would get to a point where I’d be putting together a photography website, but then I never thought I’d be living in Manresa either.

Along my travels since I left London, I was often drawn towards sports and natural parks in different parts of Europe. From going to see Europe’s top football teams, to playing with locals in the park. Sport and nature became my window into the societies I was passing by. Seeing how different cultures reacted differently to key moments in a game, how they looked after their natural spaces, how they played the same game differently, and how it brought local communities together.

Wanting to extend the adventure, I found work in the Central Catalonia region, rich with natural spaces, which gave me the opportunity to see another country on a more profound level. I’d always played 5-a-side games back in London, but when I got the chance to sign up as registered player for a local Futsal team, it became a real game changer.

I saw the impact local sports clubs have in small communities first hand. It played a vital part in my social integration in a remote part of central Catalonia, allowing me to meet people of all ages with a common interest. I was given plenty of opportunities to continue to develop my passion for the sport, from training with the first team, training the goalkeepers, doing the match stats, representing the club as a delegate, filling in for the first team coach when he wasn't available, playing as a goalkeeper and being given the chance to play, prepare training sessions for the other goalkeepers, manage the club Instagram profile, and take photos of the matches.

I've stopped playing as of summer 2019, when my knees couldn't handle explosive movements required as a futsal goalkeeper. From that point I continued down the path of sports and landscape photography, taking photos regularly of matches at the club and other local sports events, especially on the lookout for trail-running events and combining both interests. Extending my insight into local sports clubs and events management, it was a real eye-opener on how crucial sports at all levels is in keeping societies connected and healthy.

Since investing in a camera with a fast shutter speed and focusing system, my weekends often consist of taking shots at events and matches in area ranging from local 5k races to the Hockey World Championships, or exploring the rich natural environment in this part of the world, seemingly unknown to the rest of the world (at least that’s the impression I get when I show these photos to friends and family, both in London and here in Manresa).

Hopefully this helps you get to know me a bit better. If you’ve seen some of the photos, and you’ve read all of this, then I’d like to know a bit about you. Get in touch and let’s see how we can work together.