Jesús Umbría Brito (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1971) is a photographer whose gaze not only observes, but also engages in dialogue with both the world and the passage of time. Connected to urban cultural life, he does not limit himself to narrating; rather, he inhabits the spaces he documents, creating an active complicity with his subjects. His photographs do not seek to tell stories, but to connect, forging intergenerational bridges and inviting the viewer to look and, at the same time, to be looked at. He is known for his skills as a portraitist and his deep exploration of the connections between past and present.
Committed to developing personal projects based on research, his work delves into the realities of those who live on cultural margins. Identity, gender, and diversity are the themes that run through his work, creating a visual narrative that gives voice to often invisible stories. Thus, his images not only capture moments but also reveal contexts and invite the viewer to interact with the invisible threads that intertwine our history with the legacy of the past.
His work has been exhibited in major galleries and cultural venues, including the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney, the House of Lucie in Athens and Budapest, the Lúcio Craveiro da Silva Library in Braga, and the Royal Botanical Gardens of Madrid, as part of the PHotoESPAÑA festival. Throughout his career, he has been a finalist in prestigious international awards and festivals, such as the Gomma Photography Grant, the Head On Festival, the ReFocus Awards, the Analog Sparks Awards, and the Enaire Foundation Photography Awards. He was recently invited to participate in Chico Review 2025 in Montana, USA−a new step in the consolidation and recognition of his photographic work.
EDUCATION
2024-2025. Photo Editing and Visual Storytelling Course, Lens School. Madrid, Spain
2024-2025. Free Book Course, Antonio Xoubanova and Ricardo Cases. La Casa Encendida. Madrid, Spain
2024-2025. Master PHotoEspaña in Photography Projects, La Fábrica. Madrid, Spain
2023-2024. Narrative and Photobook Course, Elisa Miralles School. Madrid, Spain
1991-1996. Bachelor's Degree in Information Sciences. Valencia, Spain
WORKSHOPS
2025. "The Book with Ruth Van Beek" Ruth Van Beek. La Casa Encendida. Madrid, Spain
2025. “Found Footage”, Hans Gremmen. La Casa Encendida. Madrid, Spain
2024. "The Image and the Expansive Archive," Penelope Umbrico. La Casa Encendida. Madrid, Spain
2024. "Obradoiro", Sebastián Bruno. Fundación Luis Seoane. Coruña, Spain
2024. "The Heart of an Image", David Jiménez. Madrid, Spain
2024. "A Knowing Gaze", Rafael Arocha. Canary Islands, Spain
2023. "Absence as a Stimulus", Alberto García Alix. Madrid, Spain
2022. "Sourdough", Juan Brenner. Canary Islands, Spain
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2025. Full Contact Portfolio Reviews, SCAN International Photography Festival, Selected. Tarragona, Spain
2025. Encontros da Imagem Portfolio Reviews, Selected. Braga, Portugal
2025. 22nd Pollux Awards. Winner Non-Pro Series, People Category. Barcelona, Spain
2025. Booooooom Photo Awards. Longlisted
2025. Gomma Photography Grant 2024, Winner Third Prize. London, United Kingdom
2025. Chico Review, Charcoal Book Club. Selected Artist. Montana, USA
2024. ReFocus Awards Honorable Mention, Category Portrait.
2024. Head On Festival, Finalist. Sidney, Australia
2024. Analog Sparks Awards. Human/Culture Best New Talent, Winner.
2024. Discoveries PHotoEspaña Portfolio Review, Selected. Santander, Spain
2024. Star Photobook Dummy Award, Nominated. Barcelona, Spain
2024. Encontros da ImagemPhotobook Award, Selected. Braga, Portugal
2024. Enaire Foundation's Photography Awards, Finalist. Madrid, Spain
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025. Disobedient Images. Profifoto - OFF Arles. Galerie La Grande Vitrine. Arles, France
2025. Todas las imágenes desaparecerán. OFF PHotoEspaña - Nueva Galería. Madrid, Spain
2025. The Analog Sparks Best of Show, House of Lucie. Ostuni, Italy
2024. Bondi Pavilion, Head On Festival 2024. Sidney, Australia
2024. The Analog Sparks Best of Show, House of Lucie. Athens, Greece and Budapest, Hungary
2024. Festival Ffoco, Proxeccións. Filmoteca de Galicia. A Coruña, Spain
2024. Transits. Photographs in a Global World. PhotoEspaña. Centro de Arte Alcobendas. Madrid, Spain
2024. Encontros Da Imagem, Photobook Award. Braga, Portugal
2024. ENAIRE Foundation's Photography Awards. Royal Botanical Gardens. Madrid, Spain