José Cordero began viewing the world through a camera lens in the mid-1980s. At age 20, he purchased a Nikon F3—his first venture into 35 mm photography. It was love at first sight, one he shared with his acting classes at Cristina Rota’s school. But in the end, photography won out. While working at Madrid’s Daylight studios, he perfected his lighting technique and gained experience in the fashion and advertising industries.
He collaborated as a studio assistant with a variety of fashion and advertising photographers such as Pepe Botella, Alejandro Cabrera, and Michael Wright, among others. There, he met renowned fashion photographer Paco Navarro, with whom he worked for five years. Under Navarro’s guidance, he grew professionally and discovered the work of those who would become his inspirations: Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Herb Ritts, and Bruce Weber.
In 1995, he embarked on his solo career. Some of Spain’s top models of the ’90s posed before the lens of his Hasselblad early in their careers, including Nieves Álvarez, Martina Klein, Judit Mascó, and Esther Cañadas. His fashion shoots and portraits of celebrities from the worlds of sports, music, and film have been published in Elle, Rolling Stone, La Mirada, Downtown, AR, and Ragazza, among others. All his work is characterized by a distinctive pursuit of light.
He currently resides and offers his services on the Costa del Sol—Marbella—Málaga.
"A lot of photographers think that if they buy a better camera they'll be able to take better photographs. A better camera won't do a thing for you if you don't have anything in your head or in your heart."
Arnold Newman (1918-2006).