THIS COULD BE PARADISE by Joshua Tarn

Joshua Tarn is plagued with wanderlust. The British photographer – and prolific 10 Magazine contributor – captures elusive landscapes, fashion icons and eclectic cultures from around the world, glazing his unfeigned sights in photographic form. 

His debut book, entitled This Could Be Paradise – or Esto Podría Ser El Paraíso – is an intimate dossier of his time abroad in Benidorm, purported to challenge the polarities of the city’s deep-seated stereotypes and explore its true atmosphere. It celebrates its vast versatility as more than just a British tourism hot spot or transient destination for your holibobs, but a cultural hub nurturing writers, musicians, surfers, filmmakers and more. 

Inside, a candid vision of utopia comes to life, riddled with blue beach loungers and ocean views. Yummy mummies in mini dresses wander along the cobblestoned streets as old folks on rented vespas bumble past. Amid a mosaic of saturated beach umbrellas, palm trees and flamingo pool floats, sightseers run amuck; cotton candy skies and soft, sandy beaches are percolated by flocks of pigeons and cheap, dilapidated motels. The book, painted by the blue tarmac of a tennis court or the red lines of a bike lane, encapsulates a brief history of the Spanish coastal town, its subtropical climate and (pop)cultural outputs in both English and Spanish.