Doro Plana, photography of a life

The story of Doro Plana is intimately linked to that of Sotogrande. Furthermore, the best images that can illustrate the development and growth of the resort since its beginnings were taken through his lenses over more than half a century linked to the world of photography. Aged just 16, Doro Plana took an interest in the world of photography, and from then on, despite the many twists in his life, this passion remained until the end, after his passing on 28 January. However, Doro was much more than a photographer throughout his life: he was also a musician and was part of the well-known “Rocking Boys” among others and no less than a magician, as an assistant to the great Richiardi in the United States.

The beginnings

Doro Plana took his first steps in the world of photography in La Línea and Gibraltar, where he discovered the secrets of this magic profession and learned all the techniques that would make him a master years later.

After working for several laboratories, Doro began to collaborate in different press outlets, in fact, thanks to his collaboration with the journalist Gabriel Baldrich, he produced important reports in the Sotogrande area before buying. The resort that owes so much to Doro. From there he moved to Tangier, where he spent a period of his life, and upon returning, he began to exploit another important facet of his career: sports photography. The golf images he took during that period were valued by Emma Villacieros herself, then president of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, and his work in this field is extensively accredited with the fact that he was one of the few photographers to have worked over the 21 years that the Volvo Masters was held. However, if there is a genre where Doro is a real master it is social photography, along with his attendance at important parties and events in Marbella and Sotogrande, he began to make his name and to be esteemed and loved by everyone he depicted.

In 1981, Doro took a very important and transcendental decision in his life: to continue training as a photographer in the United States. There, in addition to continuing linked to his profession, he began working as an assistant to the magicians Richiardi and David Copperfield. Thanks to this work, Doro travelled all over the country and met great stars of the time such as Orson Welles, presenter of the programme Magic with the Stars, in which he participated. Also, he staged two photography exhibitions in Atlantic City and New York with great success, so much so that he won the Cashman Photo International award.

Sotogrande

Upon his return, Doro Plana was never to separate himself again from his passion and work in Sotogrande. There, he set up his first store and worked for the founder of the resort Joseph McMicking and the Zobel family. He also photographed all social and sporting events that took place in the area, and his negatives tell the story of Sotogrande through the images.

Doro was always a very beloved and pleasant person throughout the re- sort; the result of his devotion, since the emergence of El Periódico de Sotogrande and Sotogrande Magazine he was an exceptional and enlightening collaborator of the many events in the area. An indelible memory in the history of the resort.

For years Doro was part of this fa- mily and collaborated with Grupo HCP Sotogrande, on many occasions with images for El Periódico de Sotogrande and La Revista Sotogrande. It should be noted that in 2007 Grupo HCP acquired the rights and intellectual property of the graphic and historical background of Sotogrande.