San Sebastian native Diego Orlando Machimbarrena has been recognized as "one of the best photographers of the year" at the International Photography Awards (IPA) in the Books and Fine Art categories for his series "La mirada de Goya." This recognition gives him the opportunity to compete for the coveted Lucie statuette as "International Photographer of the Year" or "Discovery of the Year" at the gala to be held on October 28 at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York.

The award-winning series, composed of ten photographs, "is inspired by the beauty of the scenes of Spanish painters and writers, mainly by the master Francisco de Goya y Lucientes" and captures "the dark Spain of the 19th century where women, its main protagonists, interpret their submission to the strict religion of the time". Orlando's work was selected by a distinguished jury chaired by Susan Baraz, founding member and president of Focus on AIDS (FOA), "the largest international Fine Art photography foundation". This recognition places the San Sebastian photographer, who after a career in real estate and years in Venezuela where "the warm rays of the Caribbean sun and the frenzy of Caracas" prompted him to resume his artistic path, among the elite of international photography.