Leonard Blum

Leonard Blum was a Barcelona-based photographic post-production, CGI and visual effects studio founded in 2013 by advertising photographer Salvador Bolarín Molina and CGI artist Iñaki González. Also known as Leonard Blum Studio, it combined photographic composition with computer-generated imagery for advertising, moving-image production and digital visualization.

The studio brought together the founders’ backgrounds in commercial photography and photorealistic rendering. Its work connected image capture, advanced retouching and digital production, with capabilities spanning modeling, texturing, shading, lighting, compositing and environment creation. This combination supported both finished campaign imagery and the preparation of digital assets for use in other production pipelines.

Production capabilities

A significant part of its practice involved translating physical subjects and environments into usable digital material. Through laser scanning and photogrammetry, the studio captured geometry and surface information, then cleaned scans, prepared textures and optimized meshes. These services supported applications ranging from visual effects integration and virtual cinematography to architectural presentations and interactive cultural heritage experiences.

Its advertising work included look development, photorealistic CGI, creative photo retouching and post-production for television and print campaigns. Digital matte painting and set extensions complemented these capabilities, allowing the team to contribute to imagery that combined photographed material with constructed environments. Its markets included commercial advertising, film and television, architecture and cultural heritage.

Education and professional development

Alongside commercial commissions, Leonard Blum developed professional education in photography, CGI and visual effects. Its teaching activity included master-level programmes and modular workshops, connecting practical image-making with the software and production workflows used in studio work. Training and talent development formed a substantial part of its operating model rather than an incidental extension of its production services.

The studio remained active through much of the 2010s before commercial activity wound down around 2018–2019. Its website subsequently went offline, and the founders continued their careers independently in higher education and CGI consulting.