Shooting coffee cups and flowers are fine.... but this is my real passion. In the moment a bull makes his first charge I feel like I´m witnessing two paths that were always destined to cross. It´s the subtle things that I notice.... The way the bullfighter bows his head out of respect while crossing himself. How his left hand rests gently on his hip while he patiently cajoles his nemesis. The way he bites his cape, like a small boy, while waiting patiently to be noticed. And how his feet stay planted when 500k of beast rushes past within inches of his heart. It´s like watching a graceful dance unfold where each pass, step, stance is drenched in history. And where, done well, a bullfighter will survive.
Bulls live really long and happy lives. Much longer than any cow, pig, or chicken. ...
I wrote this in response to a blogger cheering because a bullfighter was gored. Just wanted to write something in response... to be out there floating around the cyber world.
This is just my little opinion. Not worth a second thought... Really.
I´m a vegetarian.
53 comments:
GEE-orgeous photos you took Jane! The colors are phenomenal as is the blackness of the bull. Have always wanted to see a bullfight, for the costumes and the "dance" but my hubby is a veggie too and so really not interested. Thanks for letting me have a vicarious view! Your love for it shows!
Oh, weak in the knees. I love watching bullfighters, the dance, the costumes, the duel. I do feel sorry for the bulls, but I also know that the bullfighter is in danger as well. I respect both.
I know that there are women bull fighters nowadays (beautiful scenes of putting on the costume before the fight come to mind from "Talk to Her" by Pedro Almodovar), but this sport has something very masculine and sexy about it.
Great photos.
so amazing jane. is that your husband? how do you watch and take pictures at the same time!!?? i'd be so nervous... i was thinking of you the other day when i heard a great story of a young man's experience of running with the bulls on 'the moth' (free podcast on itunes or themoth.org) by matteson perry. if you go to his site he has the date to download on the moth website. you should totally check it out when you have time. http://mattesonperry.com/
it is so funny!
Wonderful photos! I like all the "angles" you were able to captured. xo
This is amazing Jane.... thank you for this experience!
GORGEOUS!!!!!!
It truely is an art. Beautiful photos.
These photos are magnificent. I'm not in favour of bullfighting as I don't think animals should be put to the death... Of course, I'm not in favour of people getting gored either.
whoops- meant to say This:
Your photos are always gorgeous, but your passion for the subject matter really shows through in these photographs. Beautiful!
I like what you had to say about the topic as well.
Also, That bullfighter is pretty hot.
are you writing a book on the subject, jane? that first paragraph goes in it. whole!
so, IS this your husband? i'd like to know. i'm curious. ;)
the photos are mementoes. i feel the rush.
OMG! What a marvelous looking beast! The bull isn't bad, either.
What's that thing on the back of the bullfighter's head?
:) you done it again Jane!
good photo's
say hi to husband bullfighter from me.
x
I have mixed feelings about bull fighting. But it is an old and ancient art and your photos show the intricate beauty of it.
These pictures are truly mirroring passion! Yours and also the bullfighter's! It's nearly art I'm looking at and again I mean both: the photos themselves and also their subject! The colours are beautiful! And I can nearly feel the tension that must be in the arena during the fight. And...it's impossible to ignore the sexyness of the matador!
But after all, I'm glad you do these beautiful pictures, so I still don't need to go to a fight...I wouldn't feel very comfortable to see one of these two wonderful creatures get hurt or die, you know?
Hmmmm... I have very mixed feelings about bullfighting. I have never been able to watch, nobody can convince me that those banderillas are not torture.
But at the same time I do not want to see the art go (and I am afraid it is on its way out). I do not want to see the toros de lidia disappear from Spanish dehesas, I do not want to see the artists who make the costumes out of work, I do not want to see another part of my cultural identity disappear to make another washed out "citizen of the world".
So I remain schizophrenic about the subject.
I am so glad I was able to see bullfighting while in Spain. It was an elegant dance with so much history and grace.
your photos bring back the memories and I love that.
thank you!
Gorgeous photos! I think I'd be so nervous watching a bullfight... but then football makes me nervous, too ;)
i think the closest i'll ever get to a bull-fight is through your photos and they are fabulous. i don't understand cheering when someone gets hurt at all, even if the person isn't a fan. that's just bad form.
Es un placer para los ojos ver las fotos que has tomado....
A mi me ha pasado lo mismo que a ti , cuando he visto que tu blog estaba actualizado no pude esperar ni un segundo mas y contener la ansiedad de ver tus fotos.......
Espectaculares, como siempre....
Un beso grande
Dany
well said, Jane. love the photos!
Bullfight... have to say it's number 10 on my Bucket List!
I like that... and whatever people think about bullfighters, I'ld like to see them, one day, for real!
I like your beautiful photos too !!!
I am Spanish and I agree that bullfighting should be BANNED. I see no pleasure (whether it is art or tradition) in seeing an animal being tortured in this way. I am happy that the move to ban bullfighting is in motion in certain parts of Spain.
This however does not take away from the beauty of your photographs.
maria
Great shots, Jane!!
I think you should have a look around here : http://josephinesphotodiary.blogspot.com/
Part of it is just SO you!
Love.
J
Amazing photos Jane!
I never met a bullfighter's butt I didn't like :-)
(Drooling over here!)
I can do without the bull but the bullfighters.... Ahhhh.
Gorgeous, gorgeous photos as always.
xo jj
Your passions shows! Thank you Jane it's a joy to see (oh the girl in the park in the post below is just wow!)
Nice buttock....and colors !
Beautiful pictures Jane.
I am in awe of bullfighting, I think anyone who has any real concept of it, and has actually seen it... or even lived in Spain and seen what it means to the people can understand that its tradition and its what people do.
People who are 'against' it obviously don't understand. It's kinda like ignorance is bliss, I guess...
beautiful.
i adore bullfighting and you put it so well in words and pictures.
xo
Beautiful images. On bullfighting- mark me down as a definite agnostic.
you really captured how intense the bullfight is. Great action shots, and I love looking at all the gorgeous details of his costume (uniform?)
beautiful beautiful shots! ha ha very different from coffee cups and flowers. thank you for that!
I like the photos, but I like even more that you chose this to be your subject. Only a woman photographer could capture it like you do. About bullfighting, personally, I don't have an opinion, call me a definite agnostic like Don, though if you pressed me (are you pressing me?:)), I'd say that as a total outsider I find it kind of odd to make a show out of baiting. Happy weekend, looking forward to more of your photos!
I have never been to a bullfight and don't know what exactly I think about it except I DO know that, 1st of all the pictures are gorgeous! Incredible. You could do a whole book. 2nd of all? Another question. Why are bullfighters all such babes?! Really. Sheesh!
hi dear,
you make documentary, a beautiful one, in my opinion.
great photos! a joy for the eye ;)
hugs!
so very Hemingway. Beautiful captures. I just love your point of view!
Jane ole ole y ole!!!
Wow! the photos amaze me but it amazes me even more how much you like them (sorry, but it is quite rare among non-spanish born). My parents had friends who raised bull-fighting bulls and the bulls lead amazing lives, not only are they loose in large open spaces, but they eat all sorts of delicious natural foods and have a large harem of cows. Milking cows have a lot more stress. Besos para "la niña de Filadelfia"!
Is your husband really a bullfighter???
So much passion in these photos Jane.
These are so incredible Jane!
Sorry to not have been by in a while, but the joy of returning and seeing these views, wow, speaking of the subtleties, and in contrast to the amazing and bold colors, a true spectacle---seeing these, I don't need to go to the fights:))
BTW, this is a silly anecdote but today I was explaining the word "rear" to my daughter in the context of "R" in an address for a rear apartment, and gave other examples of "rear" and so I laugh at the 'rear" of the bullfighter you show, it's quite well depicted!!!
xo
Love these photos!!
I went to a bullfight in Seville when Chris and I were on our honeymoon. It wasn't at all what I expected. Even in our sucky sol seats - it was an incredibly powerful thing to watch. I hated the idea of watching what sounded like animal cruelty. But then it wasn't like that at all. I did cry a little during the first fight. But not in sadness for the bull. It was just all so horribly beautiful.
thank you for the information.
come back.
nice photos , the images are very eye catching
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Great pictures. I feel like I'm in Spain watching bullfighters.
your "still" shots are always amazing, but you really have a way with capturing people, jane. and especially bullfighters' tushies :)
Un placer visitar tu blog, gracias por pasarte por el mío y que te gustaran mis fotos, tienes una fotografías muy buenas llenas de perfcetos detalles y colores, te seguire para observar tu buen trabajo, un fuerte abrazo para ti
c'est juste magnifique tes photos, je suis fan fan de ton blog !
interesting photos , i love spain
These are wonderful photos. I am going to a Bullfight for the first time in the summer, I hope. Some of my friends cannot believe I would but it looks compelling.Ole!
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