La Corrida de Toros. The Bullfight.

[Ricardodaforce]

Hi Ricardo. I'll skip over all the preceding stuff and say I like the way you've made the colors similar to the Spanish flag, makes me think of those old posters you see in Andalusian bars. I agree with others, the vignette is a bit too strong. Would be good to see some close ups of the spectators and the bull fighter if you ever get the chance. Makes me want to read Hemingway again...

i love the photography but hate bullfighting, but my wife would love to go and see one. "you can,t please everyone".

Ricardo
I always like looking at your posts and these though not your best images are still nice to see the different cultures
for me the Lomu yellow tint is not to my taste but they are your interpretation of the scene so my opinion matters not
and please keep posting

Forget the whinges, for me the the first photo would be better off without the vignette, otherwise good shots, but would have thought the subject would offer better possibilities Think you got closer in 2 and 3.

if i see a title saying cats I ignore it and dont look, cant stand the horrible bugggers, messing my garden killing birds etc, but I dont go and post, kill all cats and have them eradicated which is my own feeling. so if it says bullfighting stay away, its not rocket science

I love these photos, reminds me of my honeymoon in spain, went to a bar and it had bullfighting on the tv, never seen it before(ok knew what it was and all that but) I was amazed at the training and time taken to get to the standard these bullfighters do, especially witht he horses.
It was a real show and like said their culture, the bulls are bred for this not just taken out of the feild of pasture.

The photos are sharp and really give a sence of what was happening
Look forward to some more

spike

I'm going to go slightly against the grain here.

Ricardo I think that these are a huge improvement on your last set in terms of processing, but there is something missing. It's difficult to put my finger on, but I think that a very slight introduction of soft focus might be it. As well as Hemingwayesque, I see these as a photograph version of the advertising posters, so maybe something in that direction might add as well?

Anyway, next time go for a different approach - you've had two cracks at this style now!

I can absolutely understand the fascination of the bull ring. My cousin took part in the run at San Fermin 24 times and it's something that I hope to do one day, although I'll have to get a touch fitter first.

However you view the Corrida I suspect that its years are numbered, possibly to a decade or so, but something like this once lost is gone forever. Make sure that you carry on documenting it.

Good set of images I like them:thumbs

it depends how one sees ''cruelty''
in Manitoba I hunted geese and duck
now back in the UK, some people remark 'how shocking' yet buy their caged chicken shrink-wrapped portions from the supermarket.....:shrug:

for the record - I attended a bull-fight in Madrid
I am glad I went - to experience the whole spectacle
I wont go again
but I have no right to dictate my thoughts on a culture not my own

1st off Ricardodaforce well done for keeping cool in the face of adversity

I'll admit that I am not a fan of bull fighting (for what ever reason)
But the images are very thought provoking and well processed

Its interesting to see other cultures "at play"
and as already mentioned, there are "far worse" images of war etc that are now classed
as Iconic.

I'm afraid that a lot of my fellow countrymen get far to het up over animal "abuse"
where there are far worse atrocities visited on humans around the world
(sorry mods I did digress a little )
Again, nice set

@Ricardo: I was wondering how come your English was that good...

Thanks for posting the other pictures in this thread. I missed them elsewhere. I especially like the Semana Santa ones. Looks like you were playing with the Orton Effect on one or two of them.

Really appreciate all the critique people. Thanks ever so much. And Garry, yes I have dabbled with the Orton Effect. I think it has its uses.

Night night folk!

 

[freecom2]

I like the image very much. Is it completely horizontal though? Maybe it's just me, but for some reason I'm distracted by the fact that the fence runs ever so slightly downwards towards the left of the shot.

 

[Ploddles]

The vignetting in the fist shot spoils it for me, I don't think it works on that photo, for me anyway. All your other shots are appreciated though - both of the bull fight and other aspects of the Spanish culture you have posted.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

I like the image very much. Is it completely horizontal though? Maybe it's just me, but for some reason I'm distracted by the fact that the fence runs ever so slightly downwards towards the left of the shot.

The vignetting in the fist shot spoils it for me, I don't think it works on that photo, for me anyway. All your other shots are appreciated though - both of the bull fight and other aspects of the Spanish culture you have posted.

Thank you gentlemen! I appreciate your feedback.


Untitled by Ricardodaforce, on Flickr

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Untitled by Ricardodaforce, on Flickr

 

[Flukeman]

I'm still learning and think that I need more photography experience before I should do C&C.
However I know whether I like a Photograph or not, and I like your Photographs.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

I'm still learning and think that I need more photography experience before I should do C&C.
However I know whether I like a Photograph or not, and I like your Photographs.

Thanks very much Simon.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

La Plaza de Toros by Ricardodaforce, on Flickr


Untitled by Ricardodaforce, on Flickr


Untitled by Ricardodaforce, on Flickr

 

[MC_Stoo]

Having been to Madrid and the Plaza de Torros, I've had detailed discussions with native Spaniards about bullfighting, to get to the root of what some see as barbarism and what others see as sport.

Bullfighting has been in Spain for many hundreds of years and is deeply embedded into their national culture - it is publicly funded to the tune of many millions of euros each year.

The fighting bulls are specially bred. They are very well looked after in open enclosures. They charge instinctively at anything that moves, rather than through anger or being teased. They are also allowed to live a year or two longer than domestic bulls.

The cultural focus is about the Matador and how he conducts himself in the ring. He is deemed to be respectful of the bull and his targets are bravery and calmness under pressure. If the bull has been judged to have fought well then it is spared the final kill and retired to pasture.

So to sum up:

Fighting bull: Wonderful life leading to gory death
Domestic bull: Awful life leading to humane death

I'm not placing myself in the pro or anti-bullfighting camp... just giving people more of the actual facts.

Moving onto the photos...

They are technically good and capture the action well, but I agree with earlier comments that the first ones the vignette is overdone and the tones are too warm for my liking.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Moving onto the photos...

They are technically good and capture the action well, but I agree with earlier comments that the first ones the vignette is overdone and the tones are too warm for my liking.

Thanks Stuart, I appreciate your comments. As mentioned previously I have a very fixed (probably too fixed) idea as to what I want the images to look like, hence the processing. In terms of taking the images, it wasn't easy! I have the most basic Nikon DSLR you can buy, and was using a non-VR 55-200mm lens, and the sun was in front of me.

Let's see what I come up with next time!

Thanks again.

 

[DaveHope]

Great shots, love the deep reds and golden yellows. The Vignette really helps to frame the photos!

Great exposure to have exposed the skies and the subject well in some of the photos!

 

[cyclamens]

Untitled by Ricardodaforce, on Flickr

Like the originally posted shots and will not join the debate, however I really think you could do more with this one.
I think we all know what it's about but perhaps this could do with the vignette thus drawing the viewer into the concentration of the Bullfighter perhaps.

Being ignorant of other Spanish culture - what is the Santa thing about?

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Like the originally posted shots and will not join the debate, however I really think you could do more with this one.
I think we all know what it's about but perhaps this could do with the vignette thus drawing the viewer into the concentration of the Bullfighter perhaps.

Being ignorant of other Spanish culture - what is the Santa thing about?

If I add a vignette, people don't like it. If I don't add it, people don't like it! Just shows how subjective photography is doesn't it?

Anyway...... Semana Santa means Holy Week, or what the Hispanic world calls Easter. It is a massive celebration featuring spectacular parades every day of the week. My set on Flickr is here.

Thanks for your comments

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Great shots, love the deep reds and golden yellows. The Vignette really helps to frame the photos!

Great exposure to have exposed the skies and the subject well in some of the photos!

Cheers Dave!

 

[NickD]

It's very basic, a Nikon D3000...

That's pretty inspiring... Shots so dynamic and vibrant on a camera as 'low end' as mine. Which 55-200 did you use, if you don't mind me asking?

Most old traditional things are somewhat dodgy ethically, sure bullfighting is pretty disgusting and uneccessary... but is it THAT much more disgusting and uneccessary than Morris Dancing?

 

[Ricardodaforce]

That's pretty inspiring... Shots so dynamic and vibrant on a camera as 'low end' as mine. Which 55-200 did you use, if you don't mind me asking?

Most old traditional things are somewhat dodgy ethically, sure bullfighting is pretty disgusting and uneccessary... but is it THAT much more disgusting and uneccessary than Morris Dancing?

When I bought it, I bought it as a kit with 2 Nikon lenses, the 18-55 (non VR version) and a 55-200 (non VR version).

 

[NickD]

Ah, so nothing particularly flash then?... makes the results even more impressive!

 

[Robbo]

havent been on here for aaaaages!

Very nice pictures, love the processing on them to. Just came back from Portugal and there was a bull fight on near where I was staying, makes me wish I went with my camera now!

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Ah, so nothing particularly flash then?... makes the results even more impressive!

havent been on here for aaaaages!

Very nice pictures, love the processing on them to. Just came back from Portugal and there was a bull fight on near where I was staying, makes me wish I went with my camera now!

Thank you gentlemen!

 

[slr10]

Wow, after some pretty hefty reading there, I think that the shots are great. I always enjoy looking at your images.
With regard to the first 'contoversial' shots, in my opinion, when the subject of an image makes you go 'whoa!' whether for good or bad reasons, you have a successful shot! I for one think that the images are great and am actually fascinated by them, it gives, as already said, a great insight into the Spanish culture! Thumbs up from me

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Wow, after some pretty hefty reading there, I think that the shots are great. I always enjoy looking at your images.
With regard to the first 'contoversial' shots, in my opinion, when the subject of an image makes you go 'whoa!' whether for good or bad reasons, you have a successful shot! I for one think that the images are great and am actually fascinated by them, it gives, as already said, a great insight into the Spanish culture! Thumbs up from me

Thanks eversomuch Michelle. Really appreciate your reaction.