Barcelona Photoblog: bw
Showing posts with label bw. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bw. Show all posts

January 14, 2014

Love in Barcelona and Beyond

 [enlarge]
Couple kissing each other - Las Ramblas - Barcelona

Love is all around us, it is always there, it will never ask you when to come, it is in the air, on those leaves, on the bark of that tree, in the way the time freezes around this warm embrace. This is such a universal scene, it has been so many times portrayed!!!

When I take a picture of a couple sometimes I feel I am violating something sacred so I tried to conceal the faces. Who they are, is irrelevant. It should be. Love can happen to you, can happen to me. The way I see it, is that this is something so deep that I could write a book about it. I would only say, that for me, love is like washing away the rest of the scene. I am sure that Las Ramblas, this extremely busy street, disappeared for an instant around this kiss, passersby became but silent blurry ghosts, signs got distorted, and a sudden secret swirl of energy started to form around the lovers, that mysterious matter, that causes numbness inside our brains, that gives you a lump in your throat, pushes your stomach against your bones, right beneath your diaphragm, dilates your pupils, accelerates your pulse, sends shivers down your spine, opens up your pores, boosts up your senses up to the point you fall into a trance and you are no longer there, but somewhere inside the soul, not just your soul, but some other person's soul and that my friends, is the real magic of it all, to walk into somebody's beautiful soul, unexplored, full of treasures, full of light, richer than yours sometimes, because yours you apparently know already, which of course, is not completely true. But you don't want yours, you want to walk along this new path, to enhance your experience, expand your senses to the world beyond and the only tool you've got is something right behind your eyes connected to something in your chest that is capable of seeing without using your vision and transforming reality into whatever whimsical image you could think of. To be more precise, you are not precisely thinking. I am sure this comes from a place inside our hearts.

Lovers' hearts are prepared to catch the weakest universal signals and fine tune them into a perfect symphony without having super powers, without knowing about music or instruments, they are simply connected to the source and the source is not outside, it comes from within.

Let's respect the peace of this moment, this private kiss, let's envy in a way, the ones who are able to know love, real love and wish we can find it some day, in this life or in any other life.

Have you ever felt this way? How would you describe love?

December 21, 2010

Man Walking Past Coliseum Cinema, Gran Via, Barcelona

Man Walking Past Coliseum Cinema, Gran Via, Barcelona [enlarge]

Man walking by Coliseum movie theater at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 595 in Barcelona, one of the last single screen cinemas in the city with capacity for an audience of 1689 people. Conceived by architect Francisco de Paula Nebot in 1923 it has been run by Balaña movie chain since 1958. It used to be Paramount Pictures' showcase cinema during its golden years. The building is basically a theater at present with several plays on schedule. Check official site here (Spanish)

November 17, 2010

Walking the Dogs in Barcelona

Walking the dogs [enlarge]

Some posts call for a lot of words, a lot of information and such is the case of yesterday's article and many others are just images of daily life, snapshots, frozen moments that speak for themselves. In a way I prefer these sort of pictures, spontaneous acts of human activity like taking the dogs out for a walk. I was lucky there was this staircase from which you have a nice view over the forum area, right next to the famous big solar panel by the sea. A tiny couple getting lost in the distance along the many paths drawn by the floor tiles towards the sea, accompanied but the silence of the trees and the light.

October 01, 2010

Montserrat Mountain Detail in Black and White

Montserrat mountain in black and white [enlarge]

I've tried to rescue a bad image, originally taken in color that I thought deserved an opportunity just for you to contemplate the impressive eroded monoliths, the capricious carvings mother nature has left on its walls, the convergence of lines coming from every angle that altogether constitute what is known as Montserrat mountain. Maybe you ought to check these posts: Montserrat, the Jagged Magic Mountain and Montserrat, The Serrated Mountain.

July 12, 2010

Estacion de Francia Dome

Estació de França Dome [enlarge]

This is how one of the three domes in Barcelona's Estació de França looks like as seen if you stand underneath the hanging metal sphere which is really some meters away from the concave ceiling. To have a better idea and learn about the railway station please visit this previous post: Estació de França - Barcelona's Most Charming Railway Station

July 02, 2010

Passeig Picasso, Barcelona: Man Walking Dog

Man Walking Dog at Passeig Picasso in Barcelona [enlarge]

In a quiet morning, under the plane trees, along the archways of Passeig Picasso in Barcelona, there goes a man with a dog. The dog contemplating the entrance to Ciutadella Park at the end of the road longing for that daily walk, the man distracted by some shop window to his right. Probably the same scene could have taken place back in 1888 when the Parc de la Ciutadella and some buildings in the area were built for the World Exhibition. With a little touch of imagination of course.

January 13, 2010

Under The Arc de Triomf

Under The Arc de Triomf [enlarge]

Sometimes we cross through gates unknowingly because the door is totally irrelevant but going under the Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomf in Catalan) is an odd experience. It is silly to feel a certain thrill just by walking under a bunch of bricks but there must be some kind of inner chip that senses history when approaching a monument, that makes us pretend we are a Roman soldier entering the city while fellow citizens wear laurel wreaths on their heads and make the victory sign with their fingers. Well, you know what I mean, you don't remain indifferent while approaching a majestic building like this and you get carried away. In the early morning sun silhouettes of passers-by are drawn mysteriously into another dimension, into the gates of history.

January 05, 2010

Las Ramblas Devil? Please, Dial 666

Las Ramblas Devil Human Statue  [enlarge]

Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer, Mephistopheles, Prince of Darkness or simply the Devil are some of the terms used to refer to the eternal antagonist, the adversary, the slanderer ('devil' derives from Gr. diabolos), the evil doer or as we call it El Diablo, that malevolent entity most religions define one way or the other according to their own traditions and beliefs. One thing is true, there seems to be a general acceptance about the existence of evil, they can place it in hell, in the world beyond, in a parallel dimension, in ectoplasm, in your soul, in someone else's soul, in a goat, a black cat, a snake, etc. Being more materialistic, let's say it is just a glitch in the neural connections of our brains stimulated by a high dose of byproduct content in our genetic code, a lousy childhood perhaps and the fact we chew up too many plastic toys when we are toddlers. Of course we can think the devil is our boss, our mother-in-law, our bank creditor or Marilyn Manson. Judging by the horns of our Las Ramblas creature and obviating the Orc shoulder protection from the Lord of the Rings, we could say this is a practical example of downtown demon manifestation. So beware who's next in line when you use a public phone in Barcelona!

July 27, 2009

A Mexican Hat, Black and White and Musings About the Past

Tourist wearing Mexican hat in Barcelona [enlarge]

In the streets the most absurd, the most trivial situation may be frozen up and become a scene in your imagination and eventually end up more or less fortunately imprinted forever on a photograph. Some of those scenes acquire more meaning or are better off in black and white or sepia. I don't know why is that so. Have you ever wondered why the lack of other colors turns a photograph into something more artistic, more symbolic, more serious perhaps? And wondering about that, why is it that after ten or twenty years, that significance grows exponentially. For example, I am somehow sure that this modest snapshot of a random guy showing off his brand new Mexican hat along the Rambla de Mar bridge near Maremagnum center, looks better in black and white but I am convinced that twenty years from now (not that it is meant to turn into a famous picture) this trifle, brief moment in time, will evolve into something more artistic, into a sort of message from the past, talking about other times, other people at least to me and my family. It is evident that black and white gives value to images because in our imagination we associate faded, blurry, noisy, black and white images with the past. And curiously enough, although recent generations have been surrounded by color photographs there is something there in the back of our minds that makes the association persist. Maybe it is something about chromatism, dreams, the subconscious mind...who knows. Here is a link to a previous version of someone else wearing a Mexican hat but this time in color: Mexican Hats in Barcelona.

Picture Location on Google Map

November 10, 2008

Carrer de Boltres, A Short and Narrow Street in Barcelona

Carrer de Boltres in Barcelona

This is Carrer de Boltres, a very short and narrow street in Barcelona, near Plaça de la Mercé. An elderly couple walks towards the church by the square. In the background, Passeig de Colom (Columbus' Walk). I happened to mention the place before, so here is the old post with a map of La Mercé church and square.

November 03, 2008

The Hanging Gardens of Barcelona Balconies

Succulent plant hanging from a balcony in Barcelona

Not one of the seven wonders of the world but balconies with exuberant plants are not rare in Barcelona. This succulent specimen in particular is some sort of Graptopetalum or ghost plant according to my opinion. Maybe our botanic friends can help. What I was most interested in was the balcony anyway. The decay textures, the folded canopy, the historic architecture of the old part of town which I never get tired of admiring.

July 12, 2008

Barcelona Drummer: African Beat

Barcelona Drummer: African Beat [enlarge]

We are going to park the bikes for a while cause this is not a motor site. Not that today's picture shows precisely anything about Barcelona but you know I am prone to changing topics easily. In fact, to make it a drastic change, I shifted color for BW. Portraits are not my speciality but I like the way the face insinuates the hands' drumming. For the other part of this photo check my previous link: African Drummer in Barcelona.

March 25, 2008

The New Trees of Catalonia

The New Trees of Catalonia

I don't like the final result in this picture because of the strong midday sun and the original colors but I kind of enjoy the pose of the little boy holding a hoe in front of the hole he dug himself and how he waits for his mom to plant the new tree they both had brought to the pond of Ivars (Lleida) as part of a campaign to bring back some green to the barren lands of this country. Well in fact it is customary in many regions of Catalonia to plant trees at the beginning of spring. I would say that in general we care about the environment and children are taught to love nature since they are very young.

February 01, 2008

Flute Player in BW, Tres Tombs Parade, Barcelona

Flute Player in BW, Tres Tombs Parade, Barcelona [enlarge]

Black and white pictures are scarce in Barcelona Photoblog as many of you know. There are a few exceptions though. Take the case of this flute player, this flutist girl I captured during last Tres Tombs parade at Sant Andreu quarter. I loved the original image but sometimes I get so carried away by the light that I end up choosing the bw option. I know I am not good at black and white photography but you never know if you don't explore other fields. Not that there's anything special in the action or the subject but I do like the way she spots the camera as she walks and gives me this wary look.

January 17, 2008

Coach Drivers in Sant Andreu Quarter, Barcelona, Spain

Coach Drivers in Sant Andreu Quarter, Barcelona, Spain [enlarge]

These two coach drivers were taking part of Tres Tombs parade in Sant Andreu quarter recently. Although I decided to add some effects to the picture, both the drivers and the people in the background were really there, I mean there are no tricks as to the scene. I have only played with photo filters over the image in black and white to visually detach both the coach and the onlookers from the background.

January 06, 2008

Collier Making Charcoal - Medieval Occupations at Suria

Collier Making Charcoal - Medieval Occupations at Suria

This collier making charcoal, is a black and white picture rescued from my archives and taken long ago in the annual medieval fair of a town called Suria. The man, a neighbor of this fortress village, was impersonating a coal burner next to this sort of rudimentary pit kiln. Back in medieval times there were lots of occupations which are long forgotten now or that have considerably changed. Read more and check pictures of old trades in my previous posts about Suria: The Potter, The Stonecutter and The Basket Weaver. Today's image looks better if enlarged.

July 20, 2007

La Pedrera or Casa Mila by Gaudi at Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona

La Pedrera or Casa Mila in Black and White by Gaudi at Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona

Today I will go to bed quite late but it has been worth the time spent on posting this photograph. It has its flaws but I like the stormy look and the contour of this building:  Casa Mila also known as La Pedrera one of the best works by Gaudi located at Paseo de Gracia. 

You can see some people up there admiring the strange chimneys or turrets that are scattered all over the roof. 

Have a nice weekend.

June 11, 2007

The Harp Player: How to Pull The Right Strings

The Harp Player: How to Pull The Right Strings_BW [enlarge]

I was dying about posting a BW picture again in Barcelona Photoblog but I just didn't have enough inspiration to find the right occasion nor the best subject. As a matter of chance, I happened to sit upfront in the small concert hall where my daughter was supposed to play the piano. It was a long program and many kids were to perform each one with their own instrument. What I never expected was to be so close, camera in hand, to this boy and his harp. He played the notes gracefully, with that self confidence only promising musicians of his age would have and not even my imprudent flash was able to deviate his attention or stop him from pulling the right strings on his way to success.
Two good links for the road: The History of the Harp and on a different line of content Harp magazine

March 28, 2007

Black and White Garden Bursts on Fire

Black and White Garden Bursts on Fire
© All Rights Reserved

I don't have plenty of time today as you can guess by the hour I publish yet another wild fantasy of mine. Had it been other times people would say the shaman did not measure quite well that LSD dose on me. I was playing with this sort of cactus, which originally is greenish or brownish in tones and wondered what would happened if I took a black and white version of the photograph and set it on fire with a thermal camera effect in Photoshop. On a closer look it is really burning hot!

March 15, 2007

Begging in Downtown Barcelona

Begging in Downtown Barcelona
© All Rights Reserved

Not all is comfort and hedonism in Barcelona, there is also a dark, submerged world that pops out here and there gaining momentum with globalization and precarity. On my way from Las Ramblas to Plaça Catalunya I came across this beggar. It called my attention that she (maybe he) was wearing a hood and an empty sleeve was showing where the arm was supposed to be. On a second glance you could guess the shape of an arm folded under the jacket. I can't swear it was a fake cause I had my doubts but I couldn't help thinking on the growing number of professional beggars spreading in downtown Barcelona and the fierce competition they suppose to the real needed people.
Read here about warnings given by tourists about dangers in Barcelona. There is a letter that clearly illustrates typical professional beggar tricks.

Web Analytics