Human or Living Statue: Goblins in Las Ramblas, Barcelona?

The Mystery of the Silver Silhouette

Some days ago, I posted about a mysterious character in Las Ramblas, asking if he was an Elf or a Vulcan. Well, I am back with another angle on the same mystery.

Generally speaking, it is not very attractive to capture a person's nape in photography. The back of someone's head is usually boring unless the faceless silhouette is expressive enough against the background. But this time, I think it works. The living statue was just as stunning from behind as he looked in the side profile picture.

Goblin, Elf, or Alien?

I still don't know if this is a goblin, a space traveler, or what. But looking at the detail—the silver fabric gathered at the point of the hat, those oversized pointed ears painted to match the skin—the man was definitely well disguised. The silver paint creates this great metallic texture that pops against the blurred city street behind him.

Some Photography Recommendations

Since we are dealing with people photography today, I am going to suggest a few links that are worth your time:

• A Flickr set about the inhabitants of Papua, New Guinea by Eric Lafforgue. It is absolutely stunning work.
• My own set about Human Statues or Street Artists on Flickr.

Thirsty Turist in Barcelona

Just for a change I publish in today's post this sepia image of a turist I came across last weekend while I was visiting a wine fair just in front of Port Vell. The man was carrying a cup for the wine and a bottle of water inside his bag. It was pretty hot that afternoon and the sun was quite annoying. Nevertheless the light coming in his direction was fantastic and considering the haircut, tattoos and necklace I thought I'd better give it a try with my camera for my people photography collection.

Here are two old posts with cool hairstyles: Skamania and Social Distortion

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Human Statue in Las Ramblas, Barcelona: Elf or Vulcan?

Elf, Goblin, or Vulcan?

Yet another human statue in Las Ramblas! I sometimes wonder how many of them this street can hold. I caught this particular performer recently, and honestly, I can't really tell what character he is supposed to be. Is he an elf? A goblin? Or maybe a Vulcan like Mr. Spock from the Star Trek saga, given those pointed ears?

You know, it is hard to pin this guy down. If he were an Elf, you would expect a bit more grace, maybe a longing look at the forests of Middle-earth rather than the pavement of Barcelona. If he were a Vulcan, he should be raising a logical eyebrow at our messy human emotions and giving us the "Live Long and Prosper" salute. And Goblins? Well, they are usually the mischievous troublemakers of the fantasy world, scruffy and chaotic, not quite as noble-looking as this silver gentleman. But honestly, under that thick layer of metallic paint, the lines between sci-fi and fantasy get a little blurry!

The Stare Beyond the Crowd

At the moment I took this shot, he wasn't technically "working." In fact, just moments before, he was smoking and had this completely vacant stare into space, looking way beyond his future customers. I bet he was thinking about what a grind this job can get to be sometimes.

But then he seemed to sigh and started finishing his makeup. From the point of view of people photography, I find these artists make a much more striking picture before or after they pose. It is in that precise moment—when they drop the act—that they reveal their true personalities and their souls.

Young Girl Climbing on Rocks at Park Guell [Barcelona, Spain]

I was lucky to capture this young girl the other day at Park Guell while she was climbing on the rocks of the arcade. I certify she was not my model and that this is a spur of the moment picture although the pose is so perfect that it seems prearranged. Fortunately enough, she was wearing a nice color dress, a hat and a handbag which made the picture even more interesting from the point of view of kids photography. With her natural pose and the texture of the rocky background it was pretty easy to compose in this case. I like the fact that she is staring vacantly into space in the middle of a silent game perhaps. I admire the ability of kids to find happiness in the most boring things: for example, climbing on a rock.

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The Harp Player: How to Pull The Right Strings

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

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