Whether you view it as the height of Iberian culture or as a cruel, demeaning blood sport there is no doubt that bullfighting produces some very dramatic pictures.
The formal structure of the bullfight with its posturing toreadors, bright traditional costumes, choreographed moves and ritualised violence is a visual feast and the resultant images can be very beautiful in spite of the bood and gore, or perhaps because of it.
It goes without saying that the bull usually gets the worst of the encounter but it is not unusual for matadors to be hurt and modern camera equipment puts the viewer right at the heart of the action.
The crucial difference is that unlike most “sports” action pictures, the lives of the subjects are in the balance.
Playing with your food can be lethal.
(Photographs by Marcelo del Pozo, Javier Barbancho, Marcelo del Pozo, Jose Manuel Ribeiro, Javier Barbancho and Susana Vera respectively).
