honorable mention
Nicole Dreon united statesPhoto © Nicole Dreon
title
The Bullfighter's Son
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entry description
Pictured is 17-year-old Joselito Sainz from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. I was allowed to shadow Joselito as he prepared for a bloodless bullfight at the Santa Maria Bullring in La Gloria, Texas. During a bloodless bullfight, the bulls are never harmed. Because of this, they maintain all of their strength during a fight and are actually more dangerous for the matador. Several times, I watched Joselito pray. As he dressed, he placed several religious photos on a small table and rosary beads and made the sign of the cross, blessing himself. If you saw the size of the bull he had to fight, you would too. In this photo, his father, also a former bullfighter, follows him into the small chapel next to the ring. Bullfighting is very much something that is passed down from generation to generation. It was such a gentle and expressive moment and in total contrast to the emotions Joselito would soon have to muster when he entered the ring. This one shot made me realize why I was there. I had come seeking emotion and expression, and I was so grateful to discover that it was everywhere.about the photographer
Nicole Dreon is a documentary photographer based in Truckee, Calif. She gravitates towards stories with a sports theme, but that represent a bigger global issue. She has documented everything from an all-women's rally across Morocco, local surfers in Senegal, women boxers in slums of Kampala, Uganda, and up and coming matadors from Mexico. If there were three things that she hopes to convey with her work it would be to evoke emotion, movement and connection. That is what she seeks with both her camera and as a person.back to gallery