United States
£ GBP
Language: Bilingual in English and Spanish
Barcelona Falcons is a large-format (27 × 24 cm) photographic book of high quality with texts in Spanish and English that presents a selection of photographs by photographer Oriol Alamany. It details the life of peregrine falcons in the urban environment and an introduction that tells the successful process of its return to the city of Barcelona.
In 1999, a pioneering conservation project began in Spain to reintroduce these birds of prey to various buildings in the city (including the famous basilica of the Sagrada Familia), from where they had been exterminated in the 1970s. Since then, the photographer and conservationist Oriol Alamany has accompanied the team of naturalists in order to document this initiative.
The images are accompanied by a foreword by the ornithologist Josep del Hoyo Calduch (editor of Handbook of the Birds of the World), who introduces us to the falcon in human history and culture; a complete chapter explaining the development of the project over two decades, written by Eduard Durany and Sergi García (responsible for the re-introduction); and texts by Oriol Alamany that introduce us to the peculiar life of urban falcons and the story of the adventures and photographic techniques used to capture their life in this unusual environment for a bird of prey.
Summary in Spanish:
Halcones de Barcelona es un libro fotográfico de gran formato y cuidada calidad gráfica. Presenta una selección de imágenes de Oriol Alamany sobre la vida del halcón peregrino en el entorno urbano, y textos (en español e inglés) en los que se relata el proceso de su regreso a Barcelona.
El año 1999 se inició un proyecto de conservación, pionero en el país, para la re-introducción de estas aves rapaces en diversas edificaciones de la ciudad (incluida la famosa basílica de la Sagrada Familia), de donde habían sido exterminadas en los años 70. Desde aquel momento, el fotógrafo y conservacionista Oriol Alamany ha acompañado al equipo de naturalistas con el fin de documentar la iniciativa.
Las fotografías van acompañadas por un prólogo del ornitólogo Josep del Hoyo Calduch, que nos presenta al halcón en la historia y cultura humana; un completo capítulo explicando el desarrollo del proyecto a lo largo de dos décadas, escrito por Eduard Durany y Sergi García (responsables de la re-introducción); y textos de Oriol Alamany que nos introducen en la peculiar vida de los halcones urbanos y nos relatan las peripecias y técnicas fotográficas utilizadas para lograr captar su vida en este entorno inusual para un ave rapaz.
" [...] Oriol Alamany's compositions always convey a clearly artistic vision; this particular work, in which falcons appear in such an outstanding and recognizable architectural landscape, is excellent proof of this. The main body of the book offers us a extensive festival of photographic art, at the highest level, magnificently combining the natural beauty of the peregrine falcon with the skies, lights and buildings of the city. This book reminds us of another facet of its author that I especially like to point out. And it is that Oriol Alamany's interest is not limited to photography and art; Unlike many of his colleagues, he has also always been a naturalist and a conservationist."
– From the prologue by Josep del Hoyo Calduch
