The most important Human Tower Competition is called “Concurs de Castells” and it takes place in the city of Tarragona once every two years. This time, photographer David Oliete was there. And so were we, through his lens.
The Concurs de Castells, in other words, the human tower competition in Catalonia, Spain, is a real spectacle. Hundreds of men, women and children, called “castellers”, pulse together in a massive horde to build their best human sculptures, climbing up to 10 levels high, until gravity-defying forms appear in the air. The “castells” have also been one of the most important cultural traditions in Catalonia for more than 200 years. “Strength, balance, courage and common sense” is their motto. In 2010, the castells were declared by UNESCO to be amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”.
Spanish photographer David Oliete was there, shooting the festival from a breathtaking aerial position, managing to snap perfect pictures of these human towers, as the competitors started piling up on top of each other. And, yes. The photographer has recently won the 3rd place-award in the One Shot category of the IPA Awards with his personal “point of view” of the 2012 Human Tower Competition in Tarragona Spain.
Remember: Award winning photographer David Oliete Casanova was born in Tarragona, lived in Cardiff and Barcelona. Currently based in his hometown but available for assignments anywhere. Loves travelling, international journalism, his grandfather’s fishing rods and chocolate donuts. And, most importantly, he has already worked for: Estudio Mariscal & Fernando Trueba PC, Canal 3XL (Televisió de Catalunya), La Marató de TV3, MUF Animation, Concurs de Castells, Minifilms, Mondosonoro magazine, Club TRESC, Miss Alabama, Associació Medieval de la Llegenda de St Jordi, Institut Gabriel Ferrater, Ajuntament de Tarragona, 2017 Tarragona Mediterranean Games, COM Ràdio, Tarragona Ràdio.
