Final edit - Lucha Libre

Luchador Guerrero Maya Jr

Luchador Loco Max

A luchador who wrestles without a mask.....

Luchador Titán

My edit of Titán....

Luchador Electrico

Electrico is another Luchador who is part of the 'mini estrellas'. Born in 1986, he started his training at 15 , yet like many of the Lucha Libre, his true identity remains unknown.

Check out his big hands!

Luchador Pequeño Olímpico

This is Pequeño Olímpico, Spanish for "Little Olympian" which alludes to the fact that he wrestles as a mini version of 'Olympico'.

The term Mini-Estrella (Spanish for "Mini-Star") is used in lucha libre to describe a division of short professional wrestlers or luchadors, some of whom have dwarfism. The Mexican Mini-Estrellas is comparable to midget professional wrestling practiced around the world, but with the notable exception that some of the Mini's, such as Pequeño Olímpico, do not have dwarfism but are simply short.

I like the vulnerability Pequeño Olímpico shows in some of these images.

Luchador Negro Casas

Negro Casas is an important figure within the Lucha Libre as he comes from a wrestling family and has traveled all over the world during his wrestling career, including stints in Japan and the USA.
Negro Casas has been wrestling now for 30 years and has always wrestled without a mask, something unusual within the Lucha Libre.

I have been struggling to edit these photos down from the chosen 3 below and am also wondering whether the shots work better in black and white or colour.
I have discovered lately that blogging my edits often helps me make a final selection down the line so hopefully all will become clear in a few days......

Luchador Ultimo Dragoncito

I have been working on a project based on the Lucha Libre in Mexico City.

'Lucha Libre' means free wrestling in Spanish although now the term refers exclusively to professional wrestling. The wrestlers are known as Luchadores (or a luchador).

Mexican wrestling is characterized by the colorful masks, rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, as well as high flying manouevers. The wearing of masks has developed special significance, and matches are sometimes contested in which the loser must permanently remove his mask, which is a wager with a high degree of weight attached.
As luchadores normally hide their identity behind the mask, it is the ultimate humiliation if a luchador has his masked ripped off to reveal his true identity after or during a fight.

Tag team wrestling is especially prevalent in lucha libre, particularly matches with three-member teams, called trios.

I love the theatre of the wrestling, it's such a performance and so fun to watch. Historically Mexican wrestling dates back to regional matches of the early 1900's and it's common to encounter families of luchadores.

I am currently trawling through my portraits and below are 2 favorites from my shoot with Ultimo Dragoncito. At the moment, I can't decide on my preferred shot so I thought I would blog both of them........

Ultimo Dragoncito (real name unrevealed; born August 8, 1972) is a part of Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's (CMLL), or "Mini", division and is the only wrestler to hold the CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship two times. Ultimo Dragoncito is Spanish for "Little Ultimo Dragon", alluding to the fact that he wrestles as a mini version of Ultimo Dragon.

Ultimo Dragoncito's real name is not a matter of public record, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in Mexico where their private lives are kept a secret from the wrestling fans.

Happy New Year! Help........

HAPPY 2012!! And the first blog post of the year is a photo of me being strangled by a female luchadore!

The Lucha libre are Mexican Wrestlers who fight wearing masks, it is very theatrical. When in the ring, they are like super hero's/ fantasy characters. Fascinating! Well, it is to me anyway.

I spent December in Mexico and began a project on the Lucha Libre so there is some new work to follow which is a great way to bring in the New Year.

Lucky I survived the strangling hey?!