Park Güell, in Monochrome

Park Güell, #22, Escales i Drac, Barcelona, 2021 (Although the color is gone, Gaudí’s many lines, shapes, textures, and forms still manage to make this perspective interesting.)

With all the colorful mosaics that are such a feature of Gaudí’s work in Park Güell (and elsewhere!), you’d think that color ought to be the go-to plan for any photographer venturing there.

You’d think.

(To wit: my blog post, Park Güell, in Color, from March 7, 2021.)

But… there are monochrome possibilities!

First, Gaudí worked with all kinds of strange shapes, textures, lines, and forms, and many of these can work well in a black and white composition. Yes, you’ll lose that spectacular element of Gaudí color, but that very lack of color actually helps your eye see the underlying structures without being distracted.

Second, there are actually a few places where he uses nothing but earth-tone materials–the rock pillars and arches underneath the Park Güell viaducts, for example. Here, there is really no significant color to be seen by your camera’s sensor, so why not B&W?

As I mentioned in that previously linked Park Güell blog post, the lack of visitors these days is striking–a COVID phenomenon that will not last as the vaccines continue to spread around the world. 

A Monochrome Tour of Park Güell…

A travel/documentary self-portrait. Normally, pre-COVID, you would have found this area jammed with people. This main area, which includes the dragon-lizard and these columns, is arguably the main Park attraction:

Park Güell, #30, Sala de les Cent Columnes, Barcelona, 2021

The color of these ceiling mosaics can’t be seen here–but other elements of composition help make the image work (IMHO):

Park Güell, #7, Sala de les Cent Columnes, Barcelona, 2021

A cacophony of lines, angles, shapes, forms, textures–and anti-pigeon punji stakes:

Park Güell, #10, Sala de les Cent Columnes, Barcelona, 2021

Gaudí tears, perhaps?

Park Güell, #11, Sala de les Cent Columnes, Barcelona, 2021

Another perspective, like just above, using the windows from the nearby Escola Pública Baldiri Reixac:

Park Güell, #18, Sala de les Cent Columnes, Barcelona, 2021

Here, you see part of the entrance stairs and, toward the right, an elephantine-like structure that was actually designed as a waiting/meeting area. Again, in monochrome we lose the wonderful color of the mosaics on the left, but it becomes easier to see the many different shapes and textures:

Park Güell, #57, Entrada, Barcelona, 2021

I always prefer to have clouds in the sky. An empty blue sky can be so terribly boring. Then, you simply wait for the appropriate seagulls to pass by:

Park Güell, #41, Plaça de la Natura, Barcelona, 2021

There is a PILE of color in this image, but it might still work in monochrome due to the sensuous shapes:

Park Güell, #47, Casa de la Conselleria, Barcelona, 2021

In this area, you’ll find only reddish-brown rock, so loss of color is not such a tragedy–and our washerwoman stands out quite well if you can get lucky with the light:

Park Güell, #31, El Pòrtic de la Bugadera, Barcelona, 2021

The sign on this modern, non-Gaudí, playground said off-limits due to COVID restrictions, so no children at play here for the time being:

Park Güell, #61, COVID Empty, Barcelona, 2021

The earthy viaduct supports:

Park Güell, #71, Viaducte de Dalt, Barcelona, 2021

Casa Museu Gaudí. Can you find three birds in this photo?

Park Güell, #69, Casa Museu Gaudí, Barcelona, 2021

Casa Martí Trias i Domènech is still occupied and operated as a real home by real people; it is not open to the public. The seriously sensuous leading lines in the foreground really make the image:

Park Güell, #86, Casa Trias i Domènech, Barcelona, 2021

Finally, a high key look at the Three Crosses atop one of the peaks within the Park, as three seagulls head out over the City on their way to join their friends at Club Med:

Park Güell, #93, Tres Creus, Barcelona, 2021