Full Frame: Death of bullfighting

Full Frame features photo essays and conversations with photographers in the field.

In the 1900s, Barcelona was one of the world's most celebrated bullfighting cities. With its three bullrings, it hosted more bullfights than any other Spanish city.

But this June, the Parliament of Catalonia, an autonomous region in northeastern Spain, voted to abolish bullfighting in the region.

An animal rights group, Prou forced the debate after gathering more than 180,000 signatures. The decision will force the closure of Barcelona's Plaza Monumental, Catalonia's only remaining active bullfighting ring.

About the photographer:

Charlie Mahoney is an acclaimed freelance photojournalist, multimedia storyteller and educator who is dedicated to documenting stories of social significance. Over the last few years he has worked on issues ranging from the plight of African immigrants entering Europe to the troubling issues of climate change and political unrest in the Maldives. While his projects have taken him all over the world, he is currently focused on contemporary issues in the southern Europe. A sensitive eye to color and complex imagery are signatures of his work.

Charlie brings a diverse background to the field of photography and journalism. He has a B.A. in International Relations and Biology from Bowdoin College. Prior to his career in photography, he worked 10 years in finance in San Francisco, Calif.

Since receiving a master's in photojournalism from the University Autonoma of Barcelona, Charlie has received recognition in numerous international awards, including the International Photography Awards, the Environmental Photographer of the Year Awards, the Travel Photographer of the Year awards and the PX3 Prix de la Photographie.

He is a founding member of Prime Photo Collective and is a contributing photographer to Corbis and Agence Cosmos in France. He lives with his wife in Barcelona where he attempts to perfect his Catalonian culinary creations. He is fluent in Spanish and English.

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