Buskers in Madrid

The holy trinity of street photography can be described thus:  interesting faces, who are happy to be photographed, and a non distracting background.  With the right eye and a little bit of legwork you can easily find the first two elements, but the last does sometimes have a kind of “holy grail” quality to it.  So imagine my delight when I came across these two buskers on a Sunday in Madrid.  I knelt before them (to get the best angle), and with a mutual nod of the head they consented to let me snap a few pics.

Their music was the kind of folksy lamentation that evokes lives lived on the road and around a fire; broken hearts, hard times, hungry bellies, but with a cheery undertone.

I love the way the woman’s red shawl pops against the muted greens of the backdrop behind.  It was a very flat winter’s day but I think this worked in my favour.  Even the font on the sign compliments the scene.