Pixel People: Incredible Images Formed by Thousands of Humans (and Welcome to 2016!)

#HTE

Dearest friends, Happy New Year and welcome to the 2016 edition of Yellowtrace. Hooray! Did you have a nice break? Did you have a break at all? Are you still on holidays? Either way, it’s time to waive good bye to our 2015 archives (did you enjoy those?) and welcome the year with a post that celebrates human endeavour slightly differently to how we usually do it. I’m taking a slightly literal approach here as these images put people at their centre, where each one is created by a large gathering of individuals forming a magnificent spectacle.

Why am I choosing to begin the year in such a non-Yellowtrace way? Well, what is the Yellowtrace way, anyway? An element of surprise has a lot to do with it, but what I’m hoping for this year is that us, fellow citizens of this planet, can come together for greater good. This can be as small or as large as you and I can make it, in whatever capacity we are able to do so. To me, these images are a symbol of this idea. Above all, I think it important for us all to set intentions to be more compassionate, more aware of each another, and in doing so becoming individuals who genuinely contribute to the world in a positive way, no matter how large or small our actions may be. This is my wish for 2016, for you and for me, and the entire human race… Ok so that last bit was cheese, but this intro wasn’t meant to be that, nor was it meant to become some kind of soap box moment either. I guess I’m just hoping all the bad news from 2015 stay in the past, and the world can move forward to a better place.

Here’s to another brilliant year together.

Always,
Mama Yellowtrace x

‘Concurs de Castells’ aerial photographs by David Oliete // ‘Concurs de Castells’ is the most important human tower competition, hosted in the city of Tarragona in Spain every two years. In 2012, 32 teams participated from all around Catalonia with a live audience of more than 20,000 people, as documented by the Spanish photographer David Oliete. The rules of this sport are simple – the higher and the more difficult the tower is to build, the more points go to the team. Measuring between six and ten levels high, teams are typically formed between 100 and 500 men, women and children to create the largest structures possible. Wowzer.

TED X Human Arabesque // Dancers + camera + kaleidoscope = this infinitely gorgeous short video. It was made for TEDxSummit, an unprecedented gathering of TEDx organisers from around the world. The video celebrates “the power of x” to multiply great ideas. Learn more about TEDxSummit here.

The Opening Ceremony of the XXII summer Olympics in Moscow, 1980 // Vintage black & white photography gets me every time, especially when it depicts an intricate human formation resembling the Olympic torch from the 1980s USSR! If this is the sort of thing that also floats your boat, you might like to check out this post which has a plethora of amazing vintage images marking various significant moments in history. You’re welcome.