Paco Cano, Spanish photojournalist, Died at 103

Paco Cano Lorenza was born on December 18, 1912, and died on July 27, 2016.

He was also known as Canito.

He was a Spanish photojournalist from Valencia, who specialized in torero photography.

Paco the son of Vicente Cano, who served as a bullfighter with the nickname “Rejillas”.

Paco’s father set up a small business renting out chairs and awnings.

He first caped a cow that had escaped from the slaughterhouse there.

Cano tried his fortune as a boxer in the flyweight category, at 17 years old.

Then Cano decided to his hand in a bullfight in Alicante, as an espontáneo, or spontaneous bullfighter, and got sent to jail, but eventually had a debut alongside the novilleras, the Palmeño sisters.

At a bullfight in Orihuela, Alicante, he suffered a goring. During the war, Cano lived in Madrid, entering the world of photography as a laboratory assistant at a cosmetics factory while still working as a bullfighter.

As a “bullfighter-photographer” he had the advantage of knowing two techniques: how to capture the right moment, and how to use the camera.

He decided to leave bullfighting and dedicate himself to photography.

Along side matadors photographed are Domingo Ortega, Pepe Luis Vazquez, and Luis Miguel Dominguin.

Later Paco Cano worked with publications like ABC, Hierro, La Plaza, and Aplausos.

Paco Cano passed away at 103 years old.