Earthquake + Home, Managua, Nicaragua, 1972

Last month I also put forth an effort to find the location of our home before the earthquake of 1972. The first woman we met made my trip this year after a minute of conversation. It turned out that she had visited my parent's store and also remembered our apartment building. She was so elegant and exuded the past, while bringing everything into the present. We spoke for a while then followed her directions. Upon arriving we met the second woman of our morning. She had lived in our neighborhood since her birth and remembered our building perfectly as well. The thought that both woman had been in my life unknowingly took my breath away, made my year on the first day!

El mes pasado hice un esfuerzo por encontrar la ubicación de nuestra casa antes del terremoto de 1972. La primera mujer que conocimos hizo mi viaje este año después de un minuto de conversación. Resultó que ella había visitado la tienda de mis padres y también recordaba nuestro edificio de apartamentos. Ella era tan elegante y exudaba el pasado, mientras traía todo al presente. Hablamos un rato y luego seguimos sus instrucciones. Al llegar nos encontramos con la segunda mujer de nuestra mañana. Ella había vivido en nuestro bbarrio desde su nacimiento y también recordaba perfectamente nuestro edificio. La idea de que ambas mujeres habían estado en mi vida sin saberlo me dejó sin aliento, ¡hizo mi año el primer día!

Website

Tumblr

Twitter

Facebook
Instagram

Mom + Sister, Managua, Nicaragua, 1964

Over 55 years ago my father made an 8mm film of my mother and sister as they walked from the car to a fountain, followed by a young woman who helped our family at home. This is a preview scan of the film to come! 

Alison + Arbor, Managua, Nicaragua, 2017

Hoy pasé en el cuarto oscuro trabajando en sus fotografías y pude imprimir éste. Era un poco más joven que Alison cuando vivía en la misma ciudad, hace más de 45 años. Nos fuimos porque un terremoto destruyó nuestra casa y yo regresé porque también es mi tierra natal.

Mis primos tuvieron la amabilidad de ayudarme con mis viajes y me volvieron a introducir en nuestro país. Uno de mis primos permitió que un empleado de confianza me acompañara, y la primera visita que hicimos fue al vecindario de su hijo en las afueras de la capital. Allí conocimos a Alison, y al instante supimos que ella era una estrella.

Era más que su belleza, era la forma en que respondía con curiosidad a nuestra visita. Tenía la sensación de que ella le hablaría a la cámara honestamente, y por eso le pedimos permiso para hacer su retrato. La familia era maravillosa, pero nos pareció cómico que estuviéramos interesados ​​en hacer su fotografía.

Sin embargo, hicimos sus fotografías durante algunas visitas, siempre teniendo que esperar hasta el final de la tarde para obtener la luz más suave. Cuando sus ojos estaban cómodos, ella hizo lo mejor que pudo. Era magnífica, como seguramente demuestra este retrato.

Alison verá esta publicación, ya que su madre y su tía son mis amigas en FB. Espero que este retrato le guste, y que ella vea cuánta gente adora su belleza y espíritu.

=====

Alison + Tree, Managua, Nicaragua, 2017

Today was spent in the darkroom working on her photographs, and was able to print this one. I was a little younger than Alison when I lived in the same city, over 45 years ago. We left because an earthquake destroyed our home, and I returned because it is also my homeland.

My cousins were kind enough to help me with my travels, and reintroduce me to our country. One of my cousins allowed a trusted employee to take me around, and the first visit we made was to his son's neighborhood on the outskirts of the capital. There we met Alison, and instantly knew that she was a star.

It was more than her beauty, it was the way she responded with curiosity to our visit. I had a feeling that she would speak to the camera honestly, and so we asked permission to make her portrait. The family was wonderful, yet found it comical that we would be interested in making her photograph.

Nevertheless we made her photographs over a few visits, always having to wait until the end of the afternoon for the softest of light. When her eyes were comfortable she made the best of it. She was magnificent, as this portrait surely demonstrates.

Alison will see this post, for her mother and aunt are my friends on FB. I hope that this portrait pleases her, and that she sees how much people adore her beauty and spirit. 

Website

Tumblr

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Note: Frame exposed with a Hasselblad 503 CW/180 mm lens combination.

My Father + Family, Managua, Nicaragua

The excitement is building as plans come together for Nicaragua. Thanks to dear Lilliam, we have this portrait of my father and uncle. The looks on their faces are priceless to me, showing a clear confidence and joy in the lives that they had built for themselves with their own hands. The search for remnants of that past will begin in three weeks!

Our Home + Earthquake, Managua, Nicaragua, December 23, 1972

The green light to go forward came in today, and so plans are being made for the first trip to my birthplace since the week this photograph was made almost 45 years ago. The fact that we have this photograph is a miracle, for my Father was walking around buying photographs of the earthquake before we flew to Lebanon to reconstruct our lives. I hope to be able to find the exact spot of this photograph, and to make a portrait of the site of our now long-gone home.

According to Wikipedia:

The 1972 Nicaragua earthquake occurred at 12:29:44 a.m. local time (06:29:44 UTC) on December 23 near Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. It had a moment magnitude of 6.3 and a maximum MSK intensity of IX (Destructive). The epicenter was 28 kilometers northeast of the city centre and a depth of about 10 kilometers. The earthquake caused widespread casualties among Managua's residents: 4,000–11,000 were killed, 20,000 were injured and over 300,000 were left homeless.

(Photographer unknown, 12/1972)