'Orígenes' por Rapé, 2017

Otro motivo de extrañar mis veranos en Cuba es este gran artista, el responsable de esta imagen. Además de hacer el papel a mano, grabar cada detalle con cuidado ... este artista se dedica al cultivo del tabaco y su influencia en la cultura de la isla. 

Los sábados suele sentarse con su hija en la principal avenida del arte de La Habana, Paseo del Prado. Uno de mis recuerdos favoritos es el tiempo que pasé con este increíble artista, ya que hablamos de arte y de la vida en general. ¡Han pasado tres años desde que vi su trabajo, y espero llevarme a casa algunas de sus creaciones más nuevas el próximo año! 

'Orígenes' por Rapé, 2017

Etsy 

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9 Frames of a Boy, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2010

So glad I took color positive film with me to Ethiopia back in 2010, and to have had the privilege of photographing the various tribes of the Lower Omo Valley. While the trip was a most difficult one, the images have brought me a sense of peace from the experience. My hope is to return one day and to do more than just visit, photograph and disappear. 

Etsy 

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Mursi Man + Machete, Ethiopia, 2010, Limited Edition (50), 11x14 Handmade Silver Gelatin Print

This is a silver gelatin print of a man from the Mursi Community. It is made by me, the photographer, in my darkroom. It is printed on Ilford MGIVWT glossy fiber 11x14 paper, and toned in selenium for permanence. It is processed in a Zone VI washer to archival standards, and allowed to dry overnight on a screen. This young man lives is a most difficult environment, and holds true to his traditional culture. Even though you'll see very few other Ethiopians in her area, vans of tourists stop now and then. Each time the tourists step out and walk into the village. Once they do the community walks over to them in order to try and earn a living with their goods, mainly the lip and ear plates as well as woven baskets. They also earn a living by being photographed, as each tourist pays a certain amount for a photograph. 

The camera/lens combination was a Hasselblad 501CM/180mm, and the frame was exposed onto Fuji's brilliant Neopan Acros 100 using natural light. This portrait is from a library of well over 300,000 negatives exposed over the last 24 years, from four continents and a dozen countries. Every person is spoken with prior to the portrait, and the process is explained fully. Most of my work is on film, and the countries are revisited year after year in order to continue the documentation of the same families, of the same communities. 

The purpose of selling these portraits on Etsy is to support the social work being accomplished through my photography. Presently we have six sewing centers in two states of India, serving both the Hindu and the Muslim communities. In these sewing centers, young women learn a trade while also making clothing for their families. The centers are located in the rural areas, where young women have only one option normally, marriage and a family. At this moment, due to COVID-19, the work is on hold. However, we plan to restart the centers in 2022 and the funds from the sale of these portraits will be applied to the work in India.

Each print will be signed and dated by me, the photographer, and numbered to a maximum of 50 prints (11x14) per negative. 

Etsy 

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Drawing by Student, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

Before classes began last year such public displays of art were rare. Now girls get to sit down with each other, paper on the floor and paint brushes in hand, to create images. Some do so from their day to day experiences, some do so from lands far away.

The energy as this happens is hard to describe, an amazing moment to experience in person. Here is a piece by one of the students in the village, one of the most sublime places on earth to be. In this village change is happening, and most recently I received a message from one of its residents sharing their pride in the progress being made.

Together we can make the difference so many dream of!

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Student Art, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

Before classes began last year such public displays of art were rare. Now girls get to sit down with each other, paper on the floor and paint brushes in hand, to create images. Some do so from their day to day experiences, some do so from lands far away.

The energy as this happens is hard to describe, an amazing moment to experience in person. Here is a piece by one of the students in Shokeen's village, one of the most sublime places on earth to be. In this village change is happening, and just today I received a message from one of its residents sharing their pride in the progress being made.

Together we can make the difference so many dream of!

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Father + Home, Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

After we finished photographing a school, I was taken to this man's house where he and his son were present. It was a small, mud structure in which a full family slept. The house consisted of one room, and all slept on the floor. His son had just been accepted into high school and held the letter of acceptance in his hands with such pride. 

The moment was bittersweet however, because the family was unable to afford the books and uniform needed. The heartbreak was clearly visible on both of their faces, and in their mannerisms. For most of us this is unimaginable, yet for so many this is the reality. Education is anything but given, and is usually a luxury.

My hope is that his son did attend higher education however, and that the family is now in a better place.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 501 CM/180 mm lens combination.

Mursi Man + Sky, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2010

Before heading to Ethiopia seven years ago, my first inclination was to research the communities in the southern portion of the country. They were of course famous from the images through such publications as National Geographic, but this would be my first time in their midst. There were many which caught my eye, but there was one which struck me immediately.

This man belongs to that tribe, the Mursi of the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia. They are closely related to another community, the Suri. Between these two tribes exist the most incredible body art and adornments. Ranging from both painting to scarification, and including ear and lip plates, they are unlike any photographed by me over the past 20 years.

Estimates put their population at nearly 10,000, a remarkable number in relation to other communities from around the world. Their way of life is endangered as well, due to the dam being constructed by the Ethiopian government. They straddle the line of being admired by outsiders, and thought of as backward by their neighbors.

Many within Ethiopia resent the fact that many come to their nation to photograph the Mursi, and others like them in the Lower Omo Valley. Yet they know that without such tourism their lives would also be affected.

I admire this community very much and, regardless of warnings by others that this was an aggressive community, found the community to be kind and generous with their time. We stayed in a small town an hour or so away for the first two nights, then camped near their tiny village in the national park for our last night.

My stay in Ethiopia was short, less than three weeks. However I do hope that in the future my return will feature these two tribes, the Mursi and the Suri, and truly do honor to their beauty and strength.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Across 100 film.

Proud Father, Outskirts of Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

After we finished photographing a school, I was taken to this man's house where he and his son were present. It was a small, mud structure in which a full family slept. The house consisted of one room, and all slept on the floor.

His son had just been accepted into high school and held the letter of acceptance in his hands with such pride. The moment was bittersweet however, because the family was unable to afford the books and uniform needed. The heartbreak was clearly visible on both of their faces, and in their mannerisms.

For most of us this is unimaginable, yet for so many this is the reality. Education is anything but given, and is usually a luxury. This is what makes our work with Nirvana Bodhisattva and his team so important, for Nirvanavan Foundation promotes education above all else.

My hope is that his son did attend higher education however, and that the family is now in a better place. 

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad V system.

Anays + Tree, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2016

Many adjectives have been used to describe her, and all of them have fallen short in the end. The power with which she presents to the lens is undeniable, and she gives every frame her all. She loves dance, and loves photography as much. As my friend Alejandro likes to say, 'she was born for photography.'

While many with much more experience have stepped in front of my lens, few have ever produced such results over and over again. She loves to be photographed, and asks to come along even when we have a session with someone else.

Just looking at this series may help us to understand the talent needed to make some images. These twelve frames were made in less than two minutes, yet in each one she presents differently. It seems as if she has the next two frames in mind while the present one is being exposed, always ahead of the shutter.

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Note: This series was made with a Hasselblad V system onto Ilford Delta 100 film.

Cami + Sky, El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, California, 2016

Usually when returning from a long trip the camera lays dormant, until the next trip. After Cuba last year the chance to visit southern California once again presented itself and a casting call was put forth. This young woman thankfully answered and a most magical session at El Mirage was the result.

We met in front of her apartment and drove out to this familiar space one afternoon. One of her beautiful friends came along, and did more than her part to make the session that much more fulfilling. Came for her part brought the clothing she shared with me through messages previously.

She was more than prepared and performed in front of the lens as if she was performing at a grand stage. She gave it her all and we were blessed with a gorgeous day at El Mirage. She was able to change a few times and we moved around a bit to change up the backdrop as well. Even though the surface was very hard, she repeated the jump a few times for this frame.

I do hope that later this year we will meet up again, and continue our magical collaboration.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Amulet + Hands, Rajasthan, India, 2014

Many of the children in Rajasthan adore themselves with beautiful objects, from a functional clothespin to the religious amulet on this child's hands. Every once in a while such details are photographed along with the portrait, allowing them to shine on their own.

They are symbols of hope for me, tributes to each child's individuality in the face of difficult circumstances. When my eyes notice the necklaces and the children see this, the majority of them smile and start laughing... amazed at my reaction.

In this instance a few children walked into the courtyard of our host in the village to see the visitor, after our photography that morning. We were having tea when I noticed this necklace, and asked to photograph it. This child's friends had a great time watching their friend place his hands under the amulet, and the few minutes he endured while this photograph was made.

The whole experience was wonderful, and the children were more than gracious. We made more photographs, and then they walked back to their homes around the corner.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm lens with a close-up attachment.

Boys Will Be Boys, Rural Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

Going through the negatives from almost ten years ago in Kenya has made me want to go back to the continent as well as print some of the negatives never printed. The scenes have a timeless feel to them, and they are complimented by the traditional school uniforms of the students. 

During my time in Kenya boys and girls were photographed equally, a departure from my work in Asia. The boys were wonderful, and had their own flavor to present. Some were serious, some were withdrawn and some were anything but either such as the young boy in between the two!

On this afternoon we visited a school deep in rural Kenya, and made photographs of the students under cloudy skies. We decided to make group photographs to see how individuals in small groups would react to each other. The results were all over the place, and all were wonderful to document.

Next year around this time will be my return to the continent, and this time perhaps to the southern half. 

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Note: This image was made with a Nikon analog system.

Woman + Walking Cane, Eastern Kenya, 2007

During my time in Kenya, I was privileged to work with the Maragoli Community Development Foundation. We went from village to village and documented the people living in the countryside. The foundation sas doing meaningful work, and this manifested itself in the warm embrace we received throughout my time in this beautiful land.

During our walks we ran across various groups of people, including this woman and a few of her friends. They asked to be photographed and we did so against this backdrop of boulders. The foundation worked with both mentally and physically challenged individuals, people who inspired me greatly in large part due to the difficulties they faced on a day to day basis.

While being physically challenged is certainly an immense hardship in societies which accommodate somewhat for their citizens with such challenges, being physically challenged in rural Kenya is another matter altogether. Some are hidden out of view by their families due to shame, while others walk a very lonely path with their challenges.

It was my privilege sincerely to have photographed this beautiful woman, and so many like her rising above their circumstances... refusing to be labeled and contributing to their communities fully.

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Note: This image was made with a Nikon analog system.

Students + Boulders, Village near Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

Some years ago I had the privilege of visiting western Kenya with a foundation by the name of Maragoli Community Development Foundation (MACODEF). My hosts took me from one school to another and we did our best to photograph everyone, and I mean everyone!

People came out of the woodwork, from behind trees and boulders. Just when I thought our session was over, I would look over my shoulder and see a dozen more people lining up to have their portrait made. The idea that people would come to see what was happening, then line up as if a photography studio set up for the afternoon, was incredible!

In this photograph the students were finished with their portraits and were just hanging out while watching the boys being photographed. All had the same uniforms, with some minor variances. Everyone was just so kind, and generous with their time.

Between Kenya, Senegal and Gambia, there are thousands of negatives which have never seen the light of day. This is one for tonight, with more to be shared soon.

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Note: This image was made with a Nikon analog system

Young Student, Village near Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

A little over nine years ago I had the privilege of visiting eastern Kenya with the guidance of MACODEF (Maragoli Community Development Foundation). These wonderful people worked on community development near the small town if Kisumu, Kenya. They chose a few villages and concentrated their considerable efforts for their development.

One day they took me to a school knowing that children are of great interest to me. They told me to set up my camera since the children would be running out immediately. They were right, a few minutes after setting up the camera the children began running out one classroom at a time.

A small bench was placed with the beautiful dirt behind the children as the backdrop. We photographed every single child, and they took great pleasure in sitting for the lens even if it was for only a minute or so. This is one portrait from that session, a young boy sitting with pride in front of his friends.

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Note: This image was made with a Nikon F100.

Ramón Perez Pereira, Artista de la Plástica, Havana, Cuba, 2016

This summer on the island was a little different, as we spent some time outside of photography. While assisting one day on an avenue, an artist's work caught my attention. He was very sweet, and talked at length with me about his work.

While the subject matter was sublime, the paper onto which it was printed had an incredible story. It was completely made by the artist and, as with this example, the telephone book was used in the paper's making. One could see the names of people, as well as their phone numbers.

According to the artist, the hand, both in form and in color, represented the idea of revolution. When speaking about his work, Ramón always had a smile on his face. The man was sincerely proud of his efforts, and made an impression on me.

Young Student, Nirvanavan Foundation, Rajasthan, India, 2016

For the wonderful circle associated with this young girl's school in Rajasthan, I share her freshly scanned negatives from last week. Thanks to all of you she has a school to attend, and she and her friends in the village will continue to attend! She lives near a small town called Virat Nagar in the beautiful state of Rajasthan, and has been a part of my work since her birth… since I have photographed her sisters for the past 10 years!
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Note: These images were made with a Hasselblad analog system onto Ilford Delta 100 film.

Ballerina + Field, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2016

This young girl has taken part in our photography for the past two years, and has a most supportive mother. We actually met one year prior to our first session, as a friendly Cuban offered to introduce me to his neighbors, this young girl and her mother.

We needed two young dancers for our session and due to a mix-up we never collaborated that first year. Fast forward one year and here we were in front of a popular school speaking when this young girl's mother looks at me and says, 'we met last year!'

This is how the story began, and this past summer was our second year of photography. She has grown up so quickly, and has gained even more confidence than last year. In front of the lens she has incredible potential, moving with serious intent from one stance to another.

I so look forward to delivering the film tomorrow for processing, and picking up the film from this year's visit to India!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100III mounted next to and triggered at the same time as a Hasselblad analog system.

Model + Scarf, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2016

On my way back from the summer in Cuba this memory lingers. We were photographing this young woman at our favorite spot when she asked to be photographed with this scarf. She wanted to pay homage to the girls in my work from the East, and wanted to do so while also listening to a special tune. Alejandro put that song on his car stereo, as she moved from one movement to another with the scarf. It was a special moment, and fills me with joy on this beautiful Saturday evening.

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Note: These images was made with a Sony RX100III mounted next to and triggered at the same time as a Hasselblad analog system.

Ballerina + Field, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2016

Working with this young dancer and her friends here in Cuba continues to inspire me, 8 years after the first images of ballerinas were made. Hope to share much more soon!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100III mounted next to and triggered at the same time as a Hasselblad analog system.