on the way to lares:ie: finally made it

there was a 2 1/2 image of the bogs in a previous post.  they were quite fun to walk on!  how'd we discover lares: well, brian had been there first, mentioned the drive and the hot springs...and how beautiful they were (which they were).

i can't remember if i've said this stuff before...but  i (mom and i) ended up doing this trip twice -- once w/ mini-bus, once w/ josh & beth.  on one hand, going to the same place twice may have seemed a bit much, but it was almost like i got to scout out the location the first time, then shoot aaaaaaaall (well, not all, but certainly more of) the extra bits i had missed the second.

soooooooo, the first time we saw the bogs (mini-bus trip), we just drove past, no stopping, no playing.  but the second, well, there really didn't seem to be much of a choice!  we were curious about them, i wanted to photograph them, so we found a safe place to walk down (lots of crushed up rock and stone, ie: good places to fall and hurt yourself).

minus the fact that the second proof is a bit dark, the whole place was just amazing!!  the individual tufts seemed like rough spongy moss, one could be a bit more firm,while the next could have easily sunk into the water mix.  in ways, i could see myself backpacking, just following various trails (camera in tow), photographing the landscapes.  such beauty, and so many wonderful scenes to capture.  the phrase, "so much to do, so little time" was unbearably true, and it was also a reminder of how important it is to know another language!  (grrrrrr, bad me). 

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below, images a stone's throw away from the actual hot springs.  for some reason i didn't scan in some of the images associated w/ 'lares', and i think it was b/c i didn't have journals completely written.  later while scanning, i realized that was quite a few photos, so i started scanning them all...not sure why i forgot to come back to these ones...not that you even needed to hear that part! sometime (today, maybe), i'll make sure to go back and just get them in so that i can show you!!

above: there's another variation of the river/water floating around...i think it falls in the category of things i didn't journal so didn't scan.  will include in later post!

on the way to lares:creatures, creatures, w/ a side 'a bogs

text to come at a later date...

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on the way to lares:jungle detour

pictures first...so the words that follow won't sidetrack viewing the images.  below, various holga pans taken while on the bus.  (this holga link goes to wikipedia...the previous link on the previous blog went to the lomography website > holga section)

 

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the first trip to lares included a mini-bus ride to an area of jungle, where we would go on a (mostly) downhill 3+/- hr bike ride.  my ride only lasted 20 minutes, b/c...well, i lost common sense while taking a turn, and decided to jump off of the bike, instead of applying breaks.  oops!  

sparing those who have yet to hear the story in it's entirety...lets just say it was a bit painful, i experienced my first whole/partial concussion (thank you helmet for saving my brain), and w/out too many details-- parts of my body that should never ever be black/blue....were.

jumping off a bike while taking a turn, downhill...not recommended!

and in case you didn't already know, once you've had your first concussion, it'll happen easier the next time.

(thank you carrie for that bit 'o info).

on the way to lares:the cloud forest

clockwise from the front left: javier (pablo from the short), mila/mom, chete (w/ the two hands up.  pablo from the movie), claire, merje, dan, me, pj, enier, russ, kelly (taking the picture).  below: our very awesome bus driver man.

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...we stopped in a town to stretch our feet & take a pee...it was extremely cloudy (foggy) w/ a bit of a drizzle, and it was surprisingly bright.  

mom was hungry, so she at w/ the boys...no, not these guys (below: locals), they were just hanging out in the "restaurant".  she had some crazy soup concoction  w/ javier, chete, enier, and the driver.  

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above: this image could probably be put w/ those that are closer to lares, however, technically we're still in cloud forest, and aside from me telling you this, you may not otherwise know.  hehehe.

sidenote: the white/discolored effect on the top/btm are due to the film being overexposed.  light leaks are a typical occurrence  when using a holga (plastic camera).  they're super fun to use and create a "dreamlike" quality.  and apparently, they come in fun new colors (black is out, bright orange...in!)

JOURNAL DATE:nov. 13th, 2008

RUINS of

Sacsayhuamán

15 min tico [taxi] ride/cusco....or, +/- 20-45 min walk

(depends on how you acclimated to the altitude, it's an upward hike)

sadly so, i'm pretty sure that most of these images were shot rapid-fire!  the journal entry above talks about my travels to the site, however, once we went inside and the crew began filming, i was a bit overwhelmed (the history surrounding the incan structure, and the immense size of them all...the precision, etc...gaaaaga!).

i really had no idea where to start, so this image was more/less taken to document the size of it all (and to get that first image out of my system)...that, and to give an idea of how close the city/ruins are to one another. (behind the site, you can faintly see the words "viva el peru" to show proximity).

also, i'm fairly certain that the images below were all shot after lunch, which, left me w/ 3-4 hrs. of shooting after i unloaded/reloaded my film holders...if i could do it again, i would've brought a bunch of power bars/water and trudged through it all, no lunch...just photographing (photography = food, right?).

additionally, w/in that 3-4 hr time frame, i also did 2 setups w/ the main actors to be used for potential poster/promotional purposes....i was scrunched for time!   will post those images a little later.

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in respect to journal-ling...this is the part where i need to write stuff down.  the journal pages that accompany the following images are pretty sparse, minus the shooting/tech info; which i've included for your entertainment!  (once i jot down the thoughts in my head from the trip/photos...i'll scan in the pages & update this section!).

oh, and i'm not sure if i mentioned it before, but whenever multiple images from the journal are posted, they're done so chronologically...that's the least i can do w/ the organization of the whole thing!  if only i would have cited times, weather conditions, mental state...lol.

sorry for the inconvenience!!  (it'll happen a few more times)

another reminder: images w/ hash marks indicate square images.  the lower of the markings is more exact to the actual negative...initial markings were due to my laziness in not marking my camera, and guestimating where "square" would be...oops!

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135mm lens

square vertical

f8, 1/125 f8, 1/125

f11, 1/125 f8 1/2, 1/125

this location is actually near where one would enter the site if they were doing that uphill climb from cusco.  the sidewalk is on the opposite side of this pathway, separated by a stream and "ditchlike" incline.

people frequent the paths, having just missed the perfect opportunity -- a woman walking w/ her dog (or possibly goat/llama), on the path.  though it would've added a nice element, i'm ok w/ what was left...an uncertainty as to who was last there, and when that might have been.  (that's what it is for me, at least).

i'm not quite sure why i kept such a close tension between the edge of the R/frame and the path, possibly b/c there was something further along that i didn't like...who knows at this point. i know i wanted to include some of the rock structures on the left...if i could do it again, i'd see what it'd look like horizontal.  perhaps, i wanted just a hint of the city below...eh...

if my rants continue like this, i'll officially be copying this info into my journal...hope that wasn't a joy-kill of a statement!

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210mm lens

f6.8, 1/60

f8, 1/60

there was something about the simplicity of the wooden stakes and tattered rope that intrigued me.  though, even as i was shooting, i thought, "this is not coming out the way that i wanted"...seemed like i kept adjusting the camera to get it closer to what i wanted...don't think it worked very well...that's probably why i only shot 2 frames.

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210mm lens

f8, 1/30

f8 1/2, 1/30

f11, 1/30

as i walked up and across, and down and around the ruins, i realized that certain places i wanted to photograph would be a tad difficult (esp the archway in the distance of this image.  people constantly flowing in and out, getting in the way!!!) sometimes it seemed like it would take me longer to wait for people to exit the frame, then it would to actually setup & take the image.  anyway...

while walking around the site, you realize that there are quite a few areas that tourists aren't allowed to enter.  the area in focus (middle/bottom) is one of those such spots.  i have no clue if the space was used for protection purposes, or simply as walking paths.  

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210mm lens

f6.8, 1/30

f8, 1/30

f8 1/2, 1/30

so, the image above, is sort of the compliment to the first image from this post.  i don't know where exactly i was standing for the first one, but i do know it was somewhere here!  at the time, i couldn't stand the people in the bottom/left corner, so in the actual image, the frame is moved slight right (where the red hash mark is above the image), and i guess i waited for them to move!   i do know that there are a few people tucked away in the photograph, but they're either blurred, or so tiny that they're hardly recognizable. 

later, near the end of filming, i finally got a chance to experience more of peru, and man...i tell ya...the mountains and country-landscape just go on, and on, and on.  it's absolutely beautiful.  cusco is actually near/part of the sacred valley -- know for its fertile lands, numerous villages, and countless archeological remains. 

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135mm lens

square

f5.6, 1/30

f5.6 1/2, 1/30

f8, 1/30

this was one of those spaces that was hard to photograph, more-so, b/c there was a constant flow of people encroaching the frame!  ironically enough, by the time i got here, the crew came round and wanted to film it too!!  lighting conditions made it a little stressful, in that i was rushed to finish taking the pic. 

while positioning the camera, my main objective was to exclude the small square (bottom left)...it houses a small light used at night, and i just couldn't stand the little thing.  now, i wish i had taken a single bracket  full frame: 1, b/c, now, i like seeing the whole thing; 2, b/c i like how the (btm right corner) darkens up...next time.

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135mm lens

square

f8, 1/2

f8 1/2, 1/2

um, last image of the night...very much taken at dusk!  this set of stairs is the same one seen two images above.  not sure how i feel about the image in general, but i do know that if i could change it, id' raise the frame up and over left a smidge, do a bracket w/ the silhouettes at the top, and some how have only the slow moving woman in the frame.  as is, the actual negs are void of people (i think...might have silhouettes at the top, not 100% sure...will check contact prints).

must go, but will proof and add more later.

more (mostly) b/w:cusco

above/below: part of the view from the mudbrick house.

the smallest tree in the distance (about centered, just below the clouds) gave me a burst of energy everytime i saw it.  the colors were just so fun...a roofline speckled w/ vividly painted walls.  almost seems like it could be animate...at least, in my head!

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above/below: two different views of the plaza de armas.  (like i said in a previous blog...protest happy people).  but, they're calm experiences, a lot of marching.  these particular people weren't too happy w/ the current president.

a postcards rest on the bench (in the main plaza locals are restricted from selling their goods); identical benches line the walkways leading to central element; these metal-railed-green-wood-backed benches, large patches of grass, and well manicured flower beds surround a forest green fountain, white swans spewing water; tourists wandering about; possibly oblivious to the two flags waving every direction -- the cusco flag (rainbow horiz. stripes) and the peruvian flag; w/ one of the main cathedrals posing as the backdrop in the image below.

it's a beautiful view, regardless of what goes on daily...

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above: after school, janet takes turns w/ her three sisters, selling the jewelry & art her parents/uncle have made...making sure to greet every familiar face that passes by.

JOURNAL DATE:nov. 1st, 2008

one thing you realize about cusco, is that there are sooooooo many hidden places that you walk by w/out even knowing they're there.  my curious nature (/boredom during pre-shooting one day) lead to finding this particular space.

typically doors that you see > lead to open spaces that you're unaware even exist.  

maybe next time i'll do a sub-project -- a series, documenting "hidden" courtyard spaces in the city.