Sit A Spell

on vacation: gone fishing

2010-05-28T15:50:00.009-05:00

From the family archives:

Dad takes Sallie and Marsha fishing (ca 1950)

The truth is Sit a Spell has been on vacation or dragging its feet for quite a while. But Sallie Kravetz has been working day and night in the backroom conjuring up all kinds of goodies, not least of which is the initial launch of a functioning website which can be seen here Just click on my signature to enter.

I am also working to develop a blog specifically devoted to photography, especially Latin American photography. That is taking longer than expected. In the meantime I will be returning to Baltimore to move my nearest and dearest possessions here so not much time is available for blogging right now. I am looking forward to developing these ideas further later in the summer.

shopping for wide angle images

2010-05-09T20:42:00.000-05:00

When most people go to the Ramirez market, they buy crafts, veggies or other delicacies. Today I was on a mission to take as many interesting wide angle images as I could. I am loving working with that lens and am so grateful to this kind woman for allowing me to photograph her. Her shop is in the stretch between Reloj and Hidalgo, not as visited as the other main section of the mercado. I bought something small anyway...just hard to shoot carrying a little package under my arm.

new look at an old landmark

2010-05-05T23:38:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been laboring over selecting groups of images and organizing them for a website to be launched later this summer. At the same time, I have been taking online courses from The Compelling Image from David Bathgate, the founder and a working photojournalist based in Germany.

This time around I am working to develop more mastery with the wide angle lens. There is something intriguing for me in the way this lens bends reality and offers fresh ways to look at ordinary things. The image here is an extreme close shot with a very wide angle of a beloved landmark, the old gas pump on Juarez near Plaza Civica.

a breath of fresh air

2010-04-15T03:06:00.004-05:00

Life in San Miguel is good and yet it is still wonderful to leave town for a few hours to breathe the sweet air of the campo. A welcome invitation from a new friend led to a beautiful outing during the golden hour and to some wonderful images. The goats were definitely the stars of the hour. Take a look here

Note: The campo portfolio has been newly editied

so much looking

2010-04-14T13:09:00.001-05:00

During all of the recent events swirling around Semana Santa, Holy Week, leading up to Easter, people watched from everywhere.

the arrival of señor de la columna heralds the coming of easter

2010-03-23T00:45:00.005-06:00

The procession, more like a pilgrimage, bringing the lifelike figure of Jesus from historic Atotonilco, four miles away, to San Miguel is an awesome spectacle. At dawn on the Sunday before Palm Sunday, the otherwise heavily trafficked Avenida Indepencia is transformed into a splendid boulevard of sawdust artwork, grass paved walkways, curved arches covered with flowers and an air of respect and devotion. On his day, as El Senor passed by my vantage point, the sun sent down a beautful beam of light to spotlight his passing by. Here's a wonderful article about the ritual from our local paper, Atencion.

everyday life: the bus ride

2010-03-18T08:40:00.001-06:00

Every morning, Monday through Thursday, I take the ten minute bus ride to University of Leon to go to Spanish class. Sometimes I walk back or take the bus home. On this day the kids were just leaving school.at about noon. The buses are an important part of San Miguel and a bumpy adventure ride...like life itself.

las niñas: joy

2010-02-28T16:05:00.000-06:00

el campesino: dignity

2010-02-18T00:08:00.002-06:00

celebrate love and friendship

2010-02-14T12:59:00.001-06:00

living in parallel universes

2010-02-12T00:11:00.006-06:00

All week Baltimore has been having the biggest blizzard of a lifetime with snowfall over 20" last weekend. It stopped long enough for people to look around and begin digging out only to be hit again two days later, this time not only with serious accumulations of snow, but fierce winds as well.

Meanwhile here in San Miguel during part of that time, we were experiencing the worst cold, rain and flooding that people say they can remember in fifteen years for this time of year. Now the sun is out again, but, still, in the back of my mind I have been concerned about family, friends and my beloved home on Dover Street.

Annette, my wonderful next door neighbor there, posted a photo on Facebook so I could see what it looked like during the blizzard. Annette's house is the one trimmed in turquoise and mine is the tan one next to it. Thanks so much Annette. I could just feel the snow and cold all the way down here.

At the same time, the photograph below is the view today from my rooftop here on Calle San Jorge. With my eyes I look out and see the beautiful mountains and am transfixed and, in the same moment, in my mind I am simultaneously experiencing the snow in Baltimore. Where does reality really exist?

meet señor duende

2010-02-10T00:03:00.002-06:00

Click to enlarge

This impish looking creature swinging from the limb of a tree is a duende. I first heard the term several years ago in the context of a discussion about the arts."And what," I asked, "is a duende?" The answer I got was: "Well, it's a kind of a force that's difficult to explain." My confusion only grew greater when I researched the term and was led to this treatise by the Spanish poet, Federico Garcia Lorca.

Well, lo and behold, yesterday while I was visiting Candelaria, our annual plant and flower festival, I was delighted when I saw this irrestible little terracotta figure swinging from the limb of a small tree. And there were more crawling on branches and sunning themselves in the potting soil covering the plants' roots. Adorable!

When I looked down, I was greeted with a hand-lettered sign that read: Duendes. 40 pesos or 3 for 100 pesos (about $9.00 U.S.). Well here was my explanation at last. Duendes. I couldn't believe it. And so I snatched up three including Senor above in the picture. All three are now happily ensconced in their new home in the ficus tree on the rooftop terrace. I am so enthralled with them, I may have to go back and get some others to keep them company.

As for a clearer explanation of who they are, here is the latest that I found. And here is a clearer explanation of the duende's role in the arts. And speaking of the arts, I shall use their magical powers to inspire me in the production of the next slide show now in the works.

baptism day

2010-01-31T20:03:00.004-06:00

Baptism Click to Enlarge

Rosa, my muchacha (more friendly term for maid, I think) asked me to come to take photographs of her third baby's baptism. It happened last night at 7 pm in the San Antonio Church. I had no idea what to expect. It was a day with lots of ups and downs for me. My camera developed a problem and I had two "assignments": one for a cabaret singer who needed a publicity shot for a performance to raise money for Haiti and secondly, the baptism.

In Church Click to Enlarge

First thing in the morning I discovered that the lens I wanted to use wasn't working on my main camera body. It's a long-winded story but the long and short is that I went ahead with everything with a backup camera. I was able to do both jobs but it threw me into high anxiety mode and made me question whether I wanted to continue photographing. Today I feel better about it all.

These photographs are my bonus for pushing myself to go to Belen's bautismo (not pictured until Rosa sees them first). An aside: Belen means Bethlehem in Spanish. She was born right before Navidad (Christmas).

finally: the toy market is ready for prime time.

2010-01-18T01:20:00.003-06:00

It took a while with so many other things brewing right now. But here it is...the Toy Market. Have a look. Just click here

stills from the new foreign film: el mercado del juguetes/the toy market

2010-01-12T12:13:00.006-06:00

Below are outtakes from El Mercado del Juguetes, a dreamy new upcoming foreign film (don't tell anybody: it's really a three minute soundslide project) with subtitles. As soon as the producer can get the soundtrack synchronized you can see it on your local computer screen. That explains the lack of posts lately. I have been working behind the scenes on the project.

I also have been coordinating the NEA Big Read project here in San Miguel. We'll be reading: Sun, Stone and Shadows: 20 Great Mexican Short Stories. For information about that: click here. You will be hearing more about these fascinating stories as the project evolves. If you have questions about it, you can email me by clicking on the envelope icon at the bottom of this post.

the next big thing: the toy market

2010-01-03T20:41:00.004-06:00

Click to enlarge

The San Miguel Toy Market plays out like a cross between a carnival side show and the huge flea market called Tianguis or for us gringos, the Tuesday Market.

According to an article in Atencion several years ago, in Mexico and other Latin American countries, Three Kings Day, (January 6) more so than Christmas, is an occasion to give gifts, especially toys for children, commemorating the gifts the magi gave to Jesus. Parents usually shop for these gifts at local stores and an all-night market held on January 5 .

On any other day, the street is a group of work-a-day Mexican shops. Again in the magical way things happen here, on this day and night, a village of hundreds of vendors springs up only to disappear by dawn. The effect of it is surreal causing one to wonder if it really happened or of it was some kind of sleepwalking adventure. That's why I'm going back.

The Toy Market will be here on Tuesday so stay tuned for this year’s edition.

2010: a good time to come to Mexico

2010-01-01T23:22:00.005-06:00

2010 starts the countdown to Mexico's bicentenial, an all out biggest ever celebration and, for Mexico, that says a lot. Actually there are two celebrations: 200 years of freedom from Spain and then another 100 years since the Mexican Revolution. All of this history is explained here Plans are afoot for all kinds of exciting nationwide events and tours. It's a good time to be here.

My friend Robin from Baltimore was here last week to catch the tail end of the holidays. She was delayed because of the blizzard that closed in the airport the day before she was to fly down. She finally got here and we celebrated several days together. The big one was last night in the jardin. She has been wanting to know how come she wasn't on my list of people in Baltimore to whom I sent ecards for the holidays. The answer is because I knew I would be dedicating this post to her.

Vaya con dios Robin and Esme. We will see you in the Spring. In the meantime, Robin, you can have these memories of the moments you spent in the jardin in San Miguel on New Year's Eve 2010

Click to enlarge or miss the fun

welcoming 2010: living in a dream world

2010-01-01T16:16:00.031-06:00

Please click to enlarge or you will miss the full flavor.

On New Year's Eve at about 6:30, I heard some chanting on the street. Now what?, I thought. Since San Jorge is a very noisy street, I almost ignored it. However, when I peeked out of my bedroom window, I was awestruck There beneath me was a glorious Felliniesque moment (he always seems to have a presence here when colorful, unusual things happen.)

I saw a procession with beautiful torches, many old women carrying candles, a beautiful santo encased in a glass "cage' surrounded by red velvet carried by clergy in full dress. In short, a photographer's dream.

There is an old photography saying: by the time you see it, it's too late. I figured I would just post a blank picture and describe what could have been. But that deep creative spirit that will never let me rest, spoke up and said:"You idiot. What are you waiting for? Grab your camera and go forth and find them." And so I did.

I located them a few blocks away and followed them. Altars were set up in various locations on streets around the colonia (hood). They were lovely, with white flowers and white curtain backdrops on tables outside of a home or tienda. Overhead, white and yellow decorations were strung from one side of the street to the other. The magic was enhanced by the glow from muted street lights, candles, and beautiful brass and glass lanterns. and the heady aroma of copal incense.

As I approached the procession, people were in the midst of a prayer...everyone on their knees on the hard, uneven rocks of the street. One thing I have learned from following the rituals of my neighborhood: the Catholics of Mexico must have tough knees.Out of respect, I got on my knees as I tried to capture this beauty...but could hardly stand the pain so instead I did a half knee thing. No matter: the experience was magical...like being thrust into a world beyond time.

Later I will post San Miguel's answer to Times Square. Right now, it's time for yet another party. Would you believe?

we have a winner in the "whose eye is this" challenge

2009-12-30T23:58:00.001-06:00

Challenge? What challenge? OK. I know you've been deep into holiday celebrations so go here and then you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyhow the winner is Marsha Sober from Baltimore, Maryland. Just because she's my sister in no way contributed to the fact that she guessed the answer. Brilliance runs in the family. I admit I gave her a teeny clue after she first guessed Michael Jackson. All I said was that the eye belonged to someone Mexican. So yes, Marsha Sober, you were correct: the eye is Frida's. It was on a poster in Coyoacán, outside of Mexico City, where Frida's house is. I visited there earlier in the month. I owe you lunch and a movie.

life: an illustrated schematic of forces, invisible yet credible, exisitng in the universe

2009-12-29T01:42:00.002-06:00

Whhhat? Don't ask. Apparently one night in 1982 in a blissed out moment, I scribbled some thoughts on two envelopes. Over the ensuing years I would lose and then find these little artifacts. This time when I found them, I packed them up, brought them with me to San Miguel and vowed to enshrine them forever. I must confess, these musings were shaped by my experience of the EST training, so prevalent back then.

I felt we needed a break from the posadas because just around the corner will be more celebrations tied into Christmas. In fact Christmas doesn't officially end until February, but I'll save that discussion for another day.

Click on the images to see what the small print says.

let's change the subject

2009-12-28T01:15:00.001-06:00

Do you know whose eye this is? The first person to guess correctly, wins the prize. Just fill in the comment field below.

la posada última/the last posada

2009-12-27T01:27:00.022-06:00

The last posada started as usual on Christmas Eve. But right about the time when we would be leaving to go outside to find another 'inn," one of the children gave candles and sparklers to everyone. They lit them right there, inside the home. I was a little worried but no one else seemed at all concerned.
Then the couple who were acting as my "mentors," opened a large scarf and placed three dolls inside. With lit candles in one hand, they began gently swinging the "cradle" and everyone joined in singing a lullaby, El Rorro, sung to the tune of Rock A-bye Baby..

After that, the babies were placed on a lacy tray filled with candies. As the tray was presented to each person, he or she kissed the babies on the head and then took candies from the tray.

Finally the babies were laid flat in the manger scene. They will stay in that position until January 6. On that day, they will be raised to an upright position to receive gifts from the Three Kings.

After a shared supper of pozole, tacos, ponche and sweets,I left to return home. However,my mentors stopped me and invited me to come with them to yet another fiesta,this time at Rosa's mother's ranch in Valle de Maize. More food, more family, more fun...but not more photos. Battery went dead. What an opportunity. I sulked for a few minutes, but then realized how fulfilled I was with what I had already seen and learned this week. I will make an album for my new found neighbors and plan to photograph more holidays throughout the year.

nochebuena/ christmas eve

2009-12-25T12:31:00.009-06:00

To Give is To Receive

Whew! What a day December 24 has been. First on the agenda was a huge effort by So Others May Eat, Mexico to feed hundreds of elderly people. The food and help were overflowing. It was heartwarming to see so many ancianos (elderly) whom I pass on sidewalks everyday gathered together. They left with bags of food and other treats. My beautiful friend Bea Aaronson was one of the team of helpers. The above image captures the feeling of so many between those helping and being helped.

Agnes Olive, a True Joy to the World

Next stop. Another group of friends were carolling around the jardin and I captured that joyous moment. (A small aside, Agnes is my landlady.) Then it was off to the last posada in my colonia. That turned out to be the best gift of the day. Stay tuned for more about that later...

Right now it's Christmas Day and I'm off to Christmas lunch and then dinner with friends. San Miguel is a busy place. It's hard to stay thin here. (Excuse)

happy holidays to one and all

2009-12-24T10:30:00.000-06:00

las posadas night seven

2009-12-24T00:15:00.001-06:00

More prayers, ponche, pinatas and hand held fireworks. This love of fire and flame starts young.

las posadas night six

2009-12-22T01:32:00.006-06:00

I almost didn't go to the posada tonight but I knew it would be a missed opportunity. And for sure it would have been. In the first image the anciana (elderly woman) who did not want to be photographed last night was absolutely fine with it tonight.
We started at the ironsmith's house and then onto the street with sparklers and candles to a house next to the tienda. Tomorrow it all continues.

las posadas night five

2009-12-21T01:31:00.002-06:00

As I was walking around the corner this afternoon on the way to a gringa fiesta, I was greeted on the street by three young boys who recognized me from the posadas and said something about "photos." I felt honored.

At 8 this evening I went, once again, to the next designated house and the ritual repeated all over again. We said the prayers, sang songs, lit candles and walked around the corner to the next house.

This time the new "inn" was on Orizaba at the herrero's house right next to the taco stand. An herrero is an ironsmith who makes beautiful wrought iron furniture, grills, grates...you name it.

After ponche and other goodies, the men hoisted the rope for the pinata from one side to the other across this well travelled thoroughfare. If traffic had to stop while one of the kids took his/her turn trying to break the pinanta, so be it. Cars would simply have to wait.

Tomorrow night, we pick up where we left off and while it's the same, I am curious to discover the new setting this time.

pinata boy

2009-12-20T01:43:00.007-06:00

This round of photographing is unfolding on many levels. First of all, I am beginning to feel like one of the community doing the rounds for Las Posadas. It starts at one home each night and ends at another. The next night it picks up at the last home and goes to the next etc. On Friday night, the home was attached to the tienda on the corner of Orizaba and Refugio.That's where we began tonight. At first it seemed no one else would show up but I was early. At 8 pm, families entered the little sala cum tienda storage area and a short prayer service was led by one of the women. We went outside and became pilgrims, seeking shelter for Mary and Joseph as we sang and carried candles along the street.

As modestly as the evening began, what a surprise was in store. Our designated house, acting as the inn, opened onto a large inner courtyard, nicely decorated for the occasion. We sat down and shortly the traditional ponche (recipe here) was served. Then came a large, thin sweet flatbread and finally tamales. Later gifts... nicely packaged candies, cookies and another of fruits...were given to each guest. And then finally, what the kids had been waiting for all night...the grand finale, pinatas.

The photograph above was taken with a wide angle lens, the on camera flash set to rear curtain. I usually don't like flash but I do like the way this one turned out. I like the overall effect so well, I'll have to learn how to do it again..

finding the posadas

2009-12-19T17:37:00.005-06:00

Finally I lucked out. After two days of attempting to find posadas in my colonia, I ended up right in the home where one was beginning. Here's what happened. I had promised Rosa, my house helper who just gave birth to her third child, that I would come to take photographs of the family. And so I did and while there asked if she knew where the posadas where in the colonia. Well, it turned out that there are two areas where they happen: one is around the corner from where I live and the second is on her street and furthermore would be starting out that evening right from her house. The Universe does work in mysterious ways.

I came back and everything was wonderful. I got invited in to the host house down the street and was offered, ponche, a warm fruit tea, very tasty. And then, I got to see what I had been waiting for...the pinatas. Here are a few shots from the excitement. I plan to try again tonight with a wide angle lens, but I have yet to learn how to shoot in the dark.

faces in the crowd

2009-12-18T19:08:00.000-06:00

There are so many more of these street portraits which I shot at the Ignacio Ramirez market yesterday. There was a small pilgrimage in honor of our Lady of Guadalupe. I followed it around town and will fill in more later. But for now, here's a sample

las posadas en pasada

2009-12-17T12:30:00.007-06:00

What does this mean? My attempt to play with words in Spanish. Literally translated, if I am correct, it means: posadas past. These photographs are of one of the nine nights leading up to December 25, called the posadas. They were taken in the past in my "hood", Colonia San Antonio. That explains: the pasada or past part of the headline.

The word "posadas" means inns. The nine nights are a reenactment of Joseph and Mary seeking shelter. They try various inns and are refused...leading finally to the place in the manger. Each night pilgrims knock on doors in the Colonia. They are refused and finally one of the neighbors welcomes them Everyone rushes into the home for a celebration with song, food and drink, and breaking of the pinata. That's the short version: here are a few longer ones http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Posadas or even better, try here http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/nacimnto.htm

As for the photos, last night the posadas began for this year, They were greeted with cold, dark, and pouring rain. I chickened out but tonight and on several nights, I intend to follow the crowd. If I have the courage, I will attempt to go into one of the houses. Stay tuned.

the most adored lady in mexico

2009-12-13T21:27:00.004-06:00

My Mexican neighbors tell me that the day honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe is the biggest day in Mexico. She is the parton saint for the entire country and is uniquely Mexico's own. In Mexico City, millions of pilgrims stream from everywhere on December 12 to visit the Basilica built in her honor. And why is she so very important and miraculous? Just click here to understand the devotion and fascination

homage to german subjectivism

2009-12-10T21:38:00.007-06:00

Poster at the Exhibit

As I left the huge exhibition, forografia subjectiva, about 200 photographs made by German photographers between 1948-1963 and now in Mexico City, I passed a bookstore window. Graphic lettering ran the length of the long counter, declaring that the store...more like an emporium... sold the whole of suspense, the whole of mystery and more. I am currently reading an anthology of Mexican short stories and wanted to capture the feeling of suspense and mystery found in the stories. Then too, the images in the reflections felt related to the exhibit. Exploring muliple layers of reality is fascinating in both literature and photography.

Reflections of Mystery

visit with the santos

2009-12-09T23:40:00.003-06:00

Reflection of the Virgin Mary

Joseph and Mary

I stopped by the church next to the Biblioteca. Like all of the churches in Mexico, it is filled with wonderful santos, an art form unto itself. No one else was in the church, the air was cool and I experienced a feeling of peace and calm.

wandering in the night

2009-12-09T00:10:00.008-06:00

I spent last weekend in Mexico City. We call it DF...stands for Federal District or capital. While there I was on a mission to buy a fast lens. As it turns out, the hotel was on Calle Donceles, the camera district. Within a short time, I located a 50mm f1.8 lens. Suddenly, I feel like I'm back where I started many years ago. This lens is about as simple as it gets. Still, I have a lot of practicing to do.
Below are some shots made with the new lens. Click to enlarge.

Final Blow. Mariachi playing the last strains for the night.

Red and Silver. Elegant window display

Night Reader. Reading by lamplight in the park.

Elote Stand. Corn cob coated with lime, chile and mayonnaise.

it's a wrap for the butoh project

2009-11-21T14:37:00.005-06:00

Finally, this project is ready for it's premiere. Dairakudan, the Japanese Butoh company in this presentation, has been around for at least one generation. The graphics on their website are as dazzling as their performances. It's a bit tricky to find one's way around the site, but go to the site here, Then use the drop down menu on the left under their name to learn about their founder, history and profile.

By the way, Dairakudan means great camel battleship. In the sixties, their founder, Akaji Maro, introduced the concept of Tempu - Tenshiki. It means being born in the world is a great talent itself. So for those who feel they have no talent, not to worry...it's been there since birth.

And now....drumroll, red carpet, glitz...here is the link to Galileo Un Foso, which translated means: Galileo, A Moat. If this is wrong, let me know. The theme of Cervantino this year was Galileo and His Telescope, 400 Years, hence Galileo. This performance was rare on several counts: performers were from both Japan and Mexico, there was one woman in the group, not usual, and the piece was performed outside, free of charge, for the public. This also is not usually done.

The troup took several hours to cover their bodies with white paint and makeup. Right before the performance, there was a major downpour causing a delay. The minute it stopped, crew came out to wipe down the stage area. It was dry enough for the performance, but one roll on its surface and hours of work washed away.

That's the background. Now enjoy four minutes of a very edgy and, in its way, beautiful performance. Welcome, click here. and remember, turn on your SOUND. There is no atmosphere without the sound. Comments are welcome or email smkravetz@gmail.com

it's almost showtime

2009-11-18T23:06:00.001-06:00

For the past week, I have been working on the Butoh slide show. It needs one more revision and then I think it will be ready for it's world premiere. In the meantime, as you can see, the dancers are still going through their preparations.

a butoh challenge

2009-11-13T14:58:00.025-06:00

Click to enlarge

My friend, Irene, over at Salted Herring, has posed a challenge. We both were thrilled when our staking out point for the Butoh performance at the Cervantino Festival found us staring right into the slice of life parting of the canvas flap of the dressing tent. Like peeping Thomasinas we clicked, clicked, clicked as all body parts presented themselves in that sliver of a frame (and I mean ALL body parts). Now Irene knows I am working on a slide show of the performance and has put the pressure on to get it done pronto. In the meantime look at her magnificent shots here.

a special treat

2009-11-09T01:17:00.005-06:00

After planning for some time to start creating small online slide shows, the first one is ready. You can see it here. A few instructions so you can see it the way I intended: click the full screen icon, bottom right and you will have a larger picture and a black background. Also the 'show" needs you to click the arrow (left side) to get it started. It is only a few minutes long and has a sweet music track by Jim Noir called Tower of Love. I invite your comments. See coments link below. Write whatever you think. Enjoy.

a touch of noir

2009-11-07T01:35:00.000-06:00

It happened in the main plaza in Guanajuato. A mysterious form approaches a bearded man. What does it all mean?

photos on the street, con el permiso

2009-11-04T15:30:00.079-06:00

Click pictures to enlarge them.

During the SFWS, this is what got drilled into our heads and hearts: engage the person, make a connection, ask permission and then take control of the situation. Paul Elledge and Leasha Overturf insisted that what one sees in a timeless photograph is not the subject, but the photographer (or his/her spirit). It is uncomfortable to approach strangers and ask to take a photograph. Clowns are less intimidating because they are hidden behind a mask. Even so the clown on the right feels like he is looking straight through me.
The images above were taken on the streets of Guanajuato during our course field trip. Cervantino was still in town. But what a different experience from just a few days before. Below are several more from both trips...con el permiso y sin el permiso...engaging with the subject and not. No matter, they all have a "cinematic" feel for me. Maybe it's just Figueroa on my brain.

do you know gabriel figueroa's work?

2009-11-03T19:43:00.005-06:00

Outdoor screening of Macario on night of Day of the Dead

I didn't either until someone mentioned a huge exhibition of his work at Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City. It was jaw-dropping gorgeous. Gabriel Figueroa was a master of black and white light and shadow and has been credited with fathering the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. There is much to know about him so I am pointing you to his website here
Many of his works can be seen on YouTube, including the Day of the Dead classic, Macario. For the opening, view the Spanish version here. When Marcario starts chopping a tree, switch to the version with English subtitles here The first version has some great establishing shots. For the plot of the story, click here. See...you don't have to sit out in the cold. Look for beautiful B/W photography.

backfile: resurrecting day of the dead 2008

2009-11-03T16:48:00.006-06:00

I had to go to the archives for this one. It's an image from Tzintzuntzan from last year. I always liked this one because of the position of the young girl, her blue dress, and the candle in her hand. However, I always had a problem with the background: it overpowered her. Sooooo here I go...into (gulp) Photoshop to dramatize what I saw that day or if you will, to interpret the way I wanted the picture to speak to me and to you. So for the purists out there: YES. I USED PHOTOSHOP. Do they put photographers in prison for that? I think it adds the surreal quality I wanted to express. Tell me if it works for you.

catching the dead on their way out

2009-11-03T16:48:00.004-06:00

I missed it all. Everything. But last night in a last ditch effort to see something, anything, I wandered to the jardin after the Santa Fe Photography Workshop presentation. By that time, the night had become chilly to the bone. I looked through the darkness, lit by the light of the full moon, the food vendors and the usual night lights around the square, for a glimpse of an altar or some costumes still floating around...but no, nothing. What I glimpsed instead was the clean-up crew packing up crates. The marigolds, so glorious a few hours prior, now lay strewn on the street...common litter, waiting to be hauled away. So I thought, "Ok. Work with what you've got. Let's immortalize the last marigolds of 2009." The marigold is THE flower for El Dia de los Muertos. For its meaning and all altar symbols, consult our local Atencion newspaper here

day of the dead is here and i'm not.

2009-11-01T18:36:00.002-06:00

It was an intense week of classes at the Santa Fe Photography Workshop. Our class was the Contemporary Black and White Portrait. Our leaders were Paul Elledge and Leasha Overturf. This experience warrants several posts which I will do this coming week. Right now everyone is out celebrating Day of the Dead and I am housebound making sure I stay alive. I have some sort of virus, bad cold, whatever. I missed the last day of class and Day of the Dead parties but with no energy I can't afford to do anything but take care of myself, rest and plan to go out tomorrow if all is well. For now I have pulled from the archives a scene from Day of the Dead 2008 in the cemetery at Tzintzuntzan, a colorful place to celebrate Night of the Dead.

cervantino 2009 was superb

2009-10-25T17:04:00.004-06:00

If you can ever get there...GO. What a feast for those with big cultural appetites. There is something for everyone and it seems like everyone in the world was there. a constant sea of people in perpetual motion day and night. A good part of them were young people. college and high school age having the time of their lives. More to relate later because I am off to the Santa Fe Photographic Workshop in minutes. For a look at a superb portrait of Don Quixote go to my friend Irene's blog here. I don't know how she does her magic.She was one of our trio on the grand adventure.

First look. Cervantino 2009

wheeee. we're on our way to the cervantino festival

2009-10-21T19:56:00.002-05:00

Clown in the Bus Station on the Way to GTO, 2008.

"And what," you ask, "is the Cervantino Festival?" As usual I will keep it short and give you a link...so here it is. Guanajuato (GTO for short) is a very attractive, hilly, European flavored city. It is built on a system of underground tunnels. I'm going with MC and Irene, two good friends, and we will be staying at the top of town and taking a cable car down to the center. Basically the festival is a cultural feast of contemporary visual and performing arts.

Street Scene, GTO

This will be a busy time for me. After I return on Saturday, I go right into the Santa Fe Photography Workshop, Black and White Contemporary Portraits for a week. After that we slide right into the Day of the Dead festivities.As you can see living here and living this life doesn't even give one a chance to grow old.

the dead are on their way

2009-10-20T23:15:00.001-05:00

Village of White Tents

And they are headed toward a cemetery near you...if you believe. And if you don't, it's still a nice time to remember. Meanwhile, back here on earth, since the end of last week, vendors selling sugar treats and other goodies have been setting up in their village of white tents at Plaza Civica. Mexican families are preparing their offerings or ofrendas for the Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, a day and night to spend time with the departed. It's a very special, loving and festive tradition. As we get closer to the day, on November 1st and 2nd, I will be posting other images and impressions. In the meantime, check out a short video on YouTube here

Sweet Sugar Sheep Waiting for the Big Day

i'm no stool pigeon

2009-10-19T20:41:00.004-05:00

I don't know Pedro. Should we fly over to Dolores or go to the Artisan's Market?

Where is she going in such a hurry? Must be late for Miguel's Spanish class at the Universidad.

What's a stool pigeon? I asked myself this question because I am posting pigeon pictures. If you want to know, go to this link for the answer.Meanwhile today get into the hearts and minds of some of San Miguel's pigeons.

huh?

2009-10-19T00:46:00.003-05:00

Nothin' much. And you?
(If you click on my nose you can see me larger.)

a moth brings a message

2009-10-17T01:03:00.003-05:00

Toward the end of our dinner at the little Thai restaurant, a moth made its appearance. What did it mean? Someone said,"It must be a sign." Maybe so. Here's a clue:"Between our birth and death we may touch understanding, As a moth brushes a window with its wing." Christopher Fry, British Playwright

fellini move over

2009-10-15T23:45:00.015-05:00

If our little community in the sky has a cherished wise and wonderful elder, it is our dear Rachel (see her YouTube here)
She made sure this birthday would not go by without a proper celebration. And so the festivities began at sunset on her beloved rooftop overlooking the neighborhood church in Colonia San Antonio.While we were basking in its glow, Vivian, who shares this same birth date, commented, " If I were to see this view in a travel magazine, I would think to myself: 'I have to go to there. It's so beautiful'." We knew what she meant. We all felt so privileged to be caught up in this surreal splendor. Fellini could not have done it better.

end of the birthday

2009-10-15T01:29:00.003-05:00

As my birthday dinner drew to a close, I photographed outside the window of the little Thai restaurant where we were celebrating. This is what Quebrada looked like at that hour. Seeing it on the screen, it seemed to possess that mysterious sense of loneliness that lives in the work of Edward Hopper.

today is my birthday

2009-10-14T08:21:00.005-05:00

I felt a festive photograph to celebrate my birthday would be appropriate. This one was shot last year during the Fiesta of San Miguel. Since we are surrounded here by so many santos and icons, I was curious to discover the Saint of the Day.He is St. Callistus I, but his story is so confusing, I thought it would be best to just skip it. However, if you ever want to know on your birthday which one is Saint of the Day, you can find the answer here.

backfile: mineral de pozos

2009-10-13T23:14:00.002-05:00

Back in July, I went with my friend M.C. to the old mining town of Mineral de Pozos. We took a tour of the now abandoned ruins, filled with texture and the presence of another time. Many Indians lost their lives back then in the unbelievably deep shafts. The town is slowly reviving with new small boutique hotels, galleries and shops.

Remains of the Day I

Remains of the Day II

backfile: a fair visit II

2009-10-12T17:45:00.006-05:00

Playing for Jesus

What caught my eye at the fair were the juxtapositions like those pictured here of the sacred and "profane." . It is these seeming incongruities which give the Mexican culture its overwhelming richnesss and color.

A Tale of Two Women

backfile: a fair visit

2009-10-11T20:29:00.007-05:00

Just as the city prepares to celebrate the huge festival of its partron saint, Archangel San Miguel, and the Jewish Community is in the midst of the High Holy Days, just to keep things hopping, the fair comes to town for a week or so. It's carnival atmosphere calls to those of us who love the surreal ambiance of so many Mexican events.

Kids on Bungee Cables
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Our Lady Anchored by Mexcal

backfile: tuesday market visit

2009-10-11T14:43:00.012-05:00

Our Lady of Guadalupe is everywhere at all times.

While ideas for this blog have been fermenting, I have been shooting lots of photographs. For the next few days, I’ll be posting backfiles of various fiestas and meanderings around the town. Today…a visit to the Tuesday market.

this story begins with a bug

2009-10-11T01:11:00.000-05:00

On Rosh Hashonah, the Jewish New Year, here in San Miguel we held an outdoor service at the glorious botanical garden at the top of town. Right before the service started, a most amazing looking insect landed right on the cover of my prayer book. Then it sat on my knee for a long while and then moved onto my arm, shoulder and finally hopped off on to the person behind me. Later as we prepared to stand in a circle, the bug leaped into the middle. Fearing she/he would be crushed. I ran into the center, picked it up and released it into the air. As it prepared to fly, it opened its wings and I was greeted with the vision of the fiery orange color on the underside of its wings.