A Dos Pasos Del Corazón: The Photographer Of Seville

I was impressed by this short documentary of Juan, who is a photographer in Seville (or Sevilla) who at the age of 85 years is still taking pictures at weddings, baptisms and communions. He has been practicing this profession since 1944.

The videography is by Sergio Caro  and Ernesto Villalba, and is a tribute to simplicity. I always advise simplicity in my multimedia classes, and to let the story be carried by the narrative. This video has all the ingredients of successul storytelling via narrative...it even includes faded old photographs as a way to introduce Juan's personal history. Unfortunately, there's no translation but I guess it's not too difficult to understand what is being said...more or less.

With that minor exception (seen through an English-speaking prism), this is a very well produced documentary.

It brings back my childhood memories of Monsieur Phillipe who walked the beaches in Alexandria, Egypt making pictures of families, children and friends. He used a twin-lens reflex camera, probably a Rolleiflex and would have the prints back in about 2 days.  Possibly Greek or Armenian, Monsieur Phillipe always wore a sweat stained Panama hat, leather sandals and knee-length white shorts. I recall he had extremely hairy legs, and his sandals threw sand whenever he walked on the beaches. He probably remained in Egypt until the late 60s.

What an interesting subject Monsieur Phillipe would make...in the same vein as Juan! I'd be interested to hear from anyone who may have know what happened to him.

Pamplona, The Drifters & Hemingway

Photo © Eloy Alonso-Reuters/Courtesy In Focus

The Atlantic magazine's wonderful photo blog In Focus is featuring 36 large photographs of The Running of The Bulls during the Festival of San Fermin which attracts thousands of visitors to Pamplona, Spain. Over the course of nine days, the festival hosts bullfights, a carnival, fireworks, and of course, the encierro, or "running of the bulls."

"I was so buzzed up by the adrenaline rush I got by reading of the running to evade the bulls, that I vowed to participate..."

I first heard of the Running of The Bulls through books. Like many of my generation, I came across it while in my late teens reading Hemmingway's The Sun Also Rises. I also recall it described in James Michener's The Drifters, an epic novel about youths who drift to Torremolinos, Pamplona, Southern Africa, Morroco, and Portugal. I was so buzzed up by the adrenaline rush I got by reading of the running to evade the bulls that I vowed to participate...much to the disbelief of my friends and peers in Cairo, who probably looked at each other behind my back and rolled their eyes (or whatever the expression was at that time).

Ah, well. I never ran in Pamplona...and never will.

For those interested, between 200 and 300 people are injured during the run every year, although most of these injuries are contusions.

I think the above photograph is remarkable...it was probably photographed using remote triggers,  strobe slaves and empty soda bottles (see photograph #21).

Chico Sanchez: The Way Of St. James

Photo © Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved

As readers of this blog probably know by now (on account of the many times I've featured his work), Chico Sanchez is a Spanish photojournalist based in Mexico City. He previously worked in Venezuela for six years with Reuters, EFE, EPA and various newspapers. He's currently a freelancer represented by Aurora Photos.

He recently documented his pilgrimage walk on The Way of St. James in an audio-slideshow. A mix of landscapes and travel photography, with ambient audio of steps, running water, interviews and narration. It's in Spanish but full sub-titles are included.

"I walked 290 kilometers in northern Spain for two weeks from Astorga to Santiago de Compostela. It's a pilgrimage, and one of the best experiences I've ever had." -Chico Sanchez

The Way of St. James or El Camino de Santiago, is the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle James are buried. It existed for over a thousand years, and was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times, together with Rome and Jerusalem.

For more information of The Way of St. James, Wikipedia has a informative write-up here.

Chico Sanchez: The Gastorenian Pipe

Chico Sanchez (who's a regular on The Travel Photographer's blog) has returned from Spain with a new audio-slideshow of the players and makers of the gastoreñian hornpipes. Most of you may be scratching your head as to what these are. I know I did...but after watching the The Gastorenian Pipe, you'll probably recognize it and its sound.

I did some research and learned that the gaita gastoreña is a type of hornpipe native to El Gastor, a region of Andalucia. The instrument consists of a reed, a wooden tube in its upper part, and a resonating bell of horn in its lower part. It's probably a dying tradition, and unless it's revived in some way, its practitioners and makers will eventually disappear.

Traditionally, the gaita gastoreña was played during the last months of the year only.