Sean Duggan Blog

Cusco Riot Police, #2

Riot Police, Cuzco, Peru [pinhole photograph]

How to Have Interesting Experiences as a Photographer, TIP# 42: Go to a foreign country where you don't speak the language and take pinhole photographs of the riot police on a turbulent day of civil unrest.

Actually, although they eyed me and my tripod-mounted Holga pinhole camera with professional scrutiny, I was not taken into custody and hustled off to a dank interrogation room, there to reveal all manner of pinhole, toy camera and Photoshop secrets.

Later in the day I took a portrait of another group of police and they were quite cooperative and flattered. Hey, I guess that sort of attention is much better than the threat of being pelted with rocks and pieces of concrete (which did take place in other parts of the city that day).

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I am off to New England this morning to teach a week long class at the Maine Photographic Workshops. Sunday will be a blogging day off and new posts will resume on Monday or Tuesday.

Andes Internet Cafe

Internet Cafe, Ollantaytamboo, Peru [Canon 10D]

This was the sign leading to the internet cafe from where I ran my online classes in Photoshop for Photographers and Basic Digital Photography. Last year there was only this internet cafe in Ollantaytambo. This year there were a total of five.

Preparing Corn

Preparing Corn, Ollantaytambo, Peru [Canon 10D]

This image is comprised of two separate frames that were photographed specifically to display in this manner. I like working with diptychs and triptychs to portray a scene. It helps me to break out of the standard one photo method that is the usual way of photographing the world. Another photo of this woman, or rather, her hands, can be seen here.

NOTE: For the next several days (at least through Aug. 21st) posts will resume on a daily basis.

Bull Ring

Bull Ring, Ollantaytambo, Peru [Canon 10D]

Last year the bull ring in Ollantaytambo was just a simple, and in places, falling apart, stone wall to enclose the bull. When I returned this year they had upgraded their bull ring and added rings of stone seating.

Cusey's Arm

Cusey's Arm, Ollantaytambo, Peru [Canon 10D]
(click in the image to see a larger version)

This is a companion image to the previous post.

Cusey

Cusey, Ollantaytambo, Peru [Canon 10D]
(click in the image to see a larger version)

A Reminder: while I am off traveling updates will be posted every two days (more or less...)

Knife in the Wall

Knife in the Wall, Ollantaytambo, Peru [Canon 10D]
(click in the image to see a larger version)

At one of the houses we visited in Ollantaytambo, there was a knife stuck into the cracks between the stones in the wall...

I am off to Europe for several weeks so the frequency of posts may drop off a bit. I am pre-loading several images to show up every couple of days and I will have internet access while I am over there, but I am not sure how often I will be posting new images. Stay tuned...

Down the Stairs

Down the Stairs, Ollantaytambo, Peru [Canon 10D]

The Strange Case of the Puff Ball Lichens

Air Lichens - Maras, Peru [Canon 10D]
(click in the image for a larger version)

In the small town of Maras, Peru, many of the power lines have these strange puff ball lichens growing on them.

Allejandro

Allejandro; Ollantaytambo, Peru [Canon 10D]

Allejandro runs the restaurant where we ate on most nights (and even some lunches and breakfasts). It was the same last year... we usually ended up eating at Allejandro's place. Great food, relaxed atmosphere, good prices, and excellent pisco sours (the Peruvian cocktail).

Allejandro is from Chile and is a big, larger than life personality. The kind of chef who comes out from the kitchen with a drink in hand to greet the patrons with a laugh and a joke and see how they are enjoying their meals. He makes one of the best chicken sandwiches I have ever had. I am looking forward to having more of them when I go back next year!