Torment and Passion Gallery
Oaxaca, Mexico 2006
® Barbara Peacock
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.’ Marcel Proust
Our ‘passion’ for photography brought us collectively to Oaxaca, a beautiful new landscape that held unforeseen obstacles and challenges. All five of us experienced difficulty in achieving our photographic goals. Yet, along with Ernesto we would have experiences and discoveries so rich that the journey itself began to slowly provide the new eyes. It was as if there was much more to learn from the actual journey than the initial goal.
In life we are sent many gifts, often it is just a matter of being open and ready to recognize them for reasons unknown. I was given such a gift sitting in a beautiful church where I was brought to tears, to my knees with the mere beauty of the place, the music and the gentle, prideful faces of the people. No light, no subject could have been more beautiful. So moved I stared in awe as tears streamed down my face. For once, my camera could not do this subject justice. I learned in that instant that some moments are beyond photographs, beyond words. They are meant to enlighten your soul, to be held in your heart forever.
Another gift was the closeness we shared as a group, the joy, laughter, accomplishments and the tears. Our bond became so special that we hope to be together again for another workshop.
Perhaps the biggest gift is Ernesto. He is a rare jewel. His knowledge, generosity and devotion are endless. I know it to be true that it is never the land traveled to that is important, it is the teacher. For this teacher I would travel anywhere. I thank him for my new eyes, which grow a bit each workshop. Barbara Peacock
® Bill Truslow
When I came to Oaxaca I was stuck in visual rut from years of shooting corporate photography. Besides being an excellent photographer, Ernesto is a great teacher who was able to push me away from my bad habits, reminding me of things that I had forgotten and teaching me new ways of looking at pictures. He has the ability to go right to the heart of photograph and articulate what works and what doesn’t. The workshop was conducted in a non-competitive atmosphere where everyone (including Ernesto) shared their work and we all learned from and encouraged each other. I can easily give Ernesto the highest endorsement possible. I’ll do it again. Bill Truslow
® Giorgio Negro
A difficult workshop, very challenging. To the limits of my photographic capabilities (which are rather modest, I know, I know…). Why? It wasn’t easy or painless to understand the reasons while I was wandering through the days and my photographic failures. The approach was wrong. The presumptuous assumption that a beautiful shot is essentially a technical exploit. The arrogant expectation that the rest of the world is there just for me, with the obligation to submit itself to this aesthetic exercise of mine. All that made me forget about whom I had in front of me.
But they, the Mexicans, reminded me of it. Women, men, children from a world and a culture to which I do not belong, made me understand that I hadn’t the right NOT to respect them. They taught me, through their dignified hardness, of not being hard. They asked me, with their silent looks, to understand them and to not violate their world, empty of money but rich of history.
Really, photography is a long journey through the soul of the people. It’s a huge effort to learn not how to take, but how to give. Giorgio Negro
® Nancy Carbonaro
Oaxaca, Mexico was my second class with Ernesto. In this class of Torment and Passion, I could see how I was awakened, and transformed, into a new way of Seeing. By being open to my vision that was challenged daily, by being willing to accept Ernesto’s insights and coaching, and, by being accepting of the circumstances and conditions that we encountered, I saw how I had limited myself and my photography work prior to this workshop. I was exhausted, yet exhilarated and excited, after taking this course. It was at this workshop that I really got how much Ernesto cares about his students and his commitment to them. Ernesto has the ability to see what’s possible in each of his students’ work and bring that forth. He continuously took a stand for each student to push harder and create images that were not only good, but amazing.
With a class of only five students, we were able to create a very special bond between each member of the group. I loved how our group was so focused, supportive and caring of each other. And, how passionate everyone was about photography. There was such a sense of adventure and aliveness in everyone. It was such an amazing learning situation that I have never experienced in any other workshop. Nancy Carbonaro
® Willard Pate
Ever since I left Cuba (my sixth trip there and my eighth workshop with Ernesto) last June, I had been looking forward to the February workshop. At the last minute, however, we had to substitute Oaxaca, Mexico for Viñales. The challenge of photographing in Oaxaca was definitely the hardest challenge I have experienced as a photographer. The “goddess of photography” seemed to be hiding behind the clouds as roll after roll of film yielded no images. Even so, the experience was rewarding. I met some really fine new friends, ate wonderful food, explored a new culture, and finally came away with four images that are at least acceptable. Willard Pate
