Dangerous Curves
Sacred Valley Cuzco, Peru 2002
“Dangerous Curves.” I imagine some of you would ask why we chose this name for our group. The reason is simple. We were impressed, to use an euphemism, of how Peruvian taxi drivers would approach hair-raising bends in the winding roads in the sacred valley surrounding Cuzco . I remember we were all pressing our feet up against the car’s floor looking for the imaginary brakes or looked the other way while watching with the corner of our eyes the daring drivers attempting to pass other vehicles in blind curves. If being at 3000 meters above sea level and having traveled back in time a century were not enough good reasons for a photographic adventure, their driving style did it for all of us.
Kidding aside, my first Peruvian workshop was a remarkable photographic experience and not only that. We felt privileged to photograph Peruvian farmers’ daily life and some of the most memorable religious feasts I’ve ever seen and photographed.
After an all day shooting, we were ready for some nurturing food. Our beds had never looked so inviting. We even found the time to relax in a hot spring resort for a full afternoon where the group picture was snapped.
The three intense editing days spent back in Lima did not prevent us to do some more shooting in the Peruvian capital and to savor some of its delicious food.
I felt proud of the images produced by my students (please check the Curvas Peligrosas group in the students’ gallery) and of my work taken with the Hasselblad X-Pan. You can also get a chance to see some of mine in the new section devoted to my panoramic work.
Hope you can join me this year for another unforgettable Peruvian experience. I promise you that this time we will get the safest drivers in the country. EB
