Lost in Bahia
Salvador de Bahia, Brazil 2011
The intention was to get lost again in this extraordinary countryside and, at the same time, to continue discovering it, letting it reveal itself in front of our very eyes. I believe that we did manage to do exactly so by getting lost in magical places of a long-gone era; smoking cigars prepared by skilful hands as in the good old times; meeting simple people who love life. Willard was returning for her twenty-third workshop, her seventh in Bahia; Romain was here for his third workshop with me and his second in Bahia after the one in January in Chapada Diamantina. Chiara and Teresa instead were at their first meeting with me. We worked intensively, but we also enjoyed many moments of relaxation always accompanied by delicious food and the inevitable caipirinha, la moqueca con cervezinha bem geladinha and many pizza margherita with little cheese. Together we did all the editing of Willard’s animal series and of my Cuban black and white panoramic images eliminating quite a few, and doing so made us feel good, real good. All together we also helped the two newcomers to rapidly grow with long sessions of severe editing and by providing advise of various nature. Once again, almost by miracle, Chiara and Teresa, taking their first photographic steps, managed to make a big jump forward making complex, subtle and personal photographs. For Romain and Willard we will need to patiently wait a bit longer. Both of them prefer to abstain from easy enthusiasm, but I, who watched them at work, can say that some good surprises are in store. The discovery of new, uncharted lands will resume with the same enthusiasm in the upcoming December’s workshop. EB
