Titanic 7
Iquitos, Peru 2010
The second workshop in Iquitos has gone well beyond a magnificent experience in one of the locations that I love the most in my constant wandering in Latin America. It has been the highest point of a friendship, of a rare encounter with both my old and new students, in particular with two of them: Frank Baudino who was celebrating his tenth workshop with me and the almost mythical Willard Pate who was celebrating her twentieth. I could write long pages on both. I’d only limit myself by saying that their appreciated presence in all these years has accompanied and it has heartened me along the path of the workshops that we have shared. I thank both for having been close and supportive of my work. In this last two years, I’ve tried to take a decent image of cats that are not my favorite animals to photograph (I adore dogs) but they are for Willard. Thus I took on the challenge in earnest, and I believe to have been able to take a decent photograph at least in one occasions. So I decided to surprise both of them giving them this photograph of mine printed beautifully on a 30×40 cm. on warmtone paper. That night at dinner in Lima we were even able to shoot a video of it. But let’s return to the workshop. Sophie and Linda Kay, two veterans of many workshops, were there as well, and so were Theo and Liz two young talented photographer that completed the group Titanic7. Iquitos welcomed us as always with its great joy, with the unstoppable flow of life that brings you back to when life was still life. Iquitos now is what Palermo used to be 60 years ago and how and how New York was 100 years ago. For this reason it fascinates me so much photographing in this city; for this I dream to return there and get lost in the Amazon as the ship’s captain Maqroll El Gaviero, the great character created by the great Colombian writer Alvaro Mutis.
Each student managed to capture unique moments of daily life in a personal and profound way. These special images are the result of these ten memorable days with my students. Bravi! I can’t wait to return next year.
EB
