Amidst the coffee beans

Colima, or more specifically, the Hacienda San Antonio on its outskirts, is a photographer's paradise. It's hard to know just what to post from the pictures I've taken today, and we've only been here 10 hours. There's the steaming volcano, puffing out a steady vapor trail that's punctuated with a massive billow of cloud-like steam, appearing so suddenly in a perfectly blue sky. There's the hacienda itself, built 120 years ago by German settlers hoping to make a fortune from growing Aribca beans in a remote plantation. The post-dinner espresso I had tonight was a direct descendant of that dream. There are the grounds. The wildlife. The art. Even the fireplace glowing in front of me now, with a flue that tapers beautifully to the ceiling beams 18 feet above. But really, this one picture of Sylvie returning from the pool sums it up for me - the cool shadows within, the bright sun outside, the colors, the hints of the hacienda's past.

In the eye

No pic this time, just a link because I wanted to have this for my own future use as much as anyone reading my blog. This is a link to a New York Times-hosted discussion about photography during the previous presidency and I thought it was interesting to read insights from the photo editors who direct and support the White House press photographers. Personally, one photo from the past presidency that has always leapt to mind is of him looking out the window of Air Force One at the devastation of New Orleans. It touched a nerve. Of course, that was the point of selecting that photo to run (two versions are shown and discussed). However, after two decades of being in or working with the media, I should have really thought more about the image, why it was picked, how it was set up. I was surprised to see one of the photo editors agree with the White House view that landing the President in the disaster area would have diverted urgently-needed resources from the police and emergency services, which is of course fair enough. But again, as with "Mission Accomplished" or the shots of a solitary President returning to the Oval Office, you have to ask, what were his handlers thinking? 

Ninja Photoshopping

We had a couple of friends around for dinner last night and as I had been in the mood to get back to my Asian culinary ways, I chose some Indonesian and Malaysian dishes that are both straightforward to prepare and dynamite to taste. A little chocolate temptation from Ms. Lawson - she of the dark tresses and no-nonsense demeanor - and we had a proper menu. Left with a little time between course prep, I thought it would be fun to whip up a menu that would reflect the oriental roots of the meal, and so came up with the idea of the utensil-brandishing ninja. A half hour later, I had completed a quick shoot of myself clad in the closest thing to ninja attire I could find (my old Washington winter cycling kit) and was playing with the image in Lightroom and Photoshop. The fiery orange background came from OnOne's great PhotoFrame 4 plug-in, and the posterized look is the result of some Photoshop dabbling. I printed the resulting menu out as 6x4 prints on Velvet Fine Art paper and propped a couple on the table with little crocodile clip picture holders. I was asked to reproduce the maniacal look in the ninja's eyes while brandishing a soup spoon to entertain our guests' five-year-old, who delighted by duly taking cover. Great fun.

Willow & Leather

No, these are not the names of New Jersey exotic dancers (actually, no doubt they are, but not in this context), this time they refer to cricket, another one of my passions. 

As with my interest in photography, I've been able to indulge my love of the old game rather late thanks to our having come to Mexico. Nestled in the lee of a hillside in the city's northwest is a patch of ground that each Sunday afternoon trades the raucous bellowing of "Gol!!!!" for the plaintive cries of "catch!" and "howzat?!" The football players who trudge off the two soccer fields at the Reforma Athletic Club watch over their beers as their field is transformed into a cricket ground, replete with sight screens, boundary markers, and a rare real grass wicket that, while in need of a closer shave, would not look out of place in county England. Games are played usually in bright sunshine (unless the season is fresh or nearing an end, when downpours send cricketers scurrying) and end with beers under a new pavilion that looks a little like the drunken inspiration of a homesick Swiss architect. The games are tremendous fun, being a little dangerous (my count is the loss of a toenail, thumbnail, and an assortment of bruises) and filled with characters from India, Australia, England, Pakistan, Mexico and even the U.S. 

I've shot hundreds of pics at the games but this is one of my favorites. Tarun Sharma (responsible for my loss of aforementioned toenail) has just glanced a ball to the leg boundary and the shot captures the poise, grace and power with which he plays. Thankfully, for my team.

Modelita

The past few days had me prepping and shooting a fashion collection for a friend who imports from India. He needed a few large posters of his Spring outfits for a fashion expo in Guadalajara and so I went scouting around for models, locations, and a good printer with ultra-quick turnaround times. Having secured them all, the shoot took place in Chapultepec park (you can see the previous post for more on this little slice of DF) with an Aztec-themed fountain as the backdrop. Worked beautifully too, as the grey/brown of the stone really offset the Spring colors of the clothes and the faces of the models. Still, the whole shoot was upstaged by the perky daughter of the client, who happily pranced around like a model before going off to get her face painted. The shoot was truncated by the intervention of the local braided constabulary who took issue with the absence of a park permit. Oops. Always check the formalities, even (more so) in a public place.

El Lago Verde

Crossing the fluid insanity that is Paseo de la Reforma outside our apartment puts you into Chapultepec park, one of our favorite places in DF. As Sylvie remarked to me on a walk up to the old French castle in its midst, Chapultepec park can absorb tens of thousands of "Chilangos" and yet you can still walk through its flower-dotted avenues without feeling the press of humanity. There are couples snuggling safe from parental gaze, children having their faces painted, kung fu students bowing before their sensei, and even bullfighters dodging wheeled facsimiles of their foes. In a city and country pitied for the brutality of its crime, the only violence in the park is in lime-green color of the lake beneath the castle, which seems so choked with algae you could walk across it. 

Workhorse

Walking around the Penn Valley neighborhood of Philadelphia, home to Sylvie's parents, I spied this old Chevy pickup in someone's driveway. It was surprising to come across such a terrific relic of Detroit's heyday in quite an unlikely suburban setting. The light was just wonderful, and I loved the way it backlit the indicator light on the left fairing and the trees alongside the drive. The truck isn't a primped collector item for this owner obviously - the registration sticker in its window is valid until June 2009 and I can only guess how many miles are already on the speedo. I wonder if any of today's Chevy Impalas or Tahoes will be giving such solid service after four decades?

Indoor Fireworks

Welcome to 2009. We're beginning the new year in Philadelphia with Sylvie's family and we've awoken to a very chilly but beautifully bright morning. Certainly a great start to another year if you're into omens. As we headed toward the champagne toast last night, Sylvie's father, Jean-Marc, switched on the antique french light that takes pride of place in one corner of the family living room. It's an incredible piece, adorned as it is with faux gems in ornate settings. Who needs fireworks when you've got such a dazzling bit of lighting on hand? The good ol' 50mm at f/1.4 captures its warmth and presence nicely. Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful 2009, let's hope it's as bright and bejeweled.