rake

Dashing style while raking it in. Chetewy, aka "Chester", in action. Rarely seen at the table these past weeks sadly, the action is far quieter without his cries of "Come on petit pou!" and singing of "que bonito nimilito". His slashing style of play is as entertaining as the audio accompaniment.

MACOver

Art in Mexico seems an under-rated feature, lagging behind foreign appreciation for food, history, and kitsch (see Lucha Libre) - in no particular order. But the Zona MACO exhibit has become quite possible my favorite thing above all else here (despite the growing evidence that my preference is actually the food) gathering as it does an astonishing array of wonderful local artists and others from abroad in one champagne-studded place.

MACO is shorthand for the Mexico Contemporary Art exhibition, and it attracts artists, galleries, buyers, and fanciers from all over the world. Works from Dutch artists appear alongside others from Argentina, New York and, naturally, Mexico itself. It's a vibrant array of the bold, bizarre, and boisterous, and the people strolling the floor of the Centro Banamex during the exhibition are as varied and interesting as the art. I've put up a full gallery of shots on my web site at http://www.damofoto.com but here's a little sample to liven up the blog.

run!

This one definitely didn't come from Banksy but I thought it notable for the same reasons that Banky's work appeals to me. This was painted on a guard rail alongside the small bridge that connects Paddington to Darlinghurst in Sydney. As I ambled toward St. Vincents Hospital from Paddo, I was struck by the small silhouettes in such an incongruous place. I love the sense of movement in the figures as well as the shape of the woman in the pair, as she seems plucked straight out of North by Northwest or a similar classic thriller. The flecks of black paint above and around them seem haphazard - problems with the spray can? - but they also form a nice exclamation point above the couple, which seems wholly in keeping with the theme. Looks stenciled but may not have been, but anyway, I loved it and so it is added to my growing collection of street art. With the 5D Mk II and 24-105mm f/4.

africa or...?

Mexico. Really? River crocodiles in Jalisco. Really. A drive around the hotel here at Cuixmala can be a little,well, misleading. Deceptive. Zebras graze alongside hearty Eland and you half expect to see giraffe hove into view at any minute. River crocodiles bask with their mouths agape to regulate their temperature, as their cousins do in so many parts of Africa. It's frankly a little weird to be seeing all this on the western coast of Mexico but here they are, thanks to the eccentricities of British billionaires. The hotel here was once a private homestead with game roaming its 25,000 acres but now it caters to those seeking a true escape from the ordinary and its grounds are an enormous nature preserve. Although one thinks some of the local fauna isn't preserved for long around these specimens.

home is where you find it

Love this one. Especially the afternoon light and the really shallow depth of field, nicely isolating this Hermit Crab. It had been scurrying along the edge of a dune on the beach, and had gone defensive the moment I came within range with the 5D II and a 70-200mm f/2.8.

The eyes are also really captivating, as is the detail on the legs. I find these critters fascinating as they have such personality - at least in my mind - thanks to the shell they choose for their home. Some of the shells have a hole here and there, others are pristine and perfect. Some are colorful and stand out against the dunes, others are lighter and blend perfectly into the background. I guess the choice of a home and how we treat it are universal after all. Taken at Playa Escondida at Cuixmala, Jalisco.