fahim mohammed
Well-known member
Robert, I agree with Asher. I also find these three images the best so far of the series. IMHO, of course.
I really do prefer people to empty landscapes, however excellent they might be.
Thanks for sharing.
-
Please use real names.
Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed
Firstname Lastname
Register
We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know! -
Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!
Lookout - here I come : Nicaragua 2012/2013
- Thread starter Robert Watcher
- Start date
Robert, I agree with Asher. I also find these three images the best so far of the series. IMHO, of course.
I really do prefer people to empty landscapes, however excellent they might be.
Thanks for sharing.
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
The internet was off from Monday evening until late last night - so this situation is a day late. However Monday evening after Anne and I were at the ocean for some R&R - we went to Antonino's Pizza in Leon, where we had visited a week or so after arriving in Nicaragua 4 weeks ago.
On that first visit, I asked our server Arely is I could take a photo of her as she delivered the pizza to our table. On returning on Monday to deliver the print, it turned out that she wasn't there. I asked the women at the counter if they would deliver the print to Arely. They agreed and smiled and chattered as they passed the photo between themselves. This is the post Anne did about our visit and it includes the image of Arely - http://asifweknow.com/index.php?pg=1&jdb=nic2012&postnum=13
By the next morning (yesterday), we found out that Arely had found and commented on my Facebook Like page ( http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=376496422444012&set=a.376403815786606.91757.111356238958033&type=1&theater¬if_t=photo_comment ) and as well had sent Anne and I an email providing us with her email address - noting that she remembered serving both me and my wife - asking that we not forget her - and thanking us for the photo and letting me know that my work is very professional.
Boy oh Boy - - - talk about satisfaction. The simplest things can mean so much to people down here. What a humbling exercise this is for my wife and I. And isn't the web great for being able to connect with people this way.
-----
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
LATE AFTERNOON BEACH
A few images at the Ocean on Monday afternoon as the sun was setting.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #64
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #65
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #66
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #67
A few images at the Ocean on Monday afternoon as the sun was setting.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #64
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #65
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #66
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #67
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #68
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #69
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #70
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #71
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #66
Robert,
Fabulous picture of a boy with no cares, just playing and no idea of the world beyond!
This is wonderful! Did you go into the water yourself? What about your "stuff". How do you manage not to lose things? I can see getting really distracted? Where is your car during this time? It would seem that there's a risk of your car being broken into and your cameras and computer being stolen? How do you manage the security?
Asher
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Yes - both Anne and I head into the water and have the waves splash over us. There are a few local restaurants along the beach where you can make use of their tables under an overhang - to sit under while there for the day. They just require that you purchase a drink, which is pretty cheap entry as well as allows you to catch a nice breeze without being in the sun all of the time.
Anne and I take turns being in the water. So one of us is always with our stuff - although this series of images was taken later in the afternoon when the sun was getting lower, and so we were walking together with my gear in my shoulder backpack.
Neither Anne or I are ones that really lose anything. There is a place for everything and everything we need for any particular situation is with us in a bag that we each carry. The rest stays at our home. All homes down here have locked metal gates around them and are pretty secure.
We don't have a car down here. We travel like the locals, using the very good - albeit crude - bus system. We can easily get anywhere in the country for very little money. As an example, for the 40 minute ride to the beach near us - - - we first get a camionetta from downtown to a suburb on the edge of town where the bus is at the market. That costs us about 15 cents USD each. Then the bus ride costs us around 55 cents USD each. With gas prices in Nicaragua being about the same as they are in Canada ($6.00 or so a gallon), we save money just on gas costs alone let alone the cost and hassle of maintaining a car and worrying about finding parking or security.
While at the beach, a pop (soda) at the restaurant that allows us to use their facilities is a tad over a dollar for each of us - with a beer being slightly less. While we could purchase a car for a bit more ease of getting place to place, we choose not to have the extra hassle. Many days consist of our walking anywhere from 4 up to 10 miles throughout the day. Tough on old people, especially in such crazy heat - but it gets us into shape.
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
It is so bizarre being at the meat counter of the grocery store and seeing women load up their shopping carts with what must be hundreds of pounds of chicken breasts. This woman (the one with her fingers on the glass), was only in the middle of her purchase as she went on to add several 2 foot long strips of beef and pork tenderloins onto the top of this mound of chicken.
Why is this so common? well as you walk around every street in the city of Leon, you may find one or two houses on almost every block, where there are a few chairs set up around a couple of tables on a concrete pad in front - with a half steel barrel or wire rim set up as a barbecue - - - sometimes they will just set all of this up at a free corner on the street.
The offerings are either a huge chicken breast with wing attached, a strip of pork or a strip of beef served along with some rice, cabbage salad and a tortilla. Cost is around 50 to 60 cordobas (around $2 USD) and those vendors go through a lot of meat serving up locals that frequent them. Obviously the main superstores are set up to provide large amounts of meat to them - and probably at a discounted price.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #72
Why is this so common? well as you walk around every street in the city of Leon, you may find one or two houses on almost every block, where there are a few chairs set up around a couple of tables on a concrete pad in front - with a half steel barrel or wire rim set up as a barbecue - - - sometimes they will just set all of this up at a free corner on the street.
The offerings are either a huge chicken breast with wing attached, a strip of pork or a strip of beef served along with some rice, cabbage salad and a tortilla. Cost is around 50 to 60 cordobas (around $2 USD) and those vendors go through a lot of meat serving up locals that frequent them. Obviously the main superstores are set up to provide large amounts of meat to them - and probably at a discounted price.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #72
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
So related to the post above, here is one of the places to buy "Asado" throughout the city - where they go through a huge amount of meat for each meal. There are bigger more packed ones where there may be 50 plates to be made before you get your order - as well as small ones in front of homes that may serve 5 or 10 people at a time.
Prices are consistent at $50 cords ($2.08 USD) for a beef (rez) or pork (cerod) meal and 60 cords ($2.50 USD) for a chicken (pollo) meal - all marinated in plastic containers and cooked on a wood fired barbecue for great flavour. This was on the corner of a street with some tables and a tent flowing into the street where cars drive. We received our meal after about half hour from pacing the order.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #73
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #74
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #75
Prices are consistent at $50 cords ($2.08 USD) for a beef (rez) or pork (cerod) meal and 60 cords ($2.50 USD) for a chicken (pollo) meal - all marinated in plastic containers and cooked on a wood fired barbecue for great flavour. This was on the corner of a street with some tables and a tent flowing into the street where cars drive. We received our meal after about half hour from pacing the order.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #73
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #74
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #75
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #73
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #74
So are there MacDonalds too? I'd imagine that's it's hard to compete with these local cooks!
It's good to know that there's enough food for the folks there.
Asher
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Possibly there is one in the capital city of Managua - - - but I haven't seen any "name brand" fast food places anywhere that I have been in the last 2 years. I know that when we were in the more developed Costa Rica, there was MacDonalds and Taco Bell and others. People we know that were just in El Salvador to the north of Nicaragua, saw MacDonalds there.
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Between the Lines
Main intersection in Leon - all of the electric wires got pulled down onto the streets and dangling at eye level. People and cars just kept on with business. Anne and I had to walk past a few wires that were within inches of our head - in order to continue down the street. No-one had any idea whether they were live or not as they squirmed, flinched and squinted their eyes while passing under or over.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #99
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #100
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #101
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #102
Main intersection in Leon - all of the electric wires got pulled down onto the streets and dangling at eye level. People and cars just kept on with business. Anne and I had to walk past a few wires that were within inches of our head - in order to continue down the street. No-one had any idea whether they were live or not as they squirmed, flinched and squinted their eyes while passing under or over.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #99
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #100
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #101
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #102
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #99
Very frightening! but it's amazing how people get by without maintenance of the utilities and just repair things as need be! Surprisingly economical way of running a city. Here, in the more affluent areas of California, the roads can be repaved simply as it's on the schedule and it's a crying shame to see such waste. Still, with electric cables, this can be a disaster especially when it rains!
I was wondering what the guy was doing with the electric fan! I though, that pretty funny, air conditioning on a bicycle!
Asher
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #100
Robert,
This is better conceived as an image. I like this composition. I hope you will do more where you carefully weigh the elements. Of course, some like the guy on the bicycle above, tell a story and you have to "get" the picture before it's history or else you have no story.
This composed picture is still more interesting in the long run as it is not about things going wrong but the way of life.
Asher
Maggie Terlecki
Moderator
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #100
Robert,
This is better conceived as an image. I like this composition. I hope you will do more where you carefully weigh the elements. Of course, some like the guy on the bicycle above, tell a story and you have to "get" the picture before it's history or else you have no story.
This composed picture is still more interesting in the long run as it is not about things going wrong but the way of life.
Asher
I disagree about the composition on this one. It's not that I hate it, but find it weird as it has the parasols over their heads and look like they are under them, and the direction they are taking makes it look like the will ram into the wall. Perhaps if taken with a wider aperture and the background not as distinct, they would be more appreciated by me. As is, I appreciate the scene, but not for its compositional structure in the picture.
fahim mohammed
Well-known member
Robert, thank you for bringing us the way of life in distant lands, those that I might never visit.
As to composition...to me it depends on the intentions of a photograph. It is different to photograph flowers, plants and such like where one has the luxury to arrange, choose the best view point etc.
And then there is the street. The pj. The happening. It is there for a brief period and then gone. No one
shall ever capture that particular moment again..ever. That is a different kind of photography.
" To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy..."
Guess who might have said this.
Thanks for sharing.
As to composition...to me it depends on the intentions of a photograph. It is different to photograph flowers, plants and such like where one has the luxury to arrange, choose the best view point etc.
And then there is the street. The pj. The happening. It is there for a brief period and then gone. No one
shall ever capture that particular moment again..ever. That is a different kind of photography.
" To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy..."
Guess who might have said this.
Thanks for sharing.
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Thank you all for your thoughts. This last series of images is strictly a situation that I came across where I was limited to my compact carry around camera with standard lens - I was restricted on where I could shoot from - and capturing a few things that were taking place rather quickly at the intersection.
In the case of the shot with the horse, it and the cart were beside me waiting, when all of a sudden the driver started whipping the horse as it resisted going through the mangled wires. As he went through, he grabbed the wires to push them out of the way. Composition, angle of view, focal length that I could use - were all secondary to my capturing the moment.
You may notice that I have decided to change the crop from what you viewed when commenting on the image. This tighter crop - while not including as much information - focuses more on my intent, that being the man pushing the wire out of the way.
In the case of the shot with the horse, it and the cart were beside me waiting, when all of a sudden the driver started whipping the horse as it resisted going through the mangled wires. As he went through, he grabbed the wires to push them out of the way. Composition, angle of view, focal length that I could use - were all secondary to my capturing the moment.
You may notice that I have decided to change the crop from what you viewed when commenting on the image. This tighter crop - while not including as much information - focuses more on my intent, that being the man pushing the wire out of the way.
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Volcano Eruption in the News
A photographer on a photo forum, mentioned to me last night that he "saw on the news that a volcano is erupting at present in Nicaragua, hope its not close to your location."
Well it turns out that it is pretty close at around 10 miles. It is easily viewable from Leon. I wasn't aware there were new explosions over the last couple of days. In the afternoon while having a snooze, Anne and I noticed a lot of uncharacteristic noise on our tin roof.
At one point I felt the thick concrete wall of our bedroom sound like it was hit with a sledge hammer. I wondered if it was an earthquake - - - and it appears that now I have checked news reports, that there have been several explosions and tremors at this time. I'll have to check to the north in the morning if I am able to - to see what activity is going on at the volcano.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20848465
This is a shot I took of San Cristobal Volcano a couple of weeks ago in a field at the north end of the city and below it, one taken a week ago from a rooftop in Leon when haze and clouds were heavy over the volcano:
A photographer on a photo forum, mentioned to me last night that he "saw on the news that a volcano is erupting at present in Nicaragua, hope its not close to your location."
Well it turns out that it is pretty close at around 10 miles. It is easily viewable from Leon. I wasn't aware there were new explosions over the last couple of days. In the afternoon while having a snooze, Anne and I noticed a lot of uncharacteristic noise on our tin roof.
At one point I felt the thick concrete wall of our bedroom sound like it was hit with a sledge hammer. I wondered if it was an earthquake - - - and it appears that now I have checked news reports, that there have been several explosions and tremors at this time. I'll have to check to the north in the morning if I am able to - to see what activity is going on at the volcano.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20848465
This is a shot I took of San Cristobal Volcano a couple of weeks ago in a field at the north end of the city and below it, one taken a week ago from a rooftop in Leon when haze and clouds were heavy over the volcano:
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #100
Robert,
This is better conceived as an image. I like this composition. I hope you will do more where you carefully weigh the elements. Of course, some like the guy on the bicycle above, tell a story and you have to "get" the picture before it's history or else you have no story.
This composed picture is still more interesting in the long run as it is not about things going wrong but the way of life.
Asher
I do have to say that my intention was never to have each photo in this set, isolated from the others. The group of them work better in telling the story of what I saw so as to give as well rounded a viewing of the scenario as possible. It is impossible with any one photo to imagine what the scene was like in my view.
-----
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Another image that I took with the fallen wire series - - - but that shows different points of interest amongst the confusing backdrop. There was commotion with this truck trying to get through the intersection. It drew the attention of a close-by shotgun wielding security guard - the attention of the money changer on the far side of the street and the national policeman standing beside him - as well as the fellow standing in the middle of the street on the left side, that goes back and forth washing the windows of cars and cabs.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #103
------
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #103
------
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Oh - it doesn't matter to me how one views them - - - in fact it is sometimes interesting to hear how you or others see specific images. With what I said, I was just stating my intention when processing and posting the shots. Don't worry about it though.
-------
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Artist Outside Hospital
I found this visually stimulating with the Aqua and Green colours of the mans clothes supporting the colour pallet of paints containing similar tonality and the mirrored greens on the bottom of the canvas - - - falling back into the warm amber and red hues in the background.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #104
I found this visually stimulating with the Aqua and Green colours of the mans clothes supporting the colour pallet of paints containing similar tonality and the mirrored greens on the bottom of the canvas - - - falling back into the warm amber and red hues in the background.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #104
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Volcano Eruption in the News
A photographer on a photo forum, mentioned to me last night that he "saw on the news that a volcano is erupting at present in Nicaragua, hope its not close to your location."
Well it turns out that it is pretty close at around 10 miles. It is easily viewable from Leon. I wasn't aware there were new explosions over the last couple of days. In the afternoon while having a snooze, Anne and I noticed a lot of uncharacteristic noise on our tin roof.
At one point I felt the thick concrete wall of our bedroom sound like it was hit with a sledge hammer. I wondered if it was an earthquake - - - and it appears that now I have checked news reports, that there have been several explosions and tremors at this time. I'll have to check to the north in the morning if I am able to - to see what activity is going on at the volcano.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20848465
This is a shot I took of San Cristobal Volcano a couple of weeks ago in a field at the north end of the city and below it, one taken a week ago from a rooftop in Leon when haze and clouds were heavy over the volcano:
December 29'th 2012 : Anne and I finally got up to the north end of Leon where we headed back into a secluded field for a perfect view of any activity there is at San Cristobal Volcano just 3 days after it erupted 15 times during the day and caused earth tremors felt in Leon. The ash cloud appeared to have subsided somewhat.
This time I had my big camera with 150mm to 600mm equivalent focal length zoom lens - giving me this great view of the peak as well as an overview that shows the column of ash trailing off to the west. At 100% there are many hunks of debris being hurled out the top amongst the ash. From past experience at Costa Rica's Arenal volcano - we became aware that these pieces can be the size of refrigerators to the size of small cars being blown out the top.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #105
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #106
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
STREET TRADESMEN
I noticed Ivan examining a television circuit board on the side of the street - and went back to him, asking to take a photo of him working. He proceeded to pick up his soldering iron and go to work and asked if I wanted him to look at me or at what he was doing. I took a nice portrait at the end, to take back to him.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #109
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #110
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #111
I noticed Ivan examining a television circuit board on the side of the street - and went back to him, asking to take a photo of him working. He proceeded to pick up his soldering iron and go to work and asked if I wanted him to look at me or at what he was doing. I took a nice portrait at the end, to take back to him.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #109
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #110
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #111
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Juan was busy fixing shoes alongside the busy streets near the Terminal Market. I took a nice portrait at the end, to take back to him.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #112
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #113
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #114
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #112
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #113
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #114
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
THE ARTS
While visiting a cultural centre in Leon, I peeked into a room where a sign was posted that lessons were in session. I walked in and started shooting the classical guitar instructional class - first with an overview shot and then going in close and listening to each student as they practiced. The instructor paid no attention to me and kept on teaching even when I turned my camera on him as he worked one on one with one of his young students.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #115
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #116
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #117
While visiting a cultural centre in Leon, I peeked into a room where a sign was posted that lessons were in session. I walked in and started shooting the classical guitar instructional class - first with an overview shot and then going in close and listening to each student as they practiced. The instructor paid no attention to me and kept on teaching even when I turned my camera on him as he worked one on one with one of his young students.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #115
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #116
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #117
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #118
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #119
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
Oblivious Child
Although I was standing probably no more than 3 or 4 feet away from this young fellow - while shooting with a 28mm equivalent focal length - - - his attention on the market vendors in front of him, was unwavering. What first caught my attention so as to lift my camera, was the piece of paper in his mouth.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #120
Although I was standing probably no more than 3 or 4 feet away from this young fellow - while shooting with a 28mm equivalent focal length - - - his attention on the market vendors in front of him, was unwavering. What first caught my attention so as to lift my camera, was the piece of paper in his mouth.
Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #120
Robert Watcher
Well-known member
A Wonderful Email This Morning
I mean I am used to friends and photographers following our Travel Virgins Journal at www.asifweknow.com and am used to getting emails from them . . .
. . . but what is happening more and more is that locals and people just interested in Nicaragua in general, are finding our Journal and the emails I get from them sometimes really touch me.
Such is the case this morning where I received this message through our Contact Us webpage:
Of course I was curious as to who her grandma was and if she lived in Nicaragua as well. On getting home just now, I got her response:
This year I changed the copyright notice that I make on the bottom right front of the prints I deliver - from ©2012 www.robertwatcher.com - - - to ©2012 www.asifweknow.com. This has been a smart move as people are finding the site and photos of people they know and family. I am loving the positive response and the pride they are feeling by being a part of our online Travel Virgins Journal. I am also so proud that people are finding the way that we are presenting them - to be a favourable thing.
------
I mean I am used to friends and photographers following our Travel Virgins Journal at www.asifweknow.com and am used to getting emails from them . . .
. . . but what is happening more and more is that locals and people just interested in Nicaragua in general, are finding our Journal and the emails I get from them sometimes really touch me.
Such is the case this morning where I received this message through our Contact Us webpage:
Of course I was curious as to who her grandma was and if she lived in Nicaragua as well. On getting home just now, I got her response:
Here is the woman's grandma in the photo she was referring to
This year I changed the copyright notice that I make on the bottom right front of the prints I deliver - from ©2012 www.robertwatcher.com - - - to ©2012 www.asifweknow.com. This has been a smart move as people are finding the site and photos of people they know and family. I am loving the positive response and the pride they are feeling by being a part of our online Travel Virgins Journal. I am also so proud that people are finding the way that we are presenting them - to be a favourable thing.
------