Nicaragua - Another Stint

[Robert Watcher]

I am story teller with my images - - - and feel that a collective of photographs from a project, compliments - compared to a single image of impact that I may produce from time to time. So I will post some current images in this post as I have done in previous years where I and others can find them more easily.


Ice Cream Vendor:

This fellow wandering around at the Nicaragua/Honduras border crossing, was very cooperative as I moved around him getting closeups and shots from different angles. I think that because he was so busy and there were many people around him - that I am fond of this shot that shows him in isolation, with some nice late in the day lighting:

 

[Robert Watcher]

I have always wanted to try a Continuous Ink Supply System for one of my printers at home in Canada --- but they were quite expensive, had to be ordered in from the United States in most cased, and required a printer conversion and setup that is more inline with the handy man that I am not. Many of the photos I saw showed clunky setups that required the printer lid to be open and tubes running all over the place. So I lost interest and for several years just haven't paid any attention to it.

I have never been interested in filling my cartridges by hand and so pay the full price for ink cartridges from Epson or Canon. And so while walking around the city of Leon, I was quite pleased to find this printer at a reasonable price of $100 USD. The nice thing is that the fellow had it all assembled for me and while Anne was paying, he ran a test print through it and guaranteed that all was working well. He told me that he stood behind the guarantee and that I could return anytime to have him work out any issues.

Not only was it set up, but the bottles were filled with ink for that price - and in Nicaragua tax is included. So all in all fully take home and print - $100. While the printer is a bit more than I would have spent normally for just my everyday print out requirements (the $35 Epson printer that I have been using stopped working yesterday) - - - the extra cost is minimal compared to the small fillup cost of 70 Cordobas (about $2.80) per ink bottle. Especially when I have been paying $15 per each of 4 cartridges for the last couple of years. The bottle has the quantity of many cartridges.

So this bottom end Canon iP2810 obviously isn't the printer that I would use for making my photographic prints. But for day to day printing it is more cost effective than a black and white laser printer. Although, if all goes well, I will probably be curious enough to find some pigment inks and fill the printer up with them.

If anything - it is a primer for me getting involved in CISS printing at whatever level of printer I want in the future. My ideal dream would be to have an older 4 or 6 ink printer converted to just Black ink sets for dedicated black and white, one using pigment inks for colour photography and another with cheap inks for general purpose paperwork.

We'll see if it works well now.

 

[Robert Watcher]

NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL SERVICE

The printer threw a #5100 paper jam error and refused to print. I hop in the taxi a bit after 4:00 PM and head to the centre of the city to the shop I bought the printer at.

Fortunately the printer did the same thing when he tried a test print. Next out was the screw driver with the whole printer pulled apart and he starts working on the cartridge area - trying to get as smooth a path as possible for the bulk ink lines. I guess with the small space available, everything has to be right for the bulk system to work properly.

Somehow the ink supply ribbon was slightly kinked, causing a blockage for the ink to pass - thus the error. I may have done that when I opened the front to look inside and see the workings. A bit after 5 PM and I'm back home set up and printing to my hearts content.

I just love the smarts, ingenuity and work ethic of the people of Nicaragua.

 

[Robert Watcher]

ONE SHOT WAS ALL I HAD AND ALL I NEEDED

This past Monday night we had a bonfire at the beach with a few friends. Lightening storms began to threaten our fun.

I attempted several long exposure images of 10 to 30 seconds - - - but the lightening made no real effect on the photo because it was all cloud lightening. This simply made the appearance of clouds that were better lit.

I went to a dark area where I faced the bonfire and tried to include an area of sky that had quite a bit of activity in the distance behind. Setting my camera on the stairs, I took several long exposure shots - - - but they were blurry from me pressing the shutter button.

My battery was near dead when I changed the camera to self timer and secured the camera on the hard ground as best I could. The exposure lasted 8 1/2 seconds, and a second before the shutter closed - a crack of lightning appeared in my frame.

It was the only lightning strike of the evening and I captured it. I excitedly showed the screen image to everyone and the battery died. My taxi showed up to take me back to the city, and the skies opened up drowning out the bonfire and sending everyone on their way.

 

[James Lemon]

I am story teller with my images - - - and feel that a collective of photographs from a project, compliments - compared to a single image of impact that I may produce from time to time. So I will post some current images in this post as I have done in previous years where I and others can find them more easily.


Ice Cream Vendor:

This fellow wandering around at the Nicaragua/Honduras border crossing, was very cooperative as I moved around him getting closeups and shots from different angles. I think that because he was so busy and there were many people around him - that I am fond of this shot that shows him in isolation, with some nice late in the day lighting:

Hello Rob
This is a real nice capture !

James

 

[Robert Watcher]

The cathdedral at central park, is the largest in Central America.

It is huge. A project began a year and a half ago to repaint it. The roof is near completion. Four men are doing all of the painting by hand.

I noticed this fellow was not wearing shoes. I was told that all have to work in bare feet so they don't scuff the white paint. Can you imagine how hot that gets when the sun is beating down at 34 degrees +.

There is the look of safety with the rope and harness gear - but the rope is simply flung over the top of the massive arched rooftop and secured by some weights on the other side.

Most important, are the face covering and dark side to side eye protection to keep the workers from going blind from the bright white exposure all day long.

​

 

[Robert Watcher]

Static and Motion

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[Robert Watcher]

Night Time Fritanga Stand

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[Robert Watcher]

I'm just always so fascinated by people in the doorways of homes here in Nicaragua. Even more so, smaller children.

After coming out of a Pulperia (small stores in homes) on our way home from Managua this afternoon, this scene stared me in the face in the home next door.

I turned my back and talked to Anne while I got my camera out and set up the way I wanted for shooting the scene - - - then I turned and just stood there in front of the girl, firing off 6 or 7 shots slowly as I looked down into the tilted screen on the back of the camera.

For some she looked at me wondering what I was doing, and a few others she just peered off to the side of me as if I wasn't there. I smiled at the little girl when I got the shots I wanted, and headed home.

 

[Robert Watcher]

"2 Doors Down"

I really liked the colours and character of this wall. While I have a shot taken with and without the man walking through - - - my preference is almost always to include the human interest element as I have done here.

 

[Asher Kelman]

ONE SHOT WAS ALL I HAD AND ALL I NEEDED

This past Monday night we had a bonfire at the beach with a few friends. Lightening storms began to threaten our fun.

I attempted several long exposure images of 10 to 30 seconds - - - but the lightening made no real effect on the photo because it was all cloud lightening. This simply made the appearance of clouds that were better lit.

I went to a dark area where I faced the bonfire and tried to include an area of sky that had quite a bit of activity in the distance behind. Setting my camera on the stairs, I took several long exposure shots - - - but they were blurry from me pressing the shutter button.

My battery was near dead when I changed the camera to self timer and secured the camera on the hard ground as best I could. The exposure lasted 8 1/2 seconds, and a second before the shutter closed - a crack of lightning appeared in my frame.

It was the only lightning strike of the evening and I captured it. I excitedly showed the screen image to everyone and the battery died. My taxi showed up to take me back to the city, and the skies opened up drowning out the bonfire and sending everyone on their way.

Not often I'm jealous, but here I must admit I'm envious! Great shot, Rob. I have failed so many more times!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

Well thank you Asher.

 

[Robert Watcher]

Parque Merced - Late Night Surveillance

 

[Asher Kelman]

The cathdedral at central park, is the largest in Central America.

It is huge. A project began a year and a half ago to repaint it. The roof is near completion. Four men are doing all of the painting by hand.

I noticed this fellow was not wearing shoes. I was told that all have to work in bare feet so they don't scuff the white paint. Can you imagine how hot that gets when the sun is beating down at 34 degrees +.

There is the look of safety with the rope and harness gear - but the rope is simply flung over the top of the massive arched rooftop and secured by some weights on the other side.

Most important, are the face covering and dark side to side eye protection to keep the workers from going blind from the bright white exposure all day long.

​

Fascinating, Rob, how both pictures span spirituality of the past and pragmatics of the present. The danger to the worker in the top picture is palpable and the closeness of the couple in the second empathetic to the building with a space to the past and future that occupies their gaze.

Wonderful work!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

Fascinating, Rob, how both pictures span spirituality of the past and pragmatics of the present. The danger to the worker in the top picture is palpable and the closeness of the couple in the second empathetic to the building with a space to the past and future that occupies their gaze.

Wonderful work!

Asher

Very nice observation Asher. Thank you.

 

[Robert Watcher]

AMIGOS FOR LIFE

My wife and I were in a more rugged part of the city, purchasing some plants for our patio today. A couple of boys in the neighbourhood stood alongside a wall talking to each other and putting gel in their hair.

I talked for a few minutes asking their name and then took the first photo of the two of them. Before I know it, other boys are ripping up on their bikes and so I gathered a group of 4 around one of the bikes. They were having a blast as I held my camera quite high and shot down on them.

Once I got those shots and had them loosened up, I wanted a nice portrait and directed them into a pleasing composition around the bicycle. I asked if they were Amigos and the reaction was to put their arms around each other. The result is the wonderful last photograph.

​

 

[Robert Watcher]

DON'T MESS WITH THE ICE CREAM SHOP

God forbid the kid who gets caught stealing an Ice Cream bar. Sayonara!

 

[Robert Watcher]

ONE WALL - TWO LOOKS --- PINK

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[Bill McCarthy]

DON'T MESS WITH THE ICE CREAM SHOP

God forbid the kid who gets caught stealing an Ice Cream bar. Sayonara!

I really like this image, it keeps me very visually active. Great composition. Good job all around.

Best, Bill

 

[Asher Kelman]

ONE WALL - TWO LOOKS --- PINK

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Robert,

These are simple and classic! If you had a market maker for these pictures, you would be quite wealthy!

Asher

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Such a great set of images. Everytime you go back to Nicaragua, we share so much that we really get a sense of what life is like there. Awesome photographs,
Maggie

 

[Robert Watcher]

Decrepit Beauty

Walking to the store to pick up some groceries this evening, the day light was fading as I passed this worn out home with its weather beaten door loaded with character. Exposure was f2.8@1/30'th second at 3200 ISO.

 

[Robert Watcher]

Such a great set of images. Everytime you go back to Nicaragua, we share so much that we really get a sense of what life is like there. Awesome photographs,
Maggie

.

I appreciate you saying that Maggie. Thank you.

 

[Robert Watcher]

Wasted Opportunity

I hand a young boy on the street, my camera so he can take some pictures --- and he turns it on me . This reminded me of giving my grandson Mason my camera at a wedding when he was not very old. All pics were from a low angle shooting up and everyone leaning forward looking into the camera with relaxed and accommodating expressions that they would never have if an adult stuck a camera in their face.

 

[Robert Watcher]

"Signs Signs, Everywhere a Sign"

 

[Asher Kelman]

AMIGOS FOR LIFE

My wife and I were in a more rugged part of the city, purchasing some plants for our patio today. A couple of boys in the neighbourhood stood alongside a wall talking to each other and putting gel in their hair.

I talked for a few minutes asking their name and then took the first photo of the two of them. Before I know it, other boys are ripping up on their bikes and so I gathered a group of 4 around one of the bikes. They were having a blast as I held my camera quite high and shot down on them.

Once I got those shots and had them loosened up, I wanted a nice portrait and directed them into a pleasing composition around the bicycle. I asked if they were Amigos and the reaction was to put their arms around each other. The result is the wonderful last photograph.

​

Rob,

From the buildings the kids live besides, we'd think they're poor and unfortunate. However, here, we see the kaleidoscope of fortune in this town, allows for enough security and safety that kids can bond and enjoy each other and their childhood. This makes for such a wonderful element in their development. I wish they had scholastic, sport and creative opportunity too. Still, at the minimum, they are happy in their own small bubble of existence. Harshness will come later!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

WELCOME TO MY HOUSE


It isn't uncommon to see animals standing in people's doorways. And I don't mean cats and dogs - more pigs or ducks as was the case this morning when I took this shot in a small port community - where the duck was standing guarding the doorway and watching people go by on the street.

 

[Robert Watcher]

HANGING OUT THE BUS DOOR

 

[Antonio Correia]

The best images are... I mean, those I love most. The others are good but not as good as these !

 

[Robert Watcher]

Every day my wife and I pass by this couple as we are heading downtown or coming back home. They always notice us and give us a blessed greeting in Spanish.

I have seldom seen then so perfectly positioned on their bench as I noticed tonight as we passed by. What was strange is that they were preoccupied with something. I stopped some 20 to 30 feet on the other side of the street and rattled off 2 frames without them even noticing me.

I have never taken a photo of them or even make my camera visible around them, so it wouldn't be expected. Plus I use the tilt out screen of my black Olympus Pen and look down into it. Whatever the reason, I ended up with an absolutely perfect shot of how I see their life - day in and day out.