Out on the Streets after Seven Weeks

[Robert Watcher]

Out on the Streets after Seven Weeks

Except for a couple of shots that I took out of the airplane window 3 weeks ago, I just have not had the interest or energy to head out into the streets and take photos, for the past seven weeks.

I guess I just needed the break, because today I was eager to grab my camera around 4:30 - and head down to the market area for an hour of shooting while walking around 25 blocks. I had my Olympus E-M10 w/ 14-42 kit lens. Most of the time my camera is set to Shutter Speed priority with Auto ISO, so I can stop action while moving. Inside the market required Aperture priority to the ISO so it wasn’t always hitting 5,000-6,400.

 

[Robert Watcher]

 

[Robert Watcher]

 

[Robert Watcher]

 

[James Lemon]

Great shots Robert! Awesome colour and stories and I didn't notice any cell phones either? Is that a policeman with the riffle and no bullet proof vest?

 

[Robert Watcher]

Great shots Robert! Awesome colour and stories and I didn't notice any cell phones either? Is that a policeman with the riffle and no bullet proof vest?

Just one of the hundreds of local men hired as security guards for the local stores. They are paid a very small wage but get to do something that looks important and carry guns.

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[Robert Watcher]

 

[Asher Kelman]

Robert,

The markets seem to be overflowing with produce. How much of that comes from peasant holdings, solid big private farms or industrial agribusiness?

Such warm people.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

More fresh produce goods in plastic wrap than in a US health food store

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

Robert,

The markets seem to be overflowing with produce. How much of that comes from peasant holdings, solid big private farms or industrial agribusiness?

Such warm people.

Asher

It’s all imported - mostly from Guatemala.

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[Asher Kelman]

What is the local economy that can support such plentiful commerce? Where are the folk actually getting the money to buy all that produce?

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Good to see these pictures Robert.

 

[Robert Watcher]

 

[Robert Watcher]

 

[Asher Kelman]

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Perhaps in two of the pictures just one single person noticed your camera. How are you so invisible?
Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

Perhaps in two of the pictures just one single person noticed your camera. How are you so invisible?

Asher

?‍

 

[Asher Kelman]

​

The woman on the right, (in the first picture), and the one on the left, (in the second picture), might, perhaps, have noticed you aim your lens towards them.

In generally folk don’t seem to be disturbed by you!

A long lens from across the way, or happenstance?

Or you have a very surreptitious technique!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

View attachment 508View attachment 509

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The woman on the right, (in the first picture), and the one on the left, (in the second picture), might, perhaps, have noticed you aim your lens towards them.

In generally folk don’t seem to be disturbed by you!

A long lens from across the way, or happenstance?

Or you have a very surreptitious technique!

Asher

The top photo across street intersection, was taken with an 80mm equivalent focal length (40mm on EM10). The second picture with taxi cab is taken with a 28mm equivalent focal length (14mm on EM10).

I’m the only white guy in the city and my wife walking with me is the only white woman with pure white hair, in the city . I have no idea what my technique is.

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[Jerome Marot]

What is the local economy that can support such plentiful commerce? Where are the folk actually getting the money to buy all that produce?

Since nobody answered, I had a look here. The answer is Western Union.


El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita, with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income; about a third of all households receive these financial inflows. Remittances from Salvadorans living and working in the United States, sent to family members in El Salvador, are a major source of foreign income and offset the substantial trade deficit of $4.12 billion. Remittances have increased steadily in the last decade, and reached an all-time high of $3.32 billion in 2006 (an increase of 17% over the previous year).[69] approximately 16.2% of gross domestic product(GDP).

 

[Robert Watcher]

Since nobody answered, I had a look here. The answer is Western Union.


El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita, with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income; about a third of all households receive these financial inflows. Remittances from Salvadorans living and working in the United States, sent to family members in El Salvador, are a major source of foreign income and offset the substantial trade deficit of $4.12 billion. Remittances have increased steadily in the last decade, and reached an all-time high of $3.32 billion in 2006 (an increase of 17% over the previous year).[69] approximately 16.2% of gross domestic product(GDP).

I have no insight from personal experience, but I can believe that.

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[Asher Kelman]

We need to help build up local village based indigenous private but cooperative farming.

Also manufacturing perhaps from home natural grown plant materials!
Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

We need to help build up local village based indigenous private but cooperative farming.

Isn't that what most of humanity has been doing on this planet for the past 10 thousands years?

 

[Asher Kelman]

Isn't that what most of humanity has been doing on this planet for the past 10 thousands years?

Until the agricultural consequences of the industrial revolution. An example is that the villages and towns (in Roberts images above), are consuming fresh produce imported from neighboring countries, instead of growing it themselves!

Worse, “Big Agra” with giant holdings, is efficient, but can displace diverse Native crops and reduce the genetic pool to single insecticide-resistant variants sold only by big Agra business, even to small farms.

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

Until the agricultural consequences of the industrial revolution. An example is that the villages and towns (in Roberts images above), are consuming fresh produce imported from neighboring countries, instead of growing it themselves!

Worse, “Big Agra” with giant holdings, is efficient, but can displace diverse Native crops and reduce the genetic pool to single insecticide-resistant variants sold only by big Agra business, even to small farms.

You are certainly right, but this was not quite the question. The people in El Salvador, like the people everywhere else, most probably used to grow their own food less than a century ago. Presuming that we know better than them what they should do is not something I would consider. On the contrary, there must be some reason why they changed their ways. Unless that reason is reversed, they will not revert back to their old ways.

Just as a thought exercise, do you grow any food yourself, Asher? Living in Los Angeles, you are in a perfect climate for a wide range of produce. You have a garden and, even if local laws may frown upon large scale agriculture in residential dwellings, I doubt it is against the law to put a few large pots with tomatoes, strawberries or chillies like these ones:

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[Asher Kelman]

Jerome,

We know that the Salvadorians import their produce from Guatemala and simply put, its reasonable to assume its cheaper and in constant supply. That alone drives local producers out of business.

50% of the cash used to by food comes from remittances from relatives in the USA. So Subsidy of local grown crops could make local farmers competitive. Cooperative and government provided equipment and marketing could further help.

I cannot believe the differences in producing food in Guatemala is just better soil and climate, but of course I could be mistaken.

Usually it’s knowhow and organization and saving of scale.

We do grow grow herbs and lemons and avocados in our homes as they take little intervention. The amazing efficiency and incredible soil of huge farms here means that fresh vegetables here are like free fresh air from the ocean!

In a country like El Salvador, with little cash, it’s tragic to see money being put to food imports instead of building local productivity.

Now perhaps Salvadoran soil is no good? I will check!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

I suspect it has more to do with issues like this : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/landgrabs-central-america_b_586bf1a6e4b0eb58648abe1f

Local folk that I have talked to, say there used to be lots of small farmers, cotton and coffee farms throughout El Salvador, but big business bought up and government expropriated large amounts of land for the use of huge landowners. Today, virtually all usable farmland in El Salvador, is converted to the growing of Sugar Cane from what I have heard and what I see. The land is very productive and benefits from the same rich volcanic soil as Guatemala.

Grabbing of huge plots of land by wealthy businessmen, was similar in Guatemala, but the Mayan culture appears to be so strong that they resisted, banded together and started creating their own large cooperatives with large trucking firms and have maintained farming their produce in the mountains. The tactics in the past has led to a huge mistrust of foreigners among the Mayan communities in Guatemala. It was evident as I lived there for 3 years.

I don’t get involved in the social politics and ethics of the countries I have been living in. My choice is to get to know the locals for who they are, and photograph them in a favorable light - even though I am fully aware of their challenges. I have great respect for them.

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[Asher Kelman]

I admire your way of approaching your host country. I however, an living in a country, (like China and Russia), that projects its power. Yes, even peaceful Canada has internal conscience issues, but they are not obviously “colonial” like the brazen French, Belgians, Dutch, New Zealanders, Brits, Spanish and Portuguese!

It’s great and necessary for visiting foreigners to show utmost respect and graciousness, that I agree.

But we in the USA have to look to our values as well as our pocket books and ask why folk flee th home country they love for the USA?

What can we do to make the world a better place, without dictating policy everywhere?

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

I only express my empathy for families who have to depend on remittance from abroad. I respect their society and admire their heritage.

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

I suspect it has more to do with issues like this : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/landgrabs-central-america_b_586bf1a6e4b0eb58648abe1f

Local folk that I have talked to, say there used to be lots of small farmers, cotton and coffee farms throughout El Salvador, but big business bought up and government expropriated large amounts of land for the use of huge landowners. Today, virtually all usable farmland in El Salvador, is converted to the growing of Sugar Cane from what I have heard and what I see. The land is very productive and benefits from the same rich volcanic soil as Guatemala.

Grabbing of huge plots of land by wealthy businessmen, was similar in Guatemala, but the Mayan culture appears to be so strong that they resisted, banded together and started creating their own large cooperatives with large trucking firms and have maintained farming their produce in the mountains. The tactics in the past has led to a huge mistrust of foreigners among the Mayan communities in Guatemala. It was evident as I lived there for 3 years.

That is fascinating.

Basically, what you and the article are saying, is that agricultural land in El Salvador, was expropriated from small owners and converted to the production of export crops, e.g. sugar. If that is true, then one might wonder why the money from these export crops does not compensate for the food exports.

OTOH, the wikipedia article on El Salvador's economy states that export crops (sugar and coffee) amount to about 9% of the exports in value. This is a tree map of El Salvador's exports:

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[Asher Kelman]

Jerome,

When you say “compensate for”, who or what is being compensated?

The small farmers are already out of the picture.
Asher