Final transfers for the Luci!

Here are how the transfers for the Luciernaga finally turned out.  I wish that I had time to do more, and to do them better.  I'll continue to work on them in Tennessee - I want them bigger, I want them nicer, and I want more of them.  I know these are rough, and honestly, I'm only happy with them for the lessons that I learned in doing them.  They're not bad considering where I started from (only a vague notion of how to do the process, language and cultural barriers, not really having a workspace, being limited by available print and canvas sizes), but now it's time to take the process and the photos a bit further and do something that I can be proud of.

That being said, I've worked my ass off since July on these things, and I don't know how many I had to re-do.  But I've learned, and each one became better than the last, until I did the last 4 in a hurry (if every day was the day before a deadline, I would rule the world.  Unfortunately, I have no motivation every other day of the week).  But typical to how I work, I have some really good ones, and I have some well, not really good ones.

But everyone at the Luci was pleased with them (except the one of Victor "Oreja," they told me to take it back because they kicked him out for stealing the director's cell phone).  And I'm optimistic.  I love these guys - I want to do them the justice that they deserve and create something beautiful for them.














                            Miguel

Ramon

Yesica, Sofi, Pablo

Julio

Chicha and her son

Emmanuel "Puro"

Yionni

Victor "Oreja"

Gula

Yiyo

Pepe

Guachín

Gonzalo

Franko

Transfer update

Other obligations in the US have cut short the time that I have left here in Argentina.  Well, for this trip at least.  But what that means is that I have a lot less time to finish up the transfers than I originally thought I would.  But if I learned anything in college, it's that I do my best work under pressure, and that things magically get finished on time (although it's usually during these times that sleep becomes a luxury).  So I'm kicking this transfer project into warp speed, and I'm not leaving until I finish.  

I scrapped the two transfers that I already had - the one of Ana and the one of Juani from the previous post.  I want to keep the project strictly focused on the canillitas (I already have way too many to do, it's crazy to try to include their kids).  And I don't really like that photo of Juani - the light's nice and it's in focus, but the composition isn't as strong as in some of my other photos.

So here are the first three that I have that I'm definitely using. 

Gula

Pepe

Gonzalo

Photo transfers, cont'd

Here's what's coming out of the photo transfers that I've been working on.

Finally I've found everything that I need, and gotten a technique pretty much down.  I'm cool with where the tearing happens - it doesn't detract.  I've gotta find some frames or paint the edges or do something to finish them off a bit.

It's a huuuge step forward from where I was.  

And each one is better than the last.

photo course

I enrolled in an 8-week photo course in an art school here in the center, to learn photography in Spanish, meet people, and most importantly, receive criticism again.  And it worked, I've had a great time, met some really cool people, learned the terminology in Spanish, and well, I think my work has improved.

We had an excursion a few weekends ago to the estancia of one of the profesor's friends

cactus...

   

people...

Pulling Teeth: La Campaña Para Arreglar Los Dientes

I've been haunted by this recurring dream that began about six years ago.  I'm walking down the sidewalk, and suddenly I trip, smashing my face on the concrete.  Shards of tooth go flying in every direction, and I'm swallowed whole by what can only be described as screaming waves in technicolor.  And all that I can think of is, "please don't make me get braces again…"

So when I accompanied some of the guys from the Luciérnaga to the dentist to take photographs of the new dentistry campaign, I could empathize.

For the past two or three months, the Luciérnaga and the Universidad Católica de Córdoba have come together to begin a campaign to fix the teeth of the chicos.  The vast majority of the guys have never received any form of dental care, and this is evident in some more than others.  The campaign includes removing problem teeth and growths, filling cavities, and creating prostheses for those that need them.  Every Friday and Saturday four or five of them go in at a time for the dental students to practice.  It's a great opportunity, as it gives the students experience, and it gives the guys dental care - mutual benefits that will last a lifetime.

        

         

           

  

The lighting was harsh, but it could be cool if used correctly.
(Almost there!  It'll be better next time)  

Fun at the Luci

Lots and lots of portraits yesterday, and some of them turned out pretty nice.

Pablo

Pepe

Miguel

Andres

This guy's name is Chiche and he's an amphetamine and morphine addict.  Not a good combination, he probably won't live too long.  He was wondering down the street, super drugged, hitting himself in the head with the beer bottle, yelling at everyone, and trying to pick a fight with some of the guys.  I wish I'd taken more photos, but I was afraid of attracting too much of his attention.

These last two are id photos that I took for the vending license that each canillita is required to have.  They're original files with no editing - that's how awesome the light is where I took these.

Purmamarca, el cerro de los siete colores

In the northern province of Jujuy, near the borders of chile and bolivia lies the Quebrada de Humahuaca.  Within this range is the cerro de los siete colores - a cluster of mountains containing just about every color imageinable.  At the base of these mountains is the pueblo of Purmamarca.  Beyond the Cerro is the salinas grande - a large salt flat.  The blue pools that appear in the photos come from mining the salt.  Anywho, I´ve never really been good at nature photography, just because I´ve never really done it much.  But here´s what I´ve got, I definately enjoy it a lot more when I have something so overwhelmingly beautiful to take photos of.

 En el cerro

Las Salinas 

The moon!  Or salt flats...

Self-portrait in my adventure shoes

 El Cerro

Iglesia

transfers, final fotos

These are the final images that I´m using for the transfers, that´s why they´re in black and white -  Unless I take better ones soon.  And that´s in addition to the one´s that I´ve already posted.  Mixing the faces is too much, the fotos are fine on their own.   

Chicha and her son

Cristian - the first decent photos I took in Argentina

Gula and Victor

Miguel

Julio

Franko

Chula

Miguel