4 days in Mexico again, a photo from Oaxaca, Oaxaca

Photographer's Note

"Mexico is naturally surreal"
-- Andre Breton

This is a street of the beautiful and engimatic village of Tlacalula, about one hour away from the city of Oaxaca. Very few tourists go there (very refreshing after Oaxaca city) and one gets to experience the authentic small-town lifestyle of Mexico. The Sunday market particularly is absolutely fascinating and should not be missed by any travel aficionado.

Theme: Four days back in Mexico

Well, I could not resist the force. So, over the Memorial day long weekend a friend of mine and I took another trip to Mexico. I only had 5 days and wanted to spend time in both Mexico city and Oaxaca. Arrived in Mexico City on Thursday afternoon (May 24th). Walked around the city that afternoon and the whole Friday. Took the midnight bus to Oaxaca. It's a fabulous option as you sleep and commute at the same time without wasting any time. Reached Oaxaca at 7 am Saturday. Spent the whole Saturday and Sunday in Oaxaca and the neighbouring villages, and took the midnight bus back to Mexico City on Sunday.Back in Mexico City on Monday morning 7 am. Took anothee bus to Puebla for the day and back to Mexico City that night. We were exhausted, but the Pueblano mole is definitely worth the trip. Back in the US on Tuesday (May 30th).

I wonder whether there are cheap tickets to Mexico during the upcoming 4th of July weekend.

devimeuxbe, AnimeshRay, michiels, vagabondtravels, alonsote has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

devimeuxbe (58557) 2007-06-05 9:07

Hi Prantik
This is a very beautifull picture with all these contrasting colors and the dark cloud.
I really like the atmosphere.
Well done
Bertrand

saxo042 (38078) 2007-06-05 9:13

Hi Prantik,
Very good colour combination with the cloud, the pink house and the green shirt. Also a good POV and a nice balance in the picture.
Regards
Gunnar

smarcell (19965) 2007-06-05 9:14

Nice street life picture. I was captured by the colours.
Green and Pink, with a dark sky, which enhances the contrast.
STefano

partha (14023) 2007-06-05 9:17

Hi Prantik,
Cinematic view.Excellent composition and well positioning of the people here. The diagonal road looks brilliant.
Great shot.
Regards.
partha

AnimeshRay (9089) 2007-06-05 12:42

Wow, Prantik...a profusion of lines, angles, cuboids, all somehow making sense despite the jumble. Terrific color, and the sky is what I miss here so much. Terrific photo.

michiels (4170) 2007-06-05 14:36

hello Prantik,

A gorgeous shot! What colours !!!! i love it, it's almost cineamatic... I'm thinking about Mexico next year, Oaxaca and surrounding ... I will keep this note in mind ! Great photo !
greetings, inn

vagabondtravels (6511) 2007-06-05 20:39

Hi Prantik

Great glimpse into daily life. Very sharp with good colors and contrasts.
Good comp. Well done.
Ben

s10001in (0) 2007-06-06 10:39

WOW

Again killer...
Simple compo but Lot to think..

No face but lot of feelings..
Beautiful work prantik..

Please submit ur portfolio to magnum soon..
Offer valid till week end.

-Regards,

Polonaise (5802) 2007-06-06 16:39

For its incredible composition...
Do you see what I see, Prantik ?
There is several main objects in there, at once - and all of them are separated from each other and tend to play their role just about as importantly as any other one...
The skies are there…The saturation is there…
Mexico eh ?
___________________-

Welcome back, buddy…

Stay cool…Don't give a s*** about us…
g.

Furachan (0) 2007-06-06 18:15

This is very much abour two things, Pranik: shapes (the superior geometry of the thing) and the colors, namely the heavy greay skies, the pink wall and the man's green shirt, like some subtly altered national flag...
Fine work,
Francis

designsoul (17843) 2007-06-06 19:44

Another enigmatic Prantic shot of Mexico with heads turned away... superb series, Prantik, and with great colours that people never think would match but in fact they do, and they match perfectly imho: saturated green and heavy pink by the weighty gray sky about to fall... excellent shot, full of atmosphere with scorpions and tequila somewhere on the side...
sasa

alonsote (244) 2007-06-06 19:48

Hi Prantik!

I was awaiting the narration of your second trip to Mexico. Everything allright? Nice composition of this picture. I like the gray colour of the sky and people being photographed from behind. Looks interesting.
Cheers!
Alonso

Luko (14000) 2007-06-07 6:44

"Alienation", you said, Prantik, isn't that what photography is all about? Isn't that play of light and shadows, the accumulation of geometry, an estrangement to reality.

I like to see the photography I like as mythical medium, ie. not descriptive to reality, rather myth/story telling.
My best and longest friend is probably one of the two three french scholar specialist about travel litterature and photography (yes, there are people doing such interesting thesis) : we've been discussing a long time about the matter (you wouldn't imagine how pleasant it can be to be in the midst of a malay stilt village, talking about photo philosophy, in between getting people shots. I think all my photography owes him.).

He once gave me interesting keys to analyze photography in a matrix sort. I've been developping it in a very old TrekEarth thread, as a response to Philip Coggan if I remember. I cannot find it though. Well, just to say, the way I felt comfortable with photo was in the mythical sort : pulling out my own story out of sheer reality, "adjusting" my focus on reality in a way it would mean something for the viewer, not necessarily the truth but my own truth. I had Henry Miller, the writer, in mind "My life is a diamond with a thousand facets, I have a thousand truth, each a different facet of the same diamond".

I have to say your Mexico shots raised my interest for the place, it operated like waves, after Animesh, Miss Pup and El Sato contributions.

But this is far away from my playgrounds, Asia, I fear the adaptation time before I get into the rythm or the pulse of the country. Asia is my blood, I intuitively know when or when not after going back and forth for 12 years.

And there's that geometry strictness. Mexico seems so cubical, while Asia shows smoothly interweaving curves... how weird.

[2] +

polter (7239) 2007-06-08 5:32

And I do like very much your Mexico shots with that special colorfull atmosphere and perfect composition of yours. I like the idea of showing people carrying things in different manner - in hand, on the shoulder, pushing them... at last there are the cars loaded and waiting to be loaded... :)) And all of them heads in the same direction - is the market situated there at the end of the street ? :)). Greetings T.

brevbrev14 (140) 2007-06-08 9:00

ciao Prantik!
wow...when i see your images i think woow...
i love your POV here, the game of colours and the position of the people..
the sky so cloudy creats a great atmosphere!
beautiful work!
ciao!
Valeria

nerve (10231) 2007-07-11 23:47

excellent one Prantik, very "Webb" feeling again.. doesnt mean that i love his work, but i definitely love this one. ;)

jrmejias (247) 2007-10-16 13:32

Hola, linda composicion y muy buen manejo del color, aprecio este tipo de imágenes cotidianas de un pueblo maravilloso como el mejicano, espero la hubieras pasado bien en este lugar especial. Recuerdos, Ricardo

mirarer (4751) 2008-02-05 15:12

Hola Prantik,
Me gusta la composición de esta foto con esas tres personas en movimiento formando un triángulo visual que le confiere mucho dinamismo. Cielo dramático y excelentes colores.
Saludos,
Mirari