Category Archives: South America

Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Bolivia

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From the 2nd to 5th of February every year the quiet lakeside town of Copacabana comes alive with thousands of pilgrims and revellers, celebrating the patron saint of Bolivia; The Virgin of Candelaria. I was lucky enough to be there two years ago and here are a few of my favourite pictures.

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Musicians, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Musicians, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancer in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancer in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancer in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancer in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancer in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancer in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Musicians, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Musicians, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional costume, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Festival reveller, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Festival reveller, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress having a break, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress having a break, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Dancers in traditional dress, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Going fishing – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – April 2014

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I missed a flight back to the UK for this final day in Rio de Janeiro – that morning I found these fishermen hauling their boats out for the days work, as the sun rose over the south Atlantic ocean.

Fishermen taking their boat out at dawn, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fishermen taking their boat out at dawn, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fishermen taking their boat out at dawn, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fishermen taking their boat out at dawn, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fishermen taking their boat out at dawn, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fishermen taking their boat out at dawn, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fishermen taking their boat out at dawn, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Favela Chic – Monique in Santa Marta, Rio de Janiero

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While I was in Rio de Janeiro last month I met up and collaborated with stunning Monique. She had the idea of a fashion shoot, using the colours of a local favela as a backdrop. Inspiration came from a recent Vogue shoot featuring Cara Delevingne, in the same place – Santa Marta favela. We hired two local Rio guides to help out and look out for us.

Santa Marta favela was pacified recently as part of the clean up operation as the city prepares to host the World Cup and Olympics, a few years ago it probably wouldn’t have been possible to shoot here. I’m really glad I had the chance to visit it and work there, albeit briefly, and not as part of some tour group.

(All images shot with a Nikon D800E and Nikon f/2 135mm lens.)

More info and contact details for Monique here.

Monique in Santa Marta Favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Monique in Santa Marta Favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Monique, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Monique in Santa Marta Favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Monique, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Monique, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Monique, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 86: The Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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I remember reading about this venue, The Maracanã Stadium in ‘World Soccer’ magazine when I was younger. It is one of the most iconic sports venues in the world, up alongside Madison Square Garden, Wembley and the Nou Camp. Upgrades were recently completed in time for this years World Cup and the Olympics in 2 years, it now holds 78,000 spectators. In 1950 it had the   199,854 fans watched the World Cup final between Brazil and Uruguay (which the latter won 2-1).

Getting there was easy – one change on the metro from Copacabana, and getting a ticket (90 Reals – £25) was simple with English speaking assistants at the ticket booths. After shooting Stadium exteriors in the late afternoon light I went for a couple of beers amongst the Botafogo fans, as the evening kick-off time approached.

As the teams entered the arena the atmosphere was electric, unlike anything I’ve heard at English grounds, so much noise. The away, Chilean side (Unión Española of Santiago) scored the only goal of the game, meaning they finished top of their group, and Botafogo 2nd. Both sides would go through to the next round of the Libertadores Cup (South American version of the Champions League).

Statue outside the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fans buying tickets outside the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fans buying tickets outside the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fans enjoying game between Botafogo (of Rio) and Unión Española (of Santiago, Chile), Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fans enjoying game between Botafogo (of Rio) and Unión Española (of Santiago, Chile), Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fans enjoying game between Botafogo (of Rio) and Unión Española (of Santiago, Chile), Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Action from cup match between Botafogo (of Rio, Brazil) and Unión Española (of Santiago, Chile), Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fans enjoying game between Botafogo (of Rio) and Unión Española (of Santiago, Chile), Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Iguazú Falls, Argentina + Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

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 “I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities I have visited.”

Jose Luis Borges

Garganta do Diablo, Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

Garganta do Diablo, Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

Garganta do Diablo, Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

Garganta do Diablo, Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

Tourists enjoying the view from ‘Trilha das Cataratas’, Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

View from ‘Trilha das Cataratas’, Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

View from 'Trilha das Cataratas', Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

View from ‘Trilha das Cataratas’, Foz do Iguaçu, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Brazil

Next stop, (and last stop): Rio de Janeiro

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” 

Jose Luis Borges

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Buenos Aires

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As Arsenal succumbed to the result in my living history (6-0 to Chelsea) the cemetery seemed the best place to go.

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

Day 71 & 72 – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

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My knowledge of this country, with an unusually high ratio of vowels in its name, pre-trip, didn’t consist of much more than a little football trivia. It used to be pretty good – had won some world cups in the … Continue reading →