The Andes. Ancient and majestic mountains, windy, cold and unforgiving. The road snakes through the desolate and uninviting landscape. The sky is white, the wind fierce and colours are muted to a stark monochrome mood. Yet, here in this extreme environment people live and make their lives.
More a mood than a story, these pictures were made in the Andes mountains of Peru driving from Arequipa to Chivay. This was the third story I submitted for the group reviews in the brilliant Adam Weintraub PhotoExperience.net workshop with Daniel Milnor.
The solitude spoke to me instantly. I know it well having mapped out that feeling intensely. I chose black and white as I wished to do a different story at this time in the workshop, and it enhances the mood of the harsh environment. The 2nd to last image is easily omitted but I wanted to bring the traveler into this environment, 4 kilometers altitude, unforgiving, uninviting, fascinating.
16 Comments on “Peru Photo Story: Solitude”
Exceptional, mature work, your soul speaking with the energy around.
Keep going 🙂
Thank you very much Euphemia, I also especially appreciate your inputs my friend. All the best.
Mood captured. It’s fascinating to see your mindset evolve.
Thanks Steve, solitude is nothing new for me but telling it in a documentary storytelling style certainly is.
This speaks to me heaps, possibly because I too recognise too well that feeling of isolation and the depths at which it can consume the soul. SO in love with that mega contrasty b&w post processing. I’ve always been a sucker for contrast, but this is really taking it to another screamingly rich level.
Thanks my friend, these are very very quick conversions done on the road during the workshop using Nik Silver efex 2, brilliant.
Whoever did the edit on that is brilliant. I really like this serious which plays into the solitude idea really well.
Editor was not bad, but the photographer is touched my magic!
Beautiful shots Flem, I think the top three are my favourites. Great stuff, would love to do one of Daniels workshops…
Thank you Mark, I highly recommend the workshops.
Wow. As photographers, one of our missions in this world is to produce images that illicit emotion. My heart was in my throat when I looked through these photos. For me, I experienced a sense of openness and a reminder that we’re alone with God in this world.
Thank you for the great photography, Flemming.
John Douglas
Wedding Photographer
Lansing, Michigan
Thanks for the comment John, much appreciated. Glad the story spoke to you.
NIcely done Flembot…he says as he is sitting next to him after a typical Aussy dinner before Aussy day…when it was 42 degrees today!
Strong images, beautifully captured what more can I say….
Thanks very much Peta.