Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa Message Board - Fire Dancers on Playa Principal

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

Tere — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 19:01:12 +0000

WOW! Thanks!!!

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

wcameron — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 15:07:18 +0000

Thanks for the heads up. For some reason my flickr photos become disconnected from this page. Here are some updated links:

wardc_151205_1290.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1293.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1294.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1300.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1302.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1305.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1304.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

Tere — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 03:47:05 +0000

I can only see the bottom picture in your post - the rest say they are unavailable. You take great shots, though! Thanks!

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

wcameron — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 17:18:47 +0000

Thanks Will. If you click on any of the pics, it'll take you to Flickr. A quick scroll down below the pic will show you all the metadata about the image. These were all taken at .4 sec shutter speed with the flash set to fire at the end of the exposure (second curtain sync). It's really important that the second curtain sync be set to get the feel of the fire flowing. I use this technique a lot when I want to capture motion. I will vary the shutter speed depending on how fast the action is taking place. Here are some other examples:

wardc_141031_6367.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_140214_8213.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

For some scenes (like the fish market), I'll put it on a tripod and let the people blur and the fish stay sharp. Here is an example:

wardc_141123_0157.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

Hunter-MX — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 01:20:42 +0000

Nice Shots... it is good to see something different. i wasn't aware that these folks were even around, but then again I am never in Z after dark.

If you don't mind sharing a bit, what were your settings on these?

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

wcameron — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 20:39:01 +0000

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

LadyM in Zihua — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 20:32:16 +0000

Always saddened to see the children forced to work by their parents here. Especially the mom stays in the background forcing the bobblehead selling children to cozy up to tourists who overpay often not taking the bobblehead and acknowledging it for the begging it is.

IMO, It is only begging when you fail to buy the thing they are selling. Get to know some of these kids. One who is now a married adult put himself (with a little help from others) through school being a little vendor. I haven't seen him in several months but I believe he and his wife are both still going to school.

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

wcameron — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 20:24:26 +0000

Thanks. I'm glad you like them.

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

Charlybby — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 19:48:01 +0000

You certainly captured that!!
Charlotte aka Charly

La Ropa (reply)

wcameron — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 18:46:11 +0000

They are fabulous performers. We saw them several times last year but I never had my camera gear with me. Last night I heard the tell-tale drums as we wrapped up our dinner at Porto di Mare so I headed straight towards the sounds. I'm really happy with the pics.

La Ropa (reply)

Talley Ho — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 18:34:38 +0000

This threesome is/has been a regular on Playa La Ropa for the last three years. The male beats the drum, the mother of the child "dances" and uses the hula hoop, and the daughter follows along.

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

wcameron — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 18:16:10 +0000

I hear you but economic realities are different here. It's similar I'm most poor countries. Everybody has to work.

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

wcameron — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 18:14:38 +0000

Thanks Charly. Im glad you like them. It's a fun photo technique. I use a long shutter speed and then have a flash fire at the last instant to capture a sharp image along with the movement. For me, I want to feel the dynamic character of the performance.

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

OlsenMN — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 17:59:16 +0000

Always saddened to see the children forced to work by their parents here. Especially the mom stays in the background forcing the bobblehead selling children to cozy up to tourists who overpay often not taking the bobblehead and acknowledging it for the begging it is.

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal (reply)

Charlybby — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 17:31:35 +0000

Wow!! Those are amazing!!

Fire Dancers on Playa Principal

wcameron — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 17:06:11 +0000

I was hoping to bump into these dancers again this season. Last year I never seemed to have my gear with me when they were performing. Last year though it was just mom dancing. This year her tiny daugher was also a whirling dervish of flaming hula hoops.

They are very entertaining but watching a tiny girl playing with fire is a bit frightening. Many of us come from places where you're not even allowed to let your kids walk home from school alone. Here, you can hand them a flaming hula hoop and let them dance. They grow up so soon here.

wardc_151205_1290.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1294.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1300.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1302.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr

wardc_151205_1304.jpg by Ward Cameron, on Flickr