The "Face" of a culture...

Our most recent vacation is the first I have taken since I have reluctantly accepted the title of "Photographer". Why would I have issue with that word? Photographer? Because I think in accepting that position you accept a responsibility as well... You are no longer just someone out taking pictures to remember your vacation or a moment or thing. I think you now accept a responsibility to capture something bigger, grander, more etherial. You now are representative of what you photograph. You are the voice...

SO when I set off on the trip I had a plan, a goal. I have always been shy about taking photos of actual people in portrait form, not just candids. I am talking photos that capture the person. Preserve them. I wanted to take photos that if seen a hundred years from now someone would still have a sense of who that person was... I was determined to overcome my shyness.

So I present to you here a collection of shots from this trip. Some with the subject very aware of the camera and my presence, others not. I am trying to give you a piece of their lives.A quick glimpse into their culture.

These are the people of Patzcuaro. Mostly of Indigenous heritage. Purépecha and Tarasco. Proud people, talented people. Warm and friendly. Beautiful...