Group Demasiado Ruido

I had the pleasure to lead twelve special students (half of the class had already studied with me) coming from many different countries including two from New Orleans. After hurricane Katrina had hit the area, I was concerned about their life. I felt better when I heard from both of them. Although I offered them a full refund in case they had other priorities, I was very impressed by their determination to attend the course anyway. The class and I all helped them to ease the pain and to make them focus on their work.

Like the others fall workshops this Day of the Dead course has been the best I taught so far. The less advanced students worked really hard to catch up with the rest of the class. It was very moving to see how everybody helped one another.

For the first time in my photographic career, I entrusted all my film from Peru and Mexico to the wonderful printer I use here in Oaxaca. The more I work the more I realize that I need to devote most of my energies on taking pictures, editing and teaching. My darkroom days seem to be dwindling.

I can now say that what I did in both countries seems far more interesting than what I did before. Besides thanking the good services of the Goddess of Photography, I also know that my 4-year experience in both workshops is paying off. Not only do I lead my classes better and help my students take better pictures, my work is getting deeper. I feel blessed and privileged that I can still SEE. I hope to be able to share some of these new images with all of you soon.

During those ten unforgettable 10-day, we shared many wonderful moments together. As many students’ comments point out being in the Atzompa cemetery was indeed very special not only for the images the students were able to take, but more so for the experience itself.

Why Demasiado Ruido ( Too Much Noise)? It was one of the expressions I used the most to describe how many elements within the frame tend to take away from the photographic moment. All the images that we selected together reflect that: they are at the same time quiet and beautiful.

As always, I suggest you take a look at their images, read their comments and decide for yourself.

Ernesto Bazan