documentary photography

Day of the Dead at the Cementerio Nueva Esperanza in Lima

In 2015 I spent a fascinating day experiencing the Day of the Dead at Cementerio Nueva Esperanza in Lima, Peru.  This huge sprawling cemetery is the second largest in the World and on the 1st of November thousands of Peruvians visit to pay respect to their departed.  Very much a family affair, the Day of the Dead is a celebration of happiness and remembrance of the deceased as opposed to one of sadness.  A day where musicians play music to the dead, traditional Peruvian Dancers (Danza de las tijeras) perform, couples share beer by the graves and children embrace and play.  Click through the slideshow below to view the Día de Muertos images taken in Cementerio Nueva Esperanza in Lima, Peru:

Day of the Dead, also known as All Souls Day is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and other parts of Latin America on October 31st, November 1st, and November 2nd.  In Spanish, the Day of the Dead is called Día de Muertos, or Día de los Muertos.  Click through the carousel below for more images from the day of the dead in Lima:

A photo blog of the Mexican day of the dead can be found here.  More of my travel photos can be found on my website, my Facebook page and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.

Catalan Castells

A castell (Catalan pronunciation: [kəsˈteʎ]) is a human tower built traditionally in festivals at many locations within Catalonia. At these festivals, several colles castelleres (groups who construct towers) often succeed in building and dismantling a tower's structure.  

A castell is considered a success when assembly and disassembly can be done in complete succession. The assembly is complete once all castellers have climbed into their designated places, and the enxaneta climbs into place at the top and raises one hand with four fingers erect, in a gesture said to symbolize the stripes of the Catalan flag. The enxaneta then climbs down the other side of the castell, after which the remaining levels of castellers descend in highest to lowest order until all have reached safety. (Taken from Wikipedia)

A castell (Catalan pronunciation: [kəsˈteʎ]) is a human tower built traditionally in festivals at many locations within Catalonia

A castell (Catalan pronunciation: [kəsˈteʎ]) is a human tower built traditionally in festivals at many locations within Catalonia

This particular castell festival took place in the centre of Barcelona on the 18th June 2017 in Placa Sant Jaume.  It is a an amazing spectacle to watch, the strength and agility of those involved is impressive.  The atmosphere is very friendly and the emotions of those involved upon completion of a castell are highly visible.  Click through the images below of this Catalan tradition and the people involved.

More of my travel photography from Spain can be found on my website, my Instagram, and my Flickr account. If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.

Geraint Rowland Photography by PhotoVoice

The March Photography Competition Winner is…

The third PhotoVoice photography competition, in partnership with Professional Photography magazine was inspired by an image from PhotoVoice project ‘MAMPU‘. Photographers were asked to submit up to six images inspired by the theme ‘Discovery’. Photographer and Photo-facilitator, Meredith Hutchison selected Geraint Rowland as the winner. 

How did you get started in Photography?

I bought a digital SLR camera around 8 years ago and decided to enroll on a photography course instead of tackling the user guide.  I completed two courses, ‘Introduction’ and ‘Advanced’ at the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff.  Since then, I have been doing a lot of travelling and documenting my travels through photography.

How would you describe your work and your practice?

I consider myself a travel and street photographer.  I like catching candid moments in everyday life around the world.  I am also a lover of nature and enjoy taking photos of landscapes and the ocean.  I like to show the beauty that exists throughout the world.

Tell us a bit more about your winning image and the series that it is from

I took this image during the yearly pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe in Mexico City.  Millions of Mexicans make the pilgrimage each year on or before the 12th of December.

The pilgrimage is very much a family affair, the Mexicans often referring to the Lady of Guadalupe as Mamá or Mother.  

I took this photo around a week before the 12th when there was already a lot of activity at the holy site.  I was lucky to capture this candid and touching moment between mother and child during the celebrations.  The photo was captured on a Canon 5D2 with a 85mm lens, I converted it to black and white, which gave the image more emotion.

© Geraint Rowland, Familia

What do you think the future for your photography will be?

I think both social media and advances in technology mean that photography is increasing in popularity all the time.  The vast amount of information online means that the still image continues to play a vital role in catching peoples attention and telling a story.  Hopefully this will mean an increasing need for photos and photographers in general.  In the future I would love to work with some international charities, where my photography will have a direct impact on the world for the better.  I also want to continue travelling the world and documenting it’s beauty along the way, and if I can find some work which allows me to do this all the better.

Are there any other up and coming photographers that you think people should know about?

Yes, Linda Wisdom is a street photographer based in London.  Her black and white imagery is beautiful and she always seems to be in the right place and at the right time to capture the perfect moment.  She runs Street Photography Tours in London. Another is Aliette Bretel, a Peruvian photographer who now lives in Cambridge, she has a very unique and timeless selection of images.

How did you hear about PhotoVoice and how do you think your work relates our vision and mission?

I found out about PhotoVoice on Facebook, I was very interested in their commitment to supporting underrepresented communities through participatory photography.  I believe that my photography contributes to positive social change by inspiring and informing others about people and places they may not know about.

The photo and interview were published in the August/September edition of the Professional Photography Magazine.

Find out more about Geraint Rowland’s work here or visit his Facebook page here

 

Belen Market, Iquitos Peru (Photo Essay for the First Issue of Dezine Magazine)

These photos were taken earlier this year in the village of Belen in Iquitos, Peru.  The entire village is flooded for several months each year by the nearby Amazon river.  The only way to get around is by boat so even the children learn to navigate and paddle in small canoes from an early age.  

Two young girls paddle a canoe in the flooded village of Belen in Iquitos, Peru.

Two young girls paddle a canoe in the flooded village of Belen in Iquitos, Peru.

Our local guide manoeuvred us around in a motorboat for a couple of hours exploring the streets which at that time of the year become waterways.  The area is fascinating, and our journey through it gave us a brief insight into life there.

Around every corner were amazing photo opportunities, with the local people using the river to work, travel and play.  Children would sit selling food and produce to passing boats, Men would offer taxi boat services or fish, and the Women would wash the family clothes in the river.  Some 65,000 people live in the Village of Belen on either moored floating houses or houses on stilts.  It is a very poor neighbourhood with many of the people living in impoverished conditions. Yet those we encountered seemed genuinely happy: laughing, smiling, and greeting us as we passed by.  (Click through the images below)

I took all the photos candidly and found that converting them to black and white gave them more emotion.  For more information on Dezine go to: https://issuu.com/dezinemagazine. 

More of my travel photography from Peru can be found on my website, my Facebook, my Twitter and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.