Jorge Quinteros

The Opening in St.Thomas

From one street photographer to another, Eric Kim recently discussed with James Maher what factors they consider when determining whether their street photography should be portrayed in color or B&W. James’ main rule he lives by is that “If color doesn’t add anything to a scene, then I take it out” and that’s exactly what I did in post with this photograph as we walked the town of Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas amidst the duty-free shops.

I love street photography and sometimes I get the impression that people feel they need to automatically revert to B&W because it’s expected in the genre. I personally prefer vibrant colors in my photographs but I can see the appeal towards B&W with street shooters because it goes back to its inception and because the absence of color can at times contribute more to a scene by not distracting the viewer with anything other than drawing the attention to the main subject.

The easiest part about being a photographer is taking the photo. The hardest part is waiting for that moment to arrive because it takes a lot of patience. Nobody really enjoys to be kept waiting around but if you’re the type that always has a camera with you, if you’re endlessly curious about anything and you’re wise in using the time you’ve casually been given while your spouse entertains the idea of owning everything that’s sparkly, then you can take some respectable shots without feeling rushed. This was the case with me here and I recall it vividly as I waited for Vanessa while she browsed inside a jewelry store.

Touring St. Kitts

For me, going on an organized all inclusive resort is not traveling. At best, it’s all a relaxation, food and alcoholic consumption adventure that characterizes what it’s like being on a cruise ship, unless you of course choose to participate in other more life changing experiences.

In my eyes, travel is about going on journeys to experience new things, people, and places. It’s about gaining insights into new cultures, trying local food and leaving the place with some knowledge of the rhythm of local life and cross-examining their circumstances with yours and feeling a sense of transformation inside because of it.

During our Carnival vacation, at every port we docked, there was little escape from local tour guides trying to coax us to take part in one of their many private excursions to tour the island. The best you can do with that many people talking to you is to politely voice your disinterest and walk away.

While in St.Kitts, I recall saying to one guide that kept flashing his brochure to us, “We’re just going to walk around instead but thank you for the offer” and to that he replied, “You can walk around all day but nothing of what you see will mean anything if there’s no story behind it”.

What bothered me about the statement was that he was right. Generally speaking, tour guides are expected to know a city intimately and offer guests interpretive information such as history and anecdotes on all sites and after some haggling, we were fortunate to book one that offered us all that plus more.

At $25 a person for a 3hrs tour, he was adamant in not being paid until we were brought back to the ship and at that point I sensed his commitment to his profession and not because he marketed himself as “being the best” on what he did but because he wanted to focus on what the tour offered and not on how much it would cost.

The Bridge

For many vacationers, Barbados’ summery weather and its stunning natural beauty are all it’s biggest draws. As it was customary with every caribbean island we visited, we explored the island’s picturesque towns with their quint chapels and modest homes because I’ve watched enough Anthony Bourdain and Samantha Brown travel episodes to know that the best way to gain an authentic feel for a country is through its people and their food.

Following a 4hr tour, we settled at one of their many stunning white sand beaches and while walking along the shore, there was a long bridge that extended into the water which many were using as a platform to dive into the warm waters. Standing directly underneath it, I took a photograph of the scenery with a the Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5 - 4.5 that I had rented via Borrowlenses.

Surprisingly enough, I ended up using the lens less than I expected although I loved the versatility of being able zoom in and out with this lens which is normally not an option with any other fisheye.

Capital Building

My wife is Puerto Rican so I like to think that this beautiful island in the Caribbean has become a part of me because our children will undoubtedly have a piece of the culture in them. Through the nature of extensive cruise vacations, I’ve had the opportunity to visit twice and every visit has developed a more solid admiration for the beaches, rivers, forest, city and most importantly the people that comprise it.

When is the best time to visit? It’s actually perfect all year around, even when it’s raining it will never get too hot or too cold but the worst thing you can do is leave without a full blown tan while touring the city. The food is unique and delicious which I can personally vouch because my wife is a fantastic cook with Puerto Rico food being her specialty.

The majority of the population speaks both English and Spanish fluently which eliminates any language barrier although I personally enjoy speaking Spanish while I’m there because I feel it immerses me more into the culture.

We stayed specifically in Old San Juan but my intention on the next visit is to stay for a longer period of time, rent a jeep and drive around other cities on the island armed with my photographic gear and a big appetite. We came across this capital building as underestimated how long of a walk existed between our hotel and Old San Juan but the scenery was well worth it.