Oaxaca Mexico with a Rolleiflex

david b · May 13, 2008

I went to Tlacolula. It is rather amazing. Great old church there too.

I should also note that I had the great pleasure of meeting Jose there. He brought me rodinal and some fixer so I could develop my film while I was there. It was great help.

I would also suggest going out to Mitla to see the ruins there. I went to the "hot springs" about 2 hours away, up in the mountains. Not really worth it, especially if you don't speak spanish.

One more thing. I walked all over Oaxaca with my Hasselblad and a tripod and not once, not a single time did I have any problems.

And keep in mind also, if you plan on shooting at a ruin or historic site, tripods are not allowed.

dpurdy · May 13, 2008

Yes thanks Jose and David it was Tlacolula so it must have been Sunday. It is definitely a place you don't want to miss. I was so struck with the ancient purity of it that I had to just sit down and soak it up. I didn't get one photo there. though there was one photo I wanted of people crowded into the church and I waited and waited for the right look and it never came.

Monte Alban is interesting but I couldn't find anything much to photograph except some trees. Mitla was interesting as well but it was side stuff that interested me. I took a photo that is posted in the pbase gallery of a sculpture standing with a cross with sunlight spots on the left.

http://www.pbase.com/dpurdy/image/96968206

It was standing in the church courtyard and recently I was looking at some Edward Weston work and he took a nearly identical picture of the same sculpture only his is much better and on 8x10 and printed very high contrast with side lighting. Still it is great to know I came upon and took the very same picture that EW came upon and took. (in Mitla)

Curt · May 13, 2008

Yes, this all looks great, we have time off in Sept. and that's the time we would go.

Thanks all,
Curt

david b · May 13, 2008

I read Weston's Mexico Day Books while in Oaxaca and made it a point to photograph the hotel he stayed in.

Reading that in Mexico made it that much better. I did some portraits on the roof of my apartment.

A terrific experience.

Curt · May 13, 2008

Reading that in Mexico made it that much better. I did some portraits on the roof of my apartment.

Azotea?

david b · May 13, 2008

Azotea as in a flat roof? Yes.

We had a staircase that went to the roof and over looked the city. It was fantastic especially on the cloudy, rainy days.

About 50 yards away was an old stone church from the 1800's. It made for a wonderful backdrop.

dpurdy · May 13, 2008

where was the hotel or motel that EW stayed in?
Dennis

david b · May 13, 2008

Dead Link Removed....near the Zocalo.

Don't ask what his room number was. I did and no one knew what I was talking about.

DH Lawrence stayed there too.

If you have not read the daybooks and are planning on going to Oaxaca, I highly
suggest you wait. It's so amazing to read about Mexico, the way Weston felt about it,
while in Mexico. I read the book all over the place. On the zocalo, in the parks, coffee
shops. It was really inspiring.

I had some work in a show in Santa Fe. I should make some smaller prints so I can
scan them and show them here.

tac · May 13, 2008

Thanks for sharing your lovely photographs; Great job!

Curt · May 13, 2008

I'm on my third reading of the Day Books, I should have gone on the Kim Weston trip but couldn't, it's Edward Weston's writings that got me thinking about it in the first place. I love history and maybe it's the romantic in me that thinks the old Mexico is still alive. It sounds like it might be in this place. What do the spouses have to say about Oaxaca?

Curt

The hotel Francia looks very modern on the inside.

Also, I forget, in the excitement, Dennis, your photos are outstanding. That Rollei must be a lot of fun. I wanted a Rollei SL66 for a long time but they are few and far between and the repairs would be hard and the accessories are pricey. It's my Mamiya 645 and a slew of view cameras. I would love to take a 5x7 there but my Mamiya or 4x5 would probably be a better choice.

david b · May 13, 2008

yeah dennis...the photos are terrific

Merg Ross · May 13, 2008

Dennis, very strong compositions, you have a good eye. Congratulations!

I am about to embark on a three week trip to Canada, leaving my view cameras behind. Only 120 with an 80mm this time. You give me inspiration.

Thanks for the fine images.
Merg

dpurdy · May 13, 2008

Thanks guys. I have read the day books 2 times too. The Hotel Monte Alban which sits right on the Zocalo is not fixed up or moderinzed but it is very comfortable and the balcony, which is out the window in the second picture I have posted in that series looks over the Zocalo. We were able to stand out there 1 floor up and watch dancing and music most nights. It was 500 pesos a night which amounted to 50 dollars and they had a restaurant inside though I never used it. I loved the place though persnickity American travlers used to 1st class would probably be uncomfortable with the adventurous showers.

Curt I would take into consideration that though my pictures don't show it Oaxaca is full of crowds of people. Not only the locals go to the Zocalo and market every day but Mexican tourists go there as well as American, French and German tourists. For me it was Ok because I wanted to walk off the beaten path and spend time at the very quiet and empty huge amazing central Cemetery. I am glad I didn't take a view camera as my main camera because it wouldn't have been allowed in a lot of places like the convent and museum. The long exposures I had to do in the convent I did by propping my camera up on the camera case. The markets and sidewalks are just too crowded to be able to work with a view camera on a tripod.

I took TMY and Delta 3200 for hand holding and a few rolls of ACROS for predawn shots where I could use a tripod as the people weren't out yet.

I am sure you will like Oaxaca for many reasons but Sandy and Jose and David will attest that the lonely empty Oaxaca that I created doesn't really exist as such.
Dennis

dpurdy · May 13, 2008

Thanks Merg. Canada is a lot of different things. I go every year as I am married to a Canadian and Vancouver is just a few hours drive. I love the forests in Canada and a view camera would be very in keeping though I always take my Rollei of course. We always go to Mission BC.
Dennis

Merg Ross · May 13, 2008

Hi again, Dennis

Yes, Canada calls me often. I am most familiar with Vancouver Island, perhaps twenty or so visits over the years, but this time Toronto and points east are the objective.

A techinical question, did you have any problems re your fast film and airport travel. I may be flying with faster films than I am accustomed to. My last trip to Mexico was in the ASA 125 range, hence no problems. How does it work with 3200?

Thanks,
Merg

mergross.com

dpurdy · May 14, 2008

Merg Ross said:
Hi again, Dennis

Yes, Canada calls me often. I am most familiar with Vancouver Island, perhaps twenty or so visits over the years, but this time Toronto and points east are the objective.

A techinical question, did you have any problems re your fast film and airport travel. I may be flying with faster films than I am accustomed to. My last trip to Mexico was in the ASA 125 range, hence no problems. How does it work with 3200?

Thanks,
Merg

mergross.com

The TMY and TMY2 had no problem being xrayed once and hand inspected once. The 10 rolls delta 3200 I divided up between my pants pockets and just took them through metal dectors and avoided inspection entirely.
Dennis

Merg Ross · May 14, 2008

Dennis, thanks. I tried the pants and pocket thing on an air trip to Mexico in 2000. I couldn't get through the metal detector after a few passes and couldn't figure out why. It turned out that my film was on metal spools. I guess plastic is the norm these days.

What size prints do you make?

Again, really fine work!

Merg

Jose A Martinez · May 14, 2008

Hotel Francia and Hotel Montealban

david b said:
Dead Link Removed....near the Zocalo.

Don't ask what his room number was. I did and no one knew what I was talking about.

DH Lawrence stayed there too.

The Hotel Francia has been there near a hundred years and been remodeled a few times. My mother told me that my father used to had lunch there daily when they meet each other in the late 1930's, by then, my father worked for a company in Mexico City that had business in Oaxaca and Hotel Francia was a meeting place for travelling agents. The wedding party of my parents took place in the Hotel Montealban in March 1940.

dpurdy · May 14, 2008

Merg Ross said:
Dennis, thanks. I tried the pants and pocket thing on an air trip to Mexico in 2000. I couldn't get through the metal detector after a few passes and couldn't figure out why. It turned out that my film was on metal spools. I guess plastic is the norm these days.

What size prints do you make?

Again, really fine work!

Merg

I think unless you shoot 127, all film is now on plastic spools. I kind of wish that wasn't so because I could recycle the metal but I have no idea what to do with bags of plastic spools.

My print size was a non aesthetic decision. They are 7x7 inches, theoretically the same size as they are on a monitor. I have found that I have less sharpness issues with scans if I always stay the same size. So I print 7x7 and scan 100% at 150 dpi, then do some adjustments and reduce them to 72 dpi and then post them. These are just scan prints and really have no function beyond that but to fill up a box and add to a pile. I am going to edit them and make 9.5 x9.5 inch negs from them and then make a set of platinum prints. I don't know anyone able to use small silver prints seriously except Michael Kenna.

Dennis

dpurdy · May 14, 2008

Jose A Martinez said:
The Hotel Francia has been there near a hundred years and been remodeled a few times. My mother told me that my father used to had lunch there daily when they meet each other in the late 1930's, by then, my father worked for a company in Mexico City that had business in Oaxaca and Hotel Francia was a meeting place for travelling agents. The wedding party of my parents took place in the Hotel Montealban in March 1940.

That is very cool. I am sure the place has been repaired and somewhat remodled since 1940 but the ancient staircase and the front desk and the layout of the place has to be all the same.
Dennis

sanking · May 14, 2008

Hello,

What a great thread, and thanks to everyone for all the wonderul information.

This reminds me why the internet is such a great place.

Sandy King

Oaxaca Mexico with a Rolleiflex

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