I've chosen this image to be the second print in the Mexico series. I was drawn to the people of Progreso, so very easy going, friendly and all about family. At the end of the day, when the cruise ship tourists have returned to their ship, (three times a week), the families begin to gather along the Malacon, running along the beach's edge, the length of the town proper. The beach shows numerous families with small children playing in the surf, chasing each other about and in general, having a blast doing it.
It was during this end of day period I began to see endless potential shots. The light was right for the ambiance, along with a myriad of backdrops. The shots I did take were shot as I strolled the street next to the Malacon, and the businesses across the street. This afforded me more opportunities than I could use, all around me. What I was after was a moment in time, of the locals in their natural state. There is a line between capturing a local culture in a natural setting, and tourist snaps. I leave it to the viewer to determine which side of the divide my images fall on.
This print was treated the same as the last one, developed as a Kallitype, in sodium acetate, then toned in a palladium toner for eight minutes, to get the fuller effects of toning on blacks; zone 1 & zone 2, respectively. I printed this image at 8 minutes, interpreting the light upon the two figures, and the sky. I didn't want to supress the crispness of the white blouses, bright. A fuller dry down will show me if that is the case. There will likely be a second print, with one minute print time added. Perhaps, two minutes. The extra time tends to affect the middle tones more than the highlights., and I don't want to suppress the highlights.
The Chiaroscuro of this image being the brightest whites, zone 8, on the lower left of the woman's blouse, where the direct sun shows. The rest of the white blouses on both figures remain zone 7; white with full texture. Pretty much the rest of the image is middle tone grays of different tones, from zone 6 down to zone 2 on the Pelican's back. This isn't including the two subject's skirts. Being this print, like the others, will be unique, I want it exactly as pre-visualized.
Palladium Toned Kallitype ~ Unique
"Feeding the Pelicano" ~ 11"x14"
Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico
