Mexico

¡dos puertas verdes!
Headed south down Baja California’s Highway 1…
I slammed on the brakes
The two green doors had pulled me in
I have been by them many times before
I always wondered where they went?
An agricultural cooperative building,
the exposed adobe bricks
& earthquake sized cracks boast incredible texture!
Located just 50 miles south of Ensenada in the valley of Santo Tomas,
this building today is an ice cream store
in Mexico’s most noteworthy wine region.

Captured in 1988 on Kodachrome 25, Nikon F3, Nikkor 50mm 1.4
http://www.martyhiester.com/Baja-California/i-BhnwmXC

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©Marty Hiester- Creative Commons (CC by NC 3.0)
#santotomas #wine #ensenada #bajacalifornia #mexico #MARTYhiester

San Ignacio Cemetery, Baja California Sur, Mexico

April 2, 2014 by marty Leave a Comment

One of my favorite pueblos…
Baja’s finest Mission façade rises over the peaceful central plaza, orZócalo.
San Ignacio is a palm oasis just off Highway 1,
a couple hours south of the state line which divides the Baja Peninsula in half.
Over the years I’ve been fortunate to spend time with the people of San Ignacio,
the photographic opportunities are endless…
It’s a challenge to get up before the first rooster crows,
those that do are often rewarded with colorful sunrises as I was…
Above San Ignacio this Hilltop Cemetery with a cross of honor rising to the sky.

Captured in 1985 on Kodachrome 25, Nikon F3, Nikkor 50mm 1.4
http://www.martyhiester.com/Baja-California-Sur/i-KNTMgMv

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©Marty Hiester- Creative Commons (CC by NC 3.0)
#sanignacio #bajacaliforniasur #mexico #MARTYhiester

First Light Panga on Bahía Concepción

March 22, 2014 by marty Leave a Comment

Baja’s Fisherman, the Pescadores are up long before dawn.
To get the best color, I would set up my camera in the dark to be in position at first light!
Highway 1 south of Mulege is among the most scenic stretches while driving Baja California.
Here the highway winds along the shores of Bahía Concepción.
Among the largest Bays on the Peninsula, it stretches 30 miles in length, up to 6 miles in width.
Turquoise waters, white sand beaches, peaceful inlets dotted with Islands & occasional Palms.
Among the scenic Concepcion Bay camping spots… Playa Santispac, Playa Escondida & Playa El Coyote.

Captured in 1985 on Kodachrome 25, Nikon F3, Nikkor 80-200mm zoom
http://www.martyhiester.com/Baja-California-Sur/i-DjPtGm7

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©Marty Hiester- Creative Commons (CC by NC 3.0)
#BahiaConcepcion #BajaCaliforniaSur #Boating #GulfofCalifornia #Mexico #Pangas #SeaofCortez

Behind the Red Fence- Tijuana Bullfight Rookie

March 17, 2014 by marty Leave a Comment

During the late 80’s while working on my “Gringos Guide to Baja California”, I managed to get a press pass to photograph the “Toreo de Tijuana”.
Committed to cover the culture, I set out to get some “blood free” Bull Fight images of the pageantry & celebration.
I made careful equipment decisions that day including a tripod & long lenses not know exactly how close I would be able to get…
Imagine my surprise as I followed the other journalists into the press area.
Shooting from the sidelines my lens was actually hanging in the ring!
The inner Ring, a Red Fence about a meter and a half tall was all that stood between me & the action.
At my side were the Matadors & fellow Press Photographers.
Attentive to their every action, I set up my tripod & started to shoot the colorful event.
I was getting incredible shots, concentrating through my telephoto at the opposite side of the ring when suddenly, I saw the Bull leap over the Red Fence racing around the ring in my direction!
There was only one place to go, I leaped over the Red Fence into the ring as the bull raced by.
It all happened so fast, he circled around the ring, a gate was opened & the Bull was routed back into the main ring.
Everyone around me leaped back over the the Fence again into the “safety of the pit”.
My tripod was trampled, I asked the shooter next to me if that happened often?
“muy raro”very rare he replied!
The magnitude of the event came back to me recently when I came across this photo from the Daily Mail-
http://ow.ly/uFFNt
Tijuana’s downtown Bullring was demolished 2007, a causality of the fading popularity of Bull Fights.

Captured in 1986 on Kodachrome 25, Nikon F3, Nikkor 50mm 1.4
http://www.martyhiester.com/Baja-California/i-LV5385C

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©Marty Hiester- Creative Commons (CC by NC 3.0)
#Tijuana #BajaCalifornia #Mexico #bullfighting #bullfight #matador #corrida #MARTYhiester

Chichén Itzá- El Castillo (“the Castle”)

March 13, 2014 by marty Leave a Comment

Located on the Yucatán Peninsula, El Castillo is the most recognized pre-Columbian structure in Mexico.
Towering 24 meters above the jungle, it dominates today’s archaeological site of the Mayan capital- Chichen Itza.
The Mayans built their “Temple of Kukulkan” with 91 steps up each of the four sides… the total steps plus the top platform equal 365 the number of days in a year.
During a 1930s excavation a staircase was discovered that led to a temple chamber.
Inside was a Throne of inlaid jade, shaped like a jaguar & the now classic Mesoamerican Sculpture of the reclining figure Chac Mool.

Captured in 1998 on Kodachrome 25, Nikon F3, Nikkor 50mm 1.4
http://www.martyhiester.com/Yucatan-Mexico/i-D4VpX3J

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©Marty Hiester- Creative Commons (CC by NC 3.0)
#Chichen Itza #Yucatan #Mexico #maya #mayan #mayans #mayan ruins #mayan ruin #elcastillo #temple of kukulkan #MARTYhiester

Headed Home with the “Cachanillas”

March 7, 2014 by marty Leave a Comment

Wandering back across the desert flats during a “glowing” windstorm.
With the sun setting off to the west, a small palm thatched palapa stands strong in the gale.
Said to be nomadic, the folks from Mexicali are nicknamed “Cachanillas” meaning tumbleweeds,
many of which were blowing around in this storm!

Captured May 1986 on Kodachrome 25, Nikon F3, Nikkor 80-200mm zoom
http://www.martyhiester.com/Portfolio/i-NKfFCxC

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©Marty Hiester- Creative Commons (CC by NC 3.0)
#mexicali #bajacalifornia #mexico #desert #MARTYhiester

Sunrise Coffee, Isla Cedros, Baja California, Mexico

March 2, 2014 by marty Leave a Comment

Enrique enjoys a sunrise coffee overlooking the still Pacific Ocean, camping on Cedros Island.
The fourth-largest island in Mexico it was named by early Spanish explorers for the Cedar (Monterey Pine) found on the island’s summits.
Home to some of the earliest indigenous people of the Pacific Coast,
by the time of the arrival of Francisco de Ulloa there were over 1,200 inhabitants recorded.

Captured February 1987 on Kodachrome 25, Nikon F3, Nikkor 80-200mm zoom
http://www.martyhiester.com/Portfolio/i-bbPCGxP

See my latest work online…
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©Marty Hiester- Creative Commons (CC by NC 3.0)
#bajacalifornia #mexico #islacedros #MARTYhiester

A couple of cold Coronas by the Campfire

Façade- Santo Tomas, Baja California, Mexico