I was invited to speak at Fotográfica Bogotá about a country no other than North Korea, as well as about my photography experience. Out of the 30 photographers they invited, I think I was the only amateur photographer.
It was the rainy season in Colombia. Our organisers were seriously concerned about our safety. While Colombia used to be world's capital of murder, but that's no longer the case. I felt pretty safe, but then you almost always do.ISO 200, 23mm, f/4.0, 1/950s.
I arrived at 4 AM, completely knackered. My body was confused as the day was only beginning - the longest day in my life, I think. First thing I bought? Coca! Quite a few photos in this gallery will be from my phone.ISO 100, 5mm, f/1.8, 1/206s.
I went for a walk in the neighbourhood of La Candelaria. This sort of neo-Gothic architecture appeals to me. Later, I was told that this used to be a convent, and then the HQ of the DAS, where people were tortured and killed during the ROjas Pinilla dictatorship. [2]ISO 200, 23mm, f/4.0, 1/240s.
This cathedral was once decorated with spikes to prevent pigeons from sitting on it. I was told soon pigeon blood decorated the cathedral, giving it a truly Catholic look. It was too much for most people, and the spikes were removed, and pigeons triymphantly returned en masse.ISO 200, 23mm, f/4.0, 1/1700s.
That's right, this is where the El Dorado legend comes from. The myth that drove the gold-hungry Spanish colonialists insane.ISO 200, 23mm, f/4.0, 1/450s.
Carrera 7, where they were offering me weed. It was raining on and off, luckily I had my anti-rain jacket I bought for my trip to Iceland.ISO 200, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/210s.
Back to Museo Santa Clara. One of the photographers that was also invited said he loved buying kitsch religious statues (and bought a few in Colombia). He said they represented well the sense of taste of the nation that was selling it. However, he found many of the bloodied Colombian statues of Jesus a bit much.ISO 1600, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/60s.
Fairy tale-like church of Iglesia Nuestra Senora del Carmen attracted me because of its ablaq - Byzantine-inspired Syrian architectural element involving stripes that we correctly associate primarily with Islamic architecture.ISO 1000, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/60s.
One cool thing they offer is the so called mine experience, where you wear a hard hat, you have to squeeze through narrow, pitch-black tunnels with zero light, and then mine with a pick axe. Minecraft in real life. It was massively tiring, and everyone on my tour was crap at it.ISO 2000, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/60s.
We did this trick where Any was driving the car while my drone was flying above it for kilometres (four, to be precise). Then I saw this and freaked out thinking it was an airport. Luckily, it's just a plane museum.ISO 189, 4mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.
This is the central part of Bogotá, and my hotel was nearby. Further North, the Portuguese embassy where I was invited for a delicious dinner.ISO 100, 4mm, f/2.8, 1/250s.
We called these favelas, but apparently favelas is a Portuguese word, and used normally in the context of Brazilian slums. [4]ISO 100, 4mm, f/2.8, 1/560s.
That's me in the restaurant. The food was all right. Overall, the place seemed nice, but I wasn't sure what the hype was all about.ISO 3200, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/15s.
It was a long break, ten days. I participated in several events: talked to students about my photography, did a review with photography students, opened my exhibition. People talked to me about going to North Korea, and in communism in general, which looks different to South Americans than it does to Eastern Europeans like me. The day before the flight I gave a 45-minute long lecture on my trip to North Korea to hundreds of people, which was terrifying right up to the moment I got onto the stage and immediately chilled out.ISO 100, 4mm, f/2.8, 1/1150s.
It was amazing to be there. Here's a little collage of photos I created from my talk, the skyscraper that displayed my photo on its surface, me getting hopelessly drunk, a leaflet with my name, the embassy, a drawing of me someone made, selfies, and more. Thank you, Bogotá!Sources
