Photographing the Camino in 5 days

[Eeva]

Hello everybody
I'm Eva Persson and living in Helsinki, Finland. I have been invited by this guy, http://delmialvarez.com/camino/ , to come and photograph the Camino for 5 days. Quite a challenge. The trip will be in the end of october, beginning of november, 2006, and I plan to use medium format, film.
I have a couple of ideas that I would need some feedback on.
1. To stand somewhere and take portraits of the people passing by. Ques: Where would be a good place to stand?
2. To stay in a monastery and take pictures of the people passing and the life of the monastery. Can anybody recommend one or two? Is it a problem that I am a woman? I know that there is one in Samos.
3. To hang in Finisterre and photograph the people that has finnished the Camino. Good or bad idea?
To me it's crazy to try to walk and photograph at the same time, especially when the stay is for 5 days only. What do you think?

 

[wulf]

How about positioning yourself in Santiago de Compostela at the point where pilgrims first get a good sight of the cathedral? You are almost on top of it before the cathedral comes into view and you might get some interesting shots if you set up so you can see people before and after they turn the corner.

Wulf

 

[spursfan]

just some thoughts

look up the pilgrim stats and see how many (or rather few) pilgrims there will be at end Oct /early Nov

that would probably narrow your focus to say between Leon - the nuns that look after the albergue there might be better than Samos (remember not all pilgrims go via Samos) and Santiago

the obvious places to capture extremes would be O'Cebreiro or La Cruz de Ferro since most pilgrims will tend to spend some time there - or even the pancake woman in Fonfria!

though Finisterre is a lovely solitary spot, only a small number of pilgrims walk on from Santiago (if they go most, like me, take the bus)

by the time pilgrims first catch sight of the cathedral they might be more eager to get there than pose for your camera

 

[wulf]

by the time pilgrims first catch sight of the cathedral they might be more eager to get there than pose for your camera

That's why I thought it might be a good site. A high proportion of pilgrims will pass that way and, for many, it will be a very emotional moment as their goal finally comes into view. For spontaneous pictures (rather than posed groups of pilgrims) it might be a worthwhile place to spend a few hours.

Wulf

 

[Eeva]

Thank you Wulf and Spursfan for your ideas. It will help me plan my trip. If anybody else has anything to add, please do!
e

 

[Eeva]

I have gotten some new instructions; I should pick somewhere in the Galicia area. That includes Santiago de Compostela but not the pancake lady. Hm. I'm thinking now to just walk the Mar de Arousa-River Ulla Camino. I like the ocean but is it going to be realy cold in the begining of november? Have anyone walked Mar de Arousa-River Ulla Camino?
Or just hang in Santiago de Compostela and take a bus to Finisterre.
As much as I would like to walk the camino I feel I am invited as a photographer and should do what is needed to get the pictures I want, not the exercise.
Any suggestions about nice hang outs in the Galicia area?

 

[William Marques]

As spursfan and wulf say if you are going to stay in one spot you need to pick somewhere where there will be pilgrims to photograph so I would pick somewhere on the Camino Frances.

But your original post says you have been asked to photograph the camino, not pilgrims, so perhaps walking it is not out of the question. If you walk away from Santiago you will see more pilgrims and be facing them when you do.

Some other possibilities in Galicia:
1 at the marker stone as you enter Galicia just before O Cebreiro
2 by the statue just after O Cebreiro
3 at the 100 km marker
4 just before or after the arch into Obradoiro Square in Santiago

William

 

[wulf]

I would say that the 100km marker stone is unfortunately less than picturesque, due to the graffiti all over it:



O'Cebreiro is beautiful (although I've only seen it in fine weather with breath-taking views across the mountain - I don't know what it is like if the rain closes in).

Wulf

 

[katy06]

Ocerebrero

Quite special start to GALLICIA... and ofcourse do photograph the making of pulpo the traditional dish there..
And, the old ladies on the way..
Good luck!

 

[Jim]

>>I would say that the 100km marker stone is unfortunately less than picturesque, due to the graffiti all over it<<

That's terrible! What's wrong with people these days?