Ninteenth Abandoned Photo

Printemps in Liège (Pont de Fragnée)

6 x 8 inches

This image has been selected for a photo exhibition on September, in Belgium. The photo has a partner (it will be in the exhibition too), it's a similar image showing the same sculpture in winter. That's an image with many white tones because the sculpture is covered by snow. But for this time, I prefer showing the "black" version" 

The sculpture is on a bridge which I had to cross for going to my home when I was in my first year of doctoral school. I like the guy because he was impassive whatever happens. And when I was worried for something, I always said "Remember your friend on the bridge, he never gives up, he always holds up his heavy shell. Do like he does, Don't give up!". Sometimes I think I was crazy, I mean, a sculpture was my inspiration! But who cares, it did work! Well, this image represents one of the best moments I had with my friend the sculpture. And he's still there, he never gives up. 

The nineteenth abandoned photo is on a street! If you find it, please leave a comment here! I want to know what do you think about the photo!

Eighteenth abandoned photo

"My guitar is so beautiful. Sometimes I wish I could play it" 
Leonard Cohen

A man and his guitar. 

6 x 8 inches

There are many sacred things in a man's life. A guitar is one of the most sacred ones. It's an eternal companion and love. Once you have the right one, you can't leave it. You can't. But sometimes the guitar goes and you can't play it anymore. My guitar has gone, I've lost it. And I'm lost without her. 

Maybe you can't find my guitar. It's complicated. But maybe you can find the photo "A man and his guitar". I shot this photo many years ago at a beach in the Gulf of Mexico. I like it! If you like it, it can be yours! 

The eighteenth abandonded photo in on a street now. If you get it, please leave a comment here!

Study of Gerbera No.1, found!

Archie and the "Study of Gerbera No. 1"

Photo: Courtesy of Craig

Yeah! The sixteenth abandoned photo was found! Well, Craig has already told us the place where the photo was abandoned, in Edinburgh! 

I visited Edinburgh two weeks ago, it was my first time there and I must say I loved it! Edinburgh is a beautiful place, when walking in the city you can feel the folklore, the culture and a good smell of whisky. Medieval and post-medieval buildings are located everywhere and they coexist harmoniously with modern buildings. The Edinburgh Castle on the top of the Edinburgh Rock is the landmark of the city, but of course there are many other great castles. Nature landscapes are also present in the city; hills surround Edinburgh and one can see them with yellow, green and ochre colors during the sunset, for instance the Arthur's seat looks amazing when the sun falls down. Another good thing of Edinburgh is that it's a small city, well at least the area for sightseeing is small. One can cross the city by walking and it takes as much as  20-30 minutes, that's perfect for having a relaxing time and forgetting about moving by bus or by the underground. My only complaint is that...Edinburgh is very cold even in the spring! Don't forget your pullover if you're going to Edinburgh! Trust me! You'll need it!

Well, let's talk about the "Study of Gerbera No.1" What can I say? I'm really happy to know the photo was found! Fireworks! Pum! Pum! Pum! Yeah! Indeed, I'm really happy because it was found by two cool guys.  I don't want to repeat the story telling how did they find the photo. And I don't want it because I can't tell it as nice as Graig did it. What I want to say is that I´ve got a nice feedback from Craig and Archie, the proud owners of the photo. They gave me a photo of Archie with the photo he found. Certainly Archie looks as a very educate dog, a dog liking photographic art.  By the way, this is first time I get a "proof" showing that the photo was found and I thank a lot to Craig and Archie for that.  Now they're part of this project! Again, thanks a lot guys!

Edinburgh

Carlos Fuentes (+)

Carlos Fuentes giving a lecture in the BOZAR of Brussels (March 29th 2009).

Carlos Fuentes
November 11th 1928-May 15th 2012

Seventeenth abandoned photo: Study of Gerbera No. 2

Study of Gerbera No. 2

Photo: 15 x 20 cm, Frame: 35 x 25 cm

Another photo comming from the Study of Gerbera, this is the No. 2! As you see, in this photo and the previous one I wasn't interested in the front of the flower. Of course I took some photos in a more typical perspective showing the pistils surrounded by the petals, but I thought it was a good challenge exploring the back perspective. Here is the result of the idea. 

I'm going to abandon "The Study of the Gerbera No.2" on the weekend! If you find it, leave a message!

Sixteenth abandoned photo: Study of Gerbera No. 1

Study of Gerbera No. 1 

Photo 15 x 20 cm, Frame 35 x 25 cm

Status: Found!

If you want to know why I abandoned my blog last month, here is the answer: I spent my time scanning my old photo films. And I have thousand meters of those films, it took me ages doing the job! Actually I'm still haven't finished the job. But now I'm taking a rest and working with the images in the films.

Among the films there are ones I took for doing an excersise for a photography workshop. The work was simple, shooting ten 36-frame film for only one object. For doing that I chose a gerbera. First 3 films went fine, but then it was very hard to find different perspectives of the flower. It was really hard and tired,  I hated my teacher of photography, a very smart woman by the way, becasue of the task! But days later when I saw the result of the work I love her! She pushed me to open my eyes! While seeing the photos, I understood the aim of the excersise was to stimulate my "creative vision". I think it worked,  I got nice photos and mostly I took them with the last films. 

Study of Gerbera No. 1 is one of the image on the films. Now it is a photo and it will be a photo on the street soon, it might be on saturday or sunday! If you are the lucky person who find it, please leave a comment!

The Cyclist is lost!

The Cyclist, status: lost!

I "abandoned" the blog last month, but I'm back! Although the story is still the same, no news about the photos on the street. 

On the other hand, although I don't have comment from people finding the photos (supposing someone had found them), I realize I'm getting an interesting photographic series of the photos on the street. When I'm walking on the street for leaving a photo, I look for a special place to leave the photo and usually when a good place appears I have the feeling I have to leave the photo there. Of course, as I said on a previous comment, there are some places I think they're are perfect for my photos and sometimes, something suddenly happens to complete the picture. The place where I left "The Cyclist" months ago it's a good example of that.

I left the photo in a very nice city, a city with a colonial architecture style, with many beautifil buildings having a baroque style, a city I like very much because I lived there years ago. While walking on the sidewalk, I decided to abandon the photo in front of a builiding I liked very much, I liked the pink walls of the place, walls made of pink quarry, typical of the city. Becasue life has many suprising moments, at the time I was leaving "The Cyclist" and I was taking a photo for registering that, a cyclist passed and I got it in the photo! A cyclist in the photo of the cyclist! An nice image that was the result of a nice casualty!

Well, If someone have got "The Cyclist", here you're are another one! And please leave a comment on the blog! I promise I'll be here!

Fifteenth abandoned photo: The salsa student

The salsa student, released on 25/03/2012

Gelatin silver print

I took this photo in La Habana, Cuba. The story of the image is so simple. The man is a street teacher of salsa, he's on the street catching tourists who want to learn how to dance salsa. Indeed, he has a lot of success, girls are always queuing for having a dance session with him! I find it very interesting because it's a perfect cliché of La Habana. Mmm...is it?


Sometimes when visiting a place for tourists, many people want to see the real culture of the place, not the clichés, but the real culture of the place.  And...What's the real culture of a place? What's a cliché? Is a cliché  part of the culture of a place? If we avoid looking for clichés, will we leave out part of the "real culture" of the place? 


Well, the 15th photo has been abandonded! I must say the image comes from a 120 mm film. Indeed, I printed the photo in the dark room and after such long and hard work the photo is on the streets! If you have found it, you know what to do! Leave a comment here below please!

The lost eleventh abandoned photo

Men and Moon

Status: lost!

A new lost photo, ouch! I left the photo "Men and moon" in a circuit for jogging. Usually people go jogging there with their dogs and I was afraid one of those canines might piss on the photo, specially because the photo was resting against a post. Who knows, maybe a dog can feel attraction for pissing on a photo! 

Well, the photo was there and I'm here waiting news about the photo. If you got it, please leave a comment on the blog!

P.S. HBDD!

Two lost images: the 9th and 10th abandoned photos

 "The wave"

Status: lost!

I have a broken leg and it stops me to go out for leaving photos on the street. That's the result of playing indoor football, definetivelly doing sport is very dangerous for health! Now I'm spending the time reading or "watching" books of photography and also thinking about a photographic task for the blog. But before doing something new, my leg has to be totally recovered. While it happens, I'll continue working on the blog and with the photos abandoned in the past months.

A popular proverb says "No one is a prophet in their own land", certainly it maybe has many interpretations, but for me, it means that achieving an aim in your place is harder than doing that in a faraway land. Any way, sometimes I think I own to many lands and I don't know what's the effect of the proverb on such situation. For the case of the abandon of the "The wave" and the "Sea and rocks" photos, the popular wisdom could be true. Those photos were abandonded in one of "my" lands and I don't know nothing about them! I don't know if someone found them! Well, I'm positive, they should be at a good place but the owner of each photo doesn't want to tell me that.

"Sea and rocks"

Status: lost!

The two lost photos depict water, the sea...water. And the photos were abandoned in a city with much water. There isn't a beach in the place, no, no, no; but the rain usually falls on that city, it's a extremely rainy city. Actually, I took care of leaving the photos on the street on a sunny day to avoid  rain and a consequent damage of the printed photo or the frame because of the water. But the care was in vain, when I just left the photos the sky became cloudy and it started to rain! I thought it was part of the game and it's impossible to beat the Mother Earth. So, I covered the framed photo with a plastic bag and hoped someone took the photo soon. I must say the same story happended for the 2 photos! Did you save any photo from the rain? If you did, please leave a comment on the blog!

Yes! I found a photo on the street! Now what? English, Español,Français and Deutsch version

I found a photo on the street!

Did you find a photo on the street? Congratulations! Read here below what to do now!

¿Encontraste una foto en la calle? Felicidades! Lee aquí abajo que hacer ahora!

Avez-vous trouvé une photo dans la rue? Félicitations! Lire ci-dessous ce qu'il faut faire maintenant!

Haben Sie ein Foto auf der Straße? Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Lesen Sie hier unten was jetzt zu tun!

English

This project will be complete with your help; so please, leave a comment on the blog!  I would like to know your feelings about the photo and the moment you found it. Do you like it? Don’t you? Will you keep it with you? Will you give it as a gift? Whatever, everything is important for the project. And that’s all! No personal information is required. The photo  you have found is an original printing, it’s a signed photo and it has specific written information to identify and prove its authenticity. Please, take care of this photo; I worked very hard to prepare it and leave it on the street and now it’s yours! 

Español

Este proyecto no estará completo sin tu ayuda, por favor visita el blog y deja un comentario. Me gustaría mucho saber lo que sentiste al encontrar la foto. ¿Te gusta la foto?, ¿No te gusta?, ¿La conservarás contigo o la regalarás? ¡Eso es todo! No tiene que dejar ninguna información personal, solo te pido que escribas dónde y cuándo encontraste la foto. El blog está escrito en inglés, pero puedes dejar tu comentario en español si lo prefieres. La foto que tienes en tus manos es una impresión original, es una obra firmada y tiene información específica para identificarla y probar su autenticidad. Por favor, cuida esta foto, he trabajado mucho para prepararla y dejarla en las calles. ¡Y ahora es tu foto!

Français*

Ce projet ne peut pas se poursuivre sans votre aide, laissez un commentaire sur le blog ! Je voudrais connaitre votre sentiment par rapport à la découverte de cette photo, quel qu’il soit, tout est important pour le projet ! Vous aimez la photo ? Vous ne l’aimez pas ? Allez-vous la garder? Allez-vous l’offrir? Aucune information personnelle n’est nécessaire, dites-moi juste où et quand vous avez trouvé la photo. Bien que le blog ait des textes en anglais, vous pouvez laisser votre commentaire en français (ou flamand pour la Belgique).   La photo que vous avez trouvée est un tirage original et une oeuvre authentifiée. Prenez soin de cette photo svp, j’ai beaucoup travaillé pour la préparer avant de l’abandonner dans la rue, et maintenant elle est à vous !

Deutsch*

Dieses Projekt kann nicht ohne Ihre Hilfe weiter gehen, lassen Sie bitte ein Kommentar auf die Website! Ich möchte Ihres Gefühl über die Entdeckung des Bild wissen. Alles is wichtig für das Projekt! Gefällt Ihnen das Bild? Gefällt es Ihnen nicht ? Wollen Sie es halten ? Wollen Sie jemanden es schencken ? Kein persönliche Information ist nötig. Sagen Sie mir nur wo und wann Sie haben das Foto gefunden. Das Foto ist eines originales Bild. Pass Gut auf es auf, ich habe schwer gearbeitet, um es zu vorbereiten und im der Straße verlassen. Und jetzt ist es für Sie!

*Thanks to my friend C.Kottgen for writing the text.

The eighth abandoned photo is...lost!

A burning plain and its metaphors.

Status: lost!

I told the story of this photo in a past comment; briefly, the photo is a personal tribute to Susan Sontag. Because of that, I abandoned the photo on the place where she lies. Even a note on the back of the framed photo invites to take it, I don't think people do it. On the gravestone, the photo isn't just a photo, it´s an offering, the photo is more than an artistic object, it's a symbolic and sacred object. On a gravestone the most simple and strange thing can be the most honorable object. People don't usuallly take an offering that has been made for someone. So, I must say I'm not surprised because I don't have news about "A burning plain and its methaphors" becasue I think that people have seen the photo think  it's an offering to Sontag. 

In the Parisian cementary where Sontag rest in peace there are many graves with offerings. Some tombstones look like an altar, that's the case of the Serge Gainsbourg's tombstone. Ok, that's a cult place! But there are some others graves with symbolic objects, graves of "no famous people". I was very surprised and charmed seeing those graves, I didn't expect that kind of cult to dead in a French cementery. In México, there is a especial festivity for leaving offering to dead people, it's called "The day of the dead". It happens every year on November 2nd, that day people offer everything you can imagine, for instance typical food, tequila, beer, cigarretes, personal stuff, photos, coins, everything! However the rest of the year there are only flowers on the tombs. I suppose that for many people, whatever time of the year or the place, is important to put something special on the gravestone of their beloved people. I hope someone will do that to me. By the way, if you have the eighth abandoned photo with you, will you tell me that? Will you do that for me?

A quiet fairly tale on a gravestone.

A Parisian Christmas tale on a gravestone.

Lost! The seventh abandoned photo!

I have to eat that prickly pear.

Status: lost!

"I have to eat that prickly pear" is a photo about crazy love. It's about a forbidden fruit, about a dangerous fruit! Whatever...it's a photo I like it. When I walked in front of that red wall, with that window with a heart drawn with a finger on the glass I knew that was the right place to abandon the photo. And next to the window, there were those photos showing actors, actresses, singers, musicians and dancers...it was perfect! That's love! That's a crazy love! Red as a heart, red as blood, and full of music and dance! So, let's go to look for that prickly pear! Who cares if it does hurt? Have you found it? Please, let me know it...

Lost! The sixth abandoned photo!

The Juggler. 

Status: lost!

I'm back! I´ve left the blog because I've been busy looking for a job and it takes time, that's the real life! Althought I prefer to see the life at a photography depicting the reality, my reality. Now, I'm having time to spent on my photographic work, even I don't find a job yet! So, to re-start with the comments, here is another one with a lost photo, the sixth photo, aka "The Juggler". This photo was abandoned on November 25th, it was 2 months ago! And I don't have news about it...Did somebody find it? Yes, no? I hope someone did it...I don't know, maybe the person who found the photo doesn't want to leave a comment, and that's all! If you, my dear reader, could give me advice about how to make people to write a comment, please let me know it! Ideas are welcome! I'm going to think about it too!

Fourteenth abandoned photo: The gestation of the lizard

The gestation of the lizard, released on: 11/01/2012

Size: 20 x 25 cm

Frame: 23 x 33 cm

Francisco Toledo is one of the most important Mexican artists and one of my favorite artists too. His artistic production involves painting and sculpture depicting animals or legends of his native place, Oaxaca. Despite his fame, Toledo dislikes to talk in public or give an interview, he never plays a role of "art star" because he's focused on his artistic production and that's most important for him. 

Few years ago, Toledo created a large scale sculpture, "La lagartera" (The lizard's place). He worked several months in Monterrey (MX) to produce the sculpture. At that time I was in Monterrey, so I decided to look for the place Toledo was working in the Lagartera and try to talk with him. I looked for the place with a friend. Because we didn't know the address (it was a secret to avoid onlookers), we took a car and drove on the streets of the neighborhood which the Toledo's studio was located. First day we didn't find the place but we got good clues, second day we arrived at the Toledo's studio, but he wasn't there that day! Next day we arrived at place and Toledo was working in the Lagartera. It was amazing! We saw Toledo while he was working and we stay there, just watching and enjoying of the magic calm of that man. After he finished his work, we had some minutes to talk with him and then he said goodbay and went out the place to take a taxi such as the most common person in the world. Again, we went to meet him but that time we invited to take our car with us to give him a lift. He said: "You don't look like kidnappers,  Ok let's go". What a magical moment! Francisco Toledo was in my car! We talked about many things, about Monterrey, about Juchitán, his native town in Oaxaca, about the wind, about our families, many things in a short time. That day is one of the best days of my life. "The gestation of the lizard" is an image of that day.

                                          La Lagartera, sculpture by Francisco Toledo

Twelfth abandoned photo: Thoughts. Found!

 "Thoughts", the twelfth abandoned photo was found on the streets of México City, México.

Happy New Year! The year 2012 started few days ago, so it's still good time to celebrate a new year! Well, every day is a good day to celebrate something. Today, I'm celebrating that the twelfth abandoned photo was found! In fact, it was found weeks ago (the last year!), but I decided to tell it until now. I'll expain my decision.

I got an email from the person who found the photo, I got it the day after I left the photo!  He told me a very nice story about how he found the photography, thus I kindly ask him to visit the blog for telling the story.  I've waited several weeks for his answer or his comment at the blog. But sadly I haven't news from him. Hence, I thought "What should I do?" A) Don't tell the photo was found  B) To tell the photo was found but don't tell the guy's story, C) To tell the photo was found and tell the guy's story. What ethical issue! I mean, the original idea of the project is to get the feedback of people who find the photography. And I got it... but in my email addresse, what's it's very nice too, but not at the blog. Maybe the man doesn't want to share his story. If it was the case...Do I have the right of telling the story? Would people believe that someone find the photo? Would people think I invented the story? Would people think I lie about the story? Arghhh! It was hard to decide what to do! That's the reason why I waited to say something about the finding of the twelfth abandoned photo! Finally, I took a decision. 

Evidently, I decided to tell the photo was found. Also I decided to tell the story. Of course, I'll protect anonymity of the man. I hope he will confirm truthfulness of the story if he visit the blog. I trust readers will believe that the photo was found and a real person told me the story. I must say the story was written in  Spanish, so I wrote a version in English.

"It was a magic experience. I was doing bicycling and I passed in front of a bench a first time. I saw a beautiful woman at the bench, she looked at my eyes and I looked at her eyes. I passed in front of the bench a second time. I did it again a third time because I expected to watch the woman again, however she wasn´t there anymore. Instead of the woman, there was a photo on the bench. I passed in front of the place a fourth time and I couldn't resist my curiosity about the photo so I stopped my bicycle. At same time, a man arrived at the bench, saw the photo and told me "You should put a votive candle next to the image". I thought " in this country all people want to put a votive candle next to any kind of image" (I found the photo at the Guadalupe Virgin's Day). My first thought about the photo was "Wow, Who´s he? Rasputin? Arturo Rivera? I watched attentively the photo and then the phantom images appeared. Now I have to go out,but I would like to tell you more about this so magical experience. I'm a visual artist and I understand your artistic language. You've created feelings. Regards. We keep in touch. 


And that's the story. Of course I´m not the mysterious beautiful woman at the bench! I'm the photographer who took the photo of the story!

I really thank to the man who told me he found the photo, I'm very happy to know he has the "Thoughts"!

The original story is here:

"Fue una experiencia mágica, primero pasé con mi bicicleta y vi en una banca del parque a una mujer muy hermosa que me miró a los ojos fijamente y yo a ella, al dar una segunda y tercera vuelta al porque, al querer encontrar a esa mujer de nuevo solamente encontré una fotografía recargada en la banca del parque, hasta la cuarta vuelta no pudo más mi curiosidad y me detuve ante la banca y ante la foto, coincidí con un señor que se acercaba y que dijo "hay que ponerle una veladora", pensé: "en este país a cada imagen le quieren poner una veladora" (día de la Guadalupe). Mi primera reacción al ver la foto fue: "orale, ¿Es Rasputín? ¿Arturo Rivera? Ahora tengo que salir, pero me gustaría seguirles contando de esta experiencia tan mágica. Yo soy artista plástico y entiendo muy bien tu lenguaje. Un abrazo, generaste cosas. Seguimos en contacto."

Muchas gracias por escribir tu historia, ¡espero no te moleste que la haya compartido! ¡Un gran abrazo! Y espero algún día dejes un mensaje. ¡Gracias por hacer este proyecto una realidad!