I had another first, couldn't find it, must be in Maputo amongst other firsts.
This one was made in Mozambique Island, circa December 2000. I used a Pentax SP1000 with a fixed 55mm 1:2 lens (still have it) that belonged to my father, he was a photographer, he passed away in 1987.
It’s a full manual camera and I was using an Ilford 400 black and white film. The camera was kept for years without being used until late 90's, when I started developing an interest in photography, my first experiments were a disappointment, including another earlier trip I and my mom made to Mozambique Island when we released my father’s ashes (he spent most of his childhood there). All my spools came back blank, I still don’t know if it was me or was it because the camera's rubbers were old and needed replacement.
After a good service I decided to give it another try and started experimenting. I never believed in reading manuals, I like the hands on approach better, so I made a lot of mistakes, had a lot of both good and nasty surprises so that by the time I went on this trip I was more confident with my understanding of photography. The fact that I travelled with 4 other very good friends, 2 of them also learning photography, made it even more fun and educational. One of these friends is here on 75:
On our first morning we grabbed our cameras and climbed on the roof of the place where we were staying, when I saw this, I didn't think twice, framed it and clicked, one of my father's lessons in photography helped: always keep the settings on your camera on 1:125 speed and 5.7 aperture when walking around during the day (he left a lot of his teaching notes from when he was at the Photography Formation Centre in Maputo).
This was the first photo I made with confidence, right after the click I knew I had it, there was no second attempt or any doubts, it was just a gut feeling that everything was conspiring for its success, and I think that from the 4 or 5 spools I used on this trip (this was before digital, when one was economic) this photo reflects my experience of the place better than any other.
It made me realize what a powerful medium photography can be, how it can contain so much of one’s experiences in just one frame, how magical is the poetry of movement, space and time, how we manipulate light in more or less conscious ways to express a feeling, an idea, a state of mind or simply as a provocation or challenge that can trigger other people’s emotions.
love . photography
