The main market in Cusco, Peru – across the street from Orion grocery store, one of two grocery store chains in town but the only one with lots of yummy imported items – is fun to photograph and a great place to go for an early morning coffee.
The shop owners are used to tourists walking around with camera straps dangling from their necks and the majority try to ignore you. This gal was cute, maybe a little bored with her day but she saw me setting up a shot and didn’t wave me off like so many others – thank you seafood lady of Cusco!
One morning on my way to the market for coffee there were these shoe stand guys and gals on the street. I was first taking a shot of a blind musician begging for soles in a cup he sat in front of him while he played the flute, then walked towards the lady shining the man in the blue coats shoes. She got embarassed, but another guy you can’t see in the photo spurned her on and I made it known I was going to give her a few soles.
The guy who’s shoes she was shining turned away, which is the norm for trying to take photos in Bolivia and Peru, but I lined it up and went for it. What I didn’t really notice at the time was the guy in the background getting his shoes shined who also turned away and the other shoe shiners who were glancing in my direction like the gal in the forefront; sweet and what a lucky shot!
On Sundays in Cusco – every Sunday – they put on a parade with all kinds of official groups marching, playing music and otherwise entertaining the large groups of tourists who either planned in advance to go see it, or wandered upon it by accident like I did on this day, our first day in Cusco.
I played tourist photographer for a bit, even crossing the line that was enforced by police to keep the crowds from walking to close to the participants to get a few up close shots. But then it was time to find a hostal for us to stay at, why I had walked to the square in the first place so I left.
One of the hostals I was directed to was up on the hillside. As the owner showed me the place he walked me up to their rooftop kitchen and patio. I realized here was the real photo op I should be taking advantage of and clicked away.