IT was a race to get everything done before leaving on the photo shoot. All the guests were sick. I made soup, brewed tea and translated at the doctor’s office. (They gave us a terrific review, saying it was the best experience they had ever had with airbnb. Being French Canadian, they really liked the homemade croissants.) Got them off in the morning, stripped the beds, washed the sheets and made up the rooms for new guests coming in late the night before leaving. All the repairs somehow got done – toilet, pump, dryer, water faucet – and the owner got the business report early. Didn’t lose my cool once – although I damn sure thought about it.
I met with my client the day before leaving and we went over the draft survey. Talked to my son, who was expected a baby, nearly every day and somehow managed to meditate at night. Packed, checked camera gear, crossed my fingers and headed out to the shoot with six other photographers. The shoot was led by Jo Brenzo, who owns the Photographic Gallery in San Miguel.
Real de Catorce is located in a remote part of Mexico at nearly 10,000 feet. I didn’t see any other Gringos while we were there. We were there to shoot the Passion of Christ, the mines and the town. I managed to stay on my feet long enought to shoot the pagent, then went to bed and slept for an entire day. What a luxury…