LiNdY500 oN tHe RuN

This is Not a Pig

2008-12-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

San José, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Marathon

2008-12-07T22:32:00.000-08:00

Byron Lopez, 30, finishes the wheelchair marathon with a final lap around La Sabana Park.

Corren, corren!

The finish line.

Olympic silver medalist Catherine Ndereba, of Kenya, with her daughter, Jane, 11, left. Ndereba competed in the half marathon and took first place!

Below, 1st and 2nd place winners in the wheelchair marathon went to Lauren Molina, right, and Byron Lopez, left. Molina is Tico and Lopez came all the way from Ecuador to participate. With the hilly route and the last leg of the race in the grass, Lopez said, "this is one of the hardest races I've ever done."

Children's Museum Lights up for the Holidays

2008-12-01T23:09:00.000-08:00

The Children Museum's 9th year Christmas lighting ceremony. The complimentary event warmed up the crowd with 35 kids singing classic Christmas carols, actors and dancers performing the play Navidad a la Tica, and Latin American Idol's 2nd runner up, María José Castillo, who sang Gloria Estefan's Más Alla, and her very own single Abre Su Corozón. The culmination of the night was when the museum, a former prison, lit up with 8,000 white Christmas lights accompanied by a grand finale of fireworks.

60 Years Without a Military

2008-12-01T21:17:00.000-08:00

Former Costa Rican first lady Karen Olsen de Figueres looks up at a statue of her husband, the late President José "Pepe" Figueres, at the 60th anniversary celebration of Figueres' abolition of the military.

Ex-combatants celebrate at the National Museum.

San José Oxcart Parade

2008-11-30T21:28:00.000-08:00

The winning pair of oxen carry Saint Joseph and a Christ figure as they lead the 12th annual Saints and Oxcarts Parade through San José down Paseo Colón. Over 300 boyeros, or oxcart drivers, participated in the caravan, despite the rains and cold weather that kept crowd numbers down. Farmers came from all over the country the night before the parade, setting up tents in La Sabana Park and resting up before the big day. Even with the nasty weather, everyone was in good spirits, which made juggling an umbrella in one hand and a camera in the other totally worth it.

Not One More: Stop the Violence March

2008-11-25T21:56:00.000-08:00

Governmental figures, university students, and human rights groups held a peaceful march down Avenida Central today for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. They marched from Central Park to the Legislative Assembly where they declared impunity against 4 of the 7 judges of the Judicial branch responsible for recently revoking two articles in the law for violence against women -- physical abuse and emotional violence. These women from CEFEMINA, the Feminist Center for Information and Action, an NGO that fights to improve the quality of life and equality for women, hold signs with the names of women who have died as victims of violence.

"For a life with dignity and free of abuse for all women."

Message to the press.

Marchers posted about 30 names, of women who died from violence, in front of the Judicial branch building with the photos of the 4 judges who voted against the law that would have protected them.

Amigos de los Aves Bird Sanctuary

2008-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Casa de loros.

Military Macaws -- qué brillante!

Carol Stanley, 63, and her father, Richard James Frisius, 89, feeding peanuts to a Hyacinth Macaw in the living room of Frisius' home in Alejuela. The walls are decorated with art and souvenirs Richard and his late wife, Margot Annelore Frisius, collected from the different places they've lived over the years.

Frisius along with a small staff of volunteers and caretakers look after over 300 birds at Amigos de los Aves bird sanctuary in Frisius' home. Some birds roam freely, jumping from cage to cage to branch to person. To the right, Frisius shares a photo album of the life cycle macaws go through from incubation to birth to developing into adults. Some birds have been handreared with the help of Richard and his staff, while others are born and raised naturally by the birds themselves.

Social Outreach in Shantytown La Carpio

2008-11-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

La Carpio, a shantytown in western San José where these kids live, is one of the city's poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods. The Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation, however, has been bringing relief to the community for over 11 years. It operates two education centers, including this one, and a health clinic. Handfuls of volunteers from the US, Europe, and Canada visit every year to implement social outreach projects.

*Click on the image to see the complete photo essay on The Tico Times website.

Plácido Domingo

2008-11-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

Photogs and TV cameras were flashing and filming away while tenor Plácido Domingo spoke at a press conference today. While talking about his one night performance in San José, the typical scene with microphones and bottles of water obstructed the guest speaker's face. What a shame the setups have to be so uninspiring considering the people are so talented. Finding ways to shoot under such restrictive conditions has been a huge learning experience. It makes me anxious to have my own studio lighting equipment and to invite subjects to properly sit for portrait sessions.

Ticos Remember Armistice Day

2008-11-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

Rodrigo Munoz Oviedo, 88, from San José, served as a lutenient in 1948 for the National Liberation Army.

This year a handful of Tico veterans commemorated Armistice Day, marking the 90th anniversary of the official end to World War I. Costa Ricans take tremendous pride in the fact that they abolished their military at the end of 1948. December 1st of this year will be the 60th anniversary for the nation since they've had an army.

From left, Héctor Miranda, 80, who served as a paramedic and fought in the Costa Rican revolts of 1948, 1949 and 1955; Jesús María Ramírez, 89, who served in World War II; and Rodrigo Muñoz, 88, a lieutenant in the Costa Rican Civil War participate at the French Embassy's wreath-laying ceremony at San José's Parque de Francia to mark 90 years since the end of World War I.

Civil War veteran Ismael Quesada at the Armistice Day commemoration.

O-BA-MA!

2008-11-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

During a U.S. election night party in San José, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, there was a crowded room early on, but by the time it was announced that Obama won, most people had left. Rumor has it people didn't want to openly celebrate in front of Bush's Republican appointed Ambassador. Instead, they took off in time to catch Obama's victory speech elsewhere. What a nightmare for a photographer with hardly anyone jumping for joy as electoral votes were awarded to one side or the other. In the end, these foreign exchange students and first time voters, below, became the life of the party, just lettin' it all hang out.

U.S. study abroad students, from left, Amanda Lawrence, 20, from Michigan, Caitlain Kelly, 22, from California, Anna Rohde, 21, from South Dakota, and Benjamin Weidman, 22, from NYC.

The Talent Show

2008-11-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

I've had the pleasure of photographing so many creative and interesting artists lately. Acrobats, musicians, painters, designers. So inspiring! Here are a few...

Luis Urbina, 18, from Nicaragua, juggles in front of the National Museum with the help of his brother Miguel Garcia, 27, behind him.

Drummer Carlos Solano, 68, and saxophonist Miguel Angel Retana, 81, from the group Cimarrona Macho Retana, perform Nov. 4th outside the San José court with dancing masked giants to mark the opening day of Health Week.

Gabriela Herrera, 26, started her own boutique, Cacao Tessile, where she designs and sells her own handbags, purses, and laptop protectors. She usually names the products after the first person she made them for.

Bolivian painter Gregorio Choque, 50, with a watercolor he made from memory of a pueblo in his country. By selling his art, he has traveled from his hometown of Cochabamba all the way to Costa Rica, and plans to keep heading up north.

More Than Meets the Eye

2008-11-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

Transformer convention at the Children's Museum in Costa Rica.

Tres Rios Market

2008-11-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

The Tres Rios Market is every Saturday from 5 a.m. - 2 p.m. You'll find the freshest fruit, vegetables, and flowers here on the eastern outskirts of San José. I didn't manage to find any pumpkins here for the Thanksgiving cover photo shoot we're preparing for later in the month, but I did have the chance to shoot some portraits of the vendors who have been bringing their products here from all over the country and selling them at the Tres Rios Market for years.

Jose Vega, 59, from Paraiso, has been selling ayote at the market for 18 years.

Leonel Canales, 40, from Orotina, has been selling fruit at the market for 13 years.

Victor Ramirez, 47, of Cartago, brings bananas from Talamanca to sell at the market every week.

Gilbert Navarro, 65, from Montes de Oca, has been a vendor at the market for 13 years.

Restaurant Guide

2008-10-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

The Tico Times puts out a restaurant guide every two years , sent to subscribers and sold at select stores. I'm so pleased to have been a part of the photo and design. This year they wanted a cover full of color, featuring a savory dish in the front with lots of greenery behind. After a few tries, this is the image that was chosen. The dessert is Coconut and Maracuya Mousse prepared by Chef Verena Orosco, from Restaurant Corteza Amarilla. It's a double layer mousse in a honey waffle cone basket, topped with strawberries and sorbet -- but for the shoot the two dolops of sorbet were actually substituted with butter and polenta!

Chilean and Panamanian Presidential Visits

2008-10-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

Chilean Presidenta Michele Bachelet joins Costa Rican President Oscar Arias at a press conference on Oct. 28th. They signed an agreement addressing socio-politico issues. Bachelet eloquently lead the conference, putting emphasis on the cultural affinities between the 2 countries and reflecting on the nature of female leadership.

Panamanian President Martin Torrijos and Costa Rican President Oscar Arias at the signing of a free-trade agreement between the two countries, which Arias defended as a measure to combat market fluctuations, at the Casa Presidencial in Zapote, in southeastern San José, on Oct. 24th.

Japanese Week: Part 1

2008-10-18T00:05:00.000-07:00

Saki Ito, 22, of Tokyo, performs a traditional Japanese dance.

San José celebrated its 6th Annual Japanese Week, from Sept. 29th - Oct. 19th. The Japanese Embassy sponsored the event, welcoming people to learn more about Japan's culture through complimentary movies, concerts, and conferences. A weekend-long grand finale ended the event with Saturday's Japanese Pop Culture Festival followed by Sunday with a Traditional Cultural Festival. Photographically, it was sensational to shoot martial arts performances, ikebana, origami, anime, calligraphy, karaoke and cosplay competitions, which took visitors of all ages on a sensational virtual tour of Japan.

Cajitas de origami.

Aki Akama, 33, of Tokyo, and Mayumi Minagawa, 28, of Niigata, write name's in calligraphy.

Maricio Roque, 23, of San Rafael de Cartago, wow's the crowd dressed up as the anime character Menos Grande, a haunting Japanese version of the Grim Reaper.

Dressed as a mythical characters from Japanese anime, Gerardo Castro, 27, of Heredia, left, pretends to punch Samurai Maurilio Marin, 20, of Escazu.

Orchids: just because...

2008-10-17T23:48:00.000-07:00

Cartago Ox Cart Parade

2008-10-12T23:45:00.000-07:00

Raúl Soto Viquez, 25, from Tierra Blanca, walks his cows down Central Avenue from the basilica to the main square in Cartago. The parade kicked off a week long fiesta in honor of Día Mundial de la Alimentación, World Nutrition Day, commemorated every Oct. 16th. The UN's Orgnization for Agriculture and Nutrition along with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock prepared this upcoming week with cultural activities, festivals, educational events, and expositions to strengthen the solidarity in the fight against hunger and poverty.

José Miguel Garbanzo, 13, from Desemparados.

Michael Canocho Villalobos, 15, from Guadelupe.

Juan Daniel Montero, 5, from San Isidro de El Guarco.

Bright and beautiful.

Marco Tulio Montenegro, 68, of San Rafael de Oreamuno.

Ice cream man with his modern day ox cart.

Cultural Day at San Sebastian Prison

2008-10-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

Costumed dancers, guitarists and other performers entertained San Sebastian Penitentiary inmates for a Culture Day celebration ahead of the official day, October 12th. Originally Día de la Raza (Day of Race) coincided with Columbus Day, but the holiday was renamed to Día de las Culturas to take the focus away from how the Spaniards conquered the Americas.

Inmates enjoyed the chance to spend the day outside of their cells.

It was awkward to enter the male prison at first, but as soon as I took out my camera, a few guys would approach me to ask which paper I was shooting for and volunteer to have their portraits taken. I ended up spending a little time with Jesus Brown Picado, 27, who was quite open about what life was like in the jail. He told me that there are about 700 men serving time here and prisoners slept 25 to a room. They rarely get to go out of their cells unless you count spending time in a tiny outdoor patio once in a while. Besides that, the men appreciate days like this when visitors come to entertain and share good food. Jesus has 1.5 more years to serve in the San Sebastian Penitentiary. His family doesn't visit him although, ¨It would make the time go faster having that support,¨ he admitted. When asked what he misses most about being incarcerated, he didn´t hesitate to say, ¨my freedom.¨

Jesus with some of the other inmates.

What the Duck?

2008-10-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

Aaron Johnson! Your photo humor is spot on. Click on the image to see more.

The Young and the Breastless

2008-10-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

María Elena Solano, cancer-free for 5 years, celebrates during a breast cancer awareness march in downtown San José. Behind her is fellow cancer survivor, Sandra Torres Hernández, who beat cancer almost 7 years ago.

To commemorate October being International Breast Cancer Awereness month, cancer survivors marched in downtown San José on Sat., Oct. 4th along with their loved ones, hospital workers, and female police officers dressed in their finest, complete with a little pink ribbon. The march was a 2 hour affair ending up in La Sabana Park where there was live entertainment, snacks, a photography exhibit and information booths that passed out pamphlets encouraging women to practice the best form of prevention -- catching lumps early by conducting self-breast exams.

María Isabel Jimenez, 46, marches with her fellow comrades in an effort to show her solidarity against breast cancer.

Gerry Rogers at the Oct. 2nd showing of her movie ¨My Left Breast.¨

In accordance with breast cancer awareness month, Canadian filmmaker Gerry Rogers came to Costa Rica this month to share her endearing documentary ¨My Left Breast.¨ Rogers and her partner Peggy Norman confronted Rogers' breast cancer straight on by filming the struggles, the medicines, and all the side effects with personal camera equipment. Rogers used what she calls ¨state of the heart¨ technology to describe such intimate low budget filming techniques. The movie provides an intimate glimpse of fighting cancer from the chemo to the battle scars and from marijuana to what bra to wear after you've had a mastectomy. Since the film was made, Rogers has had another mastectomy, as did her mom, sister, and three aunts, but it doesn't get the best of them. They refer to themselves as ¨The Young and the Breastless.¨

Back to the Basics

2008-10-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been trying to hone my news photographer skills, asking myself questions like, ¨Is this photo newsworthy? Is it interesting? Is it full of information? Are the subjects intriguing and involved in what they're doing? Do I have strong horizontal's, vertical's, wide angle's, and close up's? Did I jot down relevant caption info? Am I covering all my bases?¨

Then I was asked to illustrate some articles for the Special Edition, and everything got turned upside down. This extra section, which the paper puts out every 2 months, focused on home and gardening and I was assigned 4 simple tasks: to shoot appliances, stained glass, cactus, and patio furniture.

They weren't particularly difficult pictures to take. Some were just frustratingly impossible to find! Appliances, no problem. Stained glass, not so bad. But, Cactus. It should have been a no-brainer, but at the time it was nowhere to be found. And who knew that tracking down outdoor furniture to shoot would be such a production? Despite going to pool & patio stores, waking around town, and even checking property listings online, it just wasn't as easy as it sounds.

In the end, we met the deadline and I took away a lot of lessons. It all goes back to the basics. Be quick, resourceful, and ingenious. Oh, and stained glass photographs really nicely.

Ex-pats Rock the VOTE

2008-09-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

Democrats Abroad held their first bipartisan drop-in voting center at the Aurola Holiday Inn for registered and non-registered voters who came to send in absentee ballots for the upcoming November 11th elections. Over 200 walk-ins voted from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., thanks to volunteers like Pat Piessens, 66, a native of Massachusetts, who helped fill out forms, stuff ballots into security envelopes, and look up the proper address information for people's corresponding states. What a convenient way to cast your ballot from abroad!

Chinese Candies Pulled from Market

2008-09-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

Chinese restaurants in Costa Rica commonly give customers these after dinner treats, however, white rabbit caramels along with other sweets like cookies and toffee made with a Chinese milk derivative have been taken off the market following a serious health scare. Health Secretary, María Luisa Ávila, informed, ¨We´re going to confiscate all of these types of products that we find in the market. No one can sell either caramels or any other milk product.¨ The Health and Commerce Ministries will also be watching more closely to restrict the entry of these products while warning Chinese restaurants and stores to no longer offer them to the public. Immediate action is being taken after 4 children in China recently died and thousands of others became extremely ill from consuming powdered milk from China containing melamine, an industrial substance used to make plastics.

From a photography standpoint, these candies were pretty challenging to shoot considering news traveled fast among the Chinese business community and white rabbit became obsolete almost overnight. Yesterday my co-workers were nibbling on the caramels after we went out for Chinese food and today they could hardly be found in any restaurants or corner stores. The owner of one market finally sold me a few bags, but he had to go in the back room where he stuffed them in storage, probably thinking nobody would be requesting them anymore. Talk about a true salesman -- getting paid for a potentially poisonous product that was confiscated and taken off the market. I wonder if he realizes that within the next week at least he could make a profit from the news media off of these babies.