Brett Nelson

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Bolivia | Monday, November 7, 2011 | 5 photos

My time in San Pedro prison in La Paz, Bolivia, whilst brief, was surreal and profound. Despite knowing next to nothing about this penitentiary, my travel partner and I decided to visit on an inmate led tour. During those two hours we encountered a bizarre self contained microcosm governed by it's own set of laws. The approximately 1500 prisoners buy or rent their cells and lock themselves in at night. Guards rarely enter. Stabbings and violent attacks are common. The vast majority are in for drug related offences and the rest run the full gamut of societies unwanted. However, despite this, their wives, lovers and children are allowed to come and go as they please. Shops, restaurants, cola signs and football matches portray a strange sense of normality. I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for the children and how many would be back as adults. In this set of photos I hope to provide an insight into the lives of the people who inhabit what is surely one of the worlds strangest prisons.

This scholarship would help me to hone my skills in finding expressive moments during both trying and peaceful circumstances. My adventurous mind and thirst for knowledge about people, animals and all aspects of nature make me a ideal candidate.

I believe that photography is the most effective medium for capturing the essence of a subject. I'm thrilled by the novelty and happy accidents that it consistently provides.

With a keen eye for colour and composition, I'm currently employed as a graphic designer, however I feel that my true calling lies in the world beyond my desk.
Africa is still a land of mystery to me and to have Jason as a guide and photographic mentor would be an invaluable opportunity and perhaps my first step on a new path as a travel photographer.