The Threads of Peru

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Peru | Thursday, October 27, 2011 | 5 photos

This summer I partnered with the Q’ente Textile Revitalization Society. Q’ente works in collaboration with communities in the Sacred Valley region of Peru to preserve traditional Quechua values and to foster cultural and historical integrity through the Quechua weaving tradition. My contributions were to meet with weavers and families in communities and co-develop Volunteer Service Projects, including, for example, literacy training and Spanish language classes. My time in Peru offered a unique and humbling glimpse into the lives of rural weaving communities and opened my eyes to a people rich in cultural expression.

The selected photos best represent the diversity of the communities visited and showcase my unique interactions with the people. Each image represents a single thread of culture, each beautiful on its own, and that come together, as a whole, to form the fabric of society in Peru.

For me, a photo represents a unique and personal expression of the world. The image captured, focus, lighting and contrast are insight into a person’s curiosity and fascination with the outside world. Above all, my inspiration lies with the ability of an image to raise awareness and act as a force for positive change in the world. And my own personal challenge is to accurately capture the beauty in every person, place and thing.

I approach photography with a sense of adventure and thirst for the world around me. I am eager to open my eyes and lens to new experiences and to better learn how to look at the familiar in a different light. The opportunity to train with Jason Edwards would be distinct and memorable on my learning continuum towards my dream of becoming a travel photographer/journalist and would be an opportunity to develop the technical elements needed to match my creative appetite.