Behind the Image: Machu Picchu
An untraditional view of the famous ruins of Machu Picchu (Nathan Borchelt)
Machu Picchu is one of the rare places in the world where all expectations are exceeded. Whether you hike the Inca Trail to the ancient city, hop the train from Cusco via Aguas Calientes, or trek for three days in the adjacent Camino Salcantay valley with Mountain Lodges of Peru (one of the newest—and best—Peruvian tour operators), you already likely know what to expect: the stone ruins of a vast, sprawling pre-Columbian Incan city 8,000 feet above sea level, with dense cumulus clouds blanketing the peaks of this mysterious UNESCO World Heritage-listed spot.
Despite its many unanswered questions, one thing is almost universally known: what it looks like, thanks to that singular, ubiquitous image of Machu Picchu. Looking down from the upper reaches of the ruins with the neighboring peak of Huayna Picchu jutting upwards, the ruins sprawl across the peak, almost like a half-constructed, stone Lego city built across terraces carpeted with verdant green foliage.
And when you follow the path up to that vantage point, the view does indeed hit every travel cliche: It steals your breath, quiets you, humbles you, makes you feel alive and aware and bigger than life, and yet small and insignificant. And you also realize that the photo you're obligated to take is...well, just like every other one you've seen.
So, when you find yourself in a place such as Machu Picchu, take on the challenge of finding something different.
Here, I was fortunate enough to have decent light and the right angle (and a moment of low crowds) while exploring the lower terraces of the ruined city. Using the doorway to frame both Huayna Picchu and the ruin details, I snapped several shots with a 110mm lens, which gives the photo the distorted "fisheye" appearance that, I felt, brought a bit more of the wonder of the place to the photo. It becomes simultaneously otherworldly and magical, yet also close enough to feel tangible.
Tips:
When you're exploring a place that already exists, find ways to reinvent the familiar. Crouch down, climb up—in other words, look for unexpected angles or features like trees or archways that can frame your subject matter. Or find ways to dramatize the fore- and background to achieve a more dramatic effect.
| Email this post | | | Permalink |
Comments