I started serious photography about 30 years ago using a large-format view camera (Linhof Technika) loaded with Fujichrome sheet film. After switching to digital in 2013, I still exert a rigorous shot discipline that has lead to an “engineering style” of photography. Although I fight Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS), my interest in equipment and technical aspects of photography is inherent because of my scientific background.
Spending time for setting up a tripod and carefully composing an image raises awareness about the subject, its surroundings, and any disturbing elements in the frame. I almost always work from the rear LCD screen to have a two-dimensional image in front of me, but it can’t compete with a 4×5″ groundglass. This type of photography excludes traveling in groups or organized package tours. And while equipment has gotten lighter and lighter, it often makes up half of the baggage allowance.
Global development has brought improved health care, but also the camera phone and the selfie stick to the most remote places. The downtown areas of major cities have become so devoid of cultural diversity, that it is possible to create images with no evidence of the country in which they were taken. I thus attempt to capture the cultural and natural diversity before it disappears.
My images were once critiqued as being too clean and technical. I can live with that, misery and hardship are already largely overemphasized by the media.
Photographing on the Bolivian Altiplano. Photo: Sergio Ballivian Zamorano.
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Any form of use, including but not limited to, downloading, saving, copying, reproduction or distribution of images for any purpose, is prohibited without my express written permission.
I pursue no commercial interest in licensing images. But please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss a project, the use of a specific image, or the way to obtain a fine art print.
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The images on this site are heavily compressed jpegs of about 5 MP saved in the sRGB color space. The images therefore qualify to be viewed at full size on the iPad Mini (7.9″ Retina at 326 ppi) and at about half the area size of the iMac 5K (27” Retina at 217 ppi).