Obrero en taller de interpretación en el sillar, Arequipa, Peru, 2018.
About Arequipa and the man in the photo:
Arequipa is a Peruvian city surruonded by volcanoes, known as The White City. Its name comes from the white material used to built the city, a volcanic stone know as sillar.
The man in the picture is sculpting bricks of sillar to be used for building in the city. Each brick weights around 105 pounds and are sold for 5 soles each (1.41 US dollars).
This is a highly artesanal work. From the moment the material is extracted from the mountain rock, until the material is shaped with the final measurements, no heavy machinery is used in the proccess.
The worker explains he depends on the consumption of coca leaves as they provide energy and reduces appetite, saving both money and time.
Harvesting and sculpting sillar requires very special skills. Although this ardous work is underpaid, workers express its more about cultural livelihood.
About the paper:
The Kodak Endura Metallic paper has a unique metallic sheen for stunning visual impact and depth.
Silver Halide photographic prints are printed using light-sensitive paper and silver-based chemistry.
Silver Halide Printing Characteristics
-Stronger, Brighter, more Vibrant Colors.
-More Natural Skin Tones
-Images are Sharper
-More Brilliant Whites and Richer Blacks
-Fine Details in Highlights and Shadows
-Resist Fading for Generations