Campaign and Drug War

Mayoral candidate Alfredo Moran visits homes in Xilitla with supporters. 

PAN (Partido Accion Nacional) is one of the major political parties in 

Mexico; the other major party is PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional).

Convent in Xilitla.

Arrival of PAN supporters and mayoral candidate Alfredo Moran 

in Xilitla after campaigning through the county.

Daughter of mayoral candidate watches a line of trucks and cars drive into 

Xilitla after campaigning throughout the county. Every night PAN 

and PRI supporters drive through the town playing campaign songs, 

honking horns and screaming for their candidates.

Huapango dance lessons in Xilitla (traditional dance for the Huasteca region).

Driving through Tamaulipas, one of the most dangerous states in Mexico. 

Many businesses have been shut down because of the high number of 

murders and robberies related to the drug war. Mexican military and police are 

seen throughout the state guarding homes and businesses. Check points are set up along 

all major roads by the military to search cars as they drive through the state. 

In the border town Matamoros, the drug cartel purchase hotels and others businesses 

in order to hide their money. Military and police can be seen occupying these 

establishments after discovering their control by drug cartel.

Translation of item on dashboard: 

Virgin Guadalupe bless our homes and our journey,

We beg of you on this long journey.

Amen 

From a Month

These photos are from about a month's worth of work.

I am bored with photos that remind me of something I already know.

I want to see photos that make me think.

La Silleta, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Mayoral campaign office in Xilitla, San Luis Potosi.

Chalahuite, San Luis Potosi

Fransisco has been a barber for 70 years - since he was 9 years old. 

He lives and works in a building that is 1 block away 

from the plaza in Xilitla, San Luis Potosi.

  

"Nacimiento" - where a river begins at the 

bottom of a mountain in Huichihuayan, San Luis Potosi.

Bull riding after a cabalgata (horseback ride) 

to honor the patron saint Santa Cruz in Xilitla.

Tlaletla, San Luis Potosi

San Miguel

After a visit to San Miguel de Allende yesterday, 

I decided that I want to work on liberating myself mentally - 

I want to reach a new level of clarity and imagination.

I would like to untangle my existing mental framework 

to discover a new sense of freedom and potential in creativity.

Rooftop of a home in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Neblina

The first photos in this post are from a trip to Tampico. 

We arrived at the beach around 9am and couldn't see anything because of the fog (neblina). 

Although the water was just several feet away, we saw nothing but white at first. 

I think the fog added something special here, something mysterious. 

The next selection of photos are from in and around Xilitla this past week.

At a small bay as a ship passes through.

The marines lifted a red flag at the lifeguard station because it was too hard to 

see people in the water with such heavy fog.

First 2 Weeks in Mexico

These photos were all taken during a variety of outings and adventures while living in Mexico for my first couple weeks. I have been on a traditional horse ride to celebrate the patron saint of Victoria, SLP ("cabalgata"), camping, dancing, and exploring with walks around different towns.

 

Day 2 in Xilitla

 

Soccer

 

5pm in the plaza

Traffic

Xilitla March 12, 2012

Today I took a bus from Austin to Rio Verde, San Luis Potosi, Mx., then drove to
Xilitla, SLP. The trip took about 21 hours altogether. I will live here in Xilitla for at least
6 months, but the details are unclear for now. Unlike every other adventure with
my camera, I took only one picture during the trip down here. This is the way that I
would like to photograph from now on - taking only the pictures that I really like,
without overshooting. 

During my time here in Mexico, I hope to get down to the very core of photography
for myself - I want my photos to be uninhibited, instinctive, natural.