When I explore a new place, I always make an effort to photograph along the peripherals. While I was in Mexico City, I had a gut feeling that the mountainside in the outskirts of the city would be more interesting than the obvious hot spots. Typically, your gut feeling is correct. During this trip I made two of my most successful photographs along the outskirts.
Take the road less travelled
When I arrived at the mountain, the locals constantly warned me not to climb higher as it is dangerous and not tourist friendly. While their advice was very nice of them, I kindly ignored and kept climbing higher. Once I reached the peak, I met two men who were constructing a home at the highest elevated space in the area.
This scene unfolded through spending time with the people, and trying multiple vantage points. I climbed up a ladder at the scene, and stumbled across a statue of Jesus. Once I found the cross, I decided to work my composition around it as a critical element to include in my frame. As the worker shouted “Mexico, Mexico!” I snapped the shutter at the perfect timing as his gesture mimics Jesus on the cross in the background. There is a storm cloud looming over the mountain in the background that also adds a moody atmosphere to the photograph.
The moral of the story is to always follow your gut. If you have an instinctual feeling that a particular location has potential, just go there and explore it for yourself. Don’t follow any tourist guides or particular locations that most photographers go to shoot. Carve your own path and explore unknown territory.