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2011-04-12T17:30:00.002-04:00

2010-08-01T14:38:00.002-04:00

All images have been moved to the Haiti photo Libray

Post card from Citronier

2010-07-29T10:57:00.001-04:00

Half way up a steep mountain going to Beau Sejour a few weeks ago , I pleaded with my guide to stop and take a rest. I was just unable to continue due to extreme exhaustion and dehydration. We sat under a mango tree to have lunch and half hour later I sort of drag my self half a mile up to the location pictured above where we rented a donkey and continued our climbing -

Farmers in Citronier , Leeogane ( 9eme section Comm.)

2010-07-25T19:14:00.009-04:00

The Haitian farmer life is not easy at all . In the countryside of Leogane electricity is rare,land deprivation and irrigation is a serious problem , to only name a few basic necessities people shouldn't be deprived of but most Beau Sejour residents voiced an urgent need to have proper roads which would allow economic development.

Beau Sejour oldest living person

2010-07-13T07:45:00.005-04:00

Jean virgo Nestor is well known throughout Beau sejour, on any given Sunday morning , you can see him carefully walking with the aid of a cane going to church. Mr Nestor , better known as TonTon jean in the area , lived in Beau Sejour most of his life. When he was younger he spent a couple of years in the town of Leogane but never really enjoyed City life. " my father worked the land and made enough money to take care of all us " replied Mr Nestor when I asked him if he ever was interested in living in Port_au-prince . There is a strong sense of community that bonds everyone in Beau sejour that you just wouldn't find la ville (in the city) added Mr Nestor. He will turn 100 years old next year.

Post cards from Beau Sejour -

2010-07-11T11:31:00.008-04:00

Beau Sejour , for the select visitor

2010-07-08T09:10:00.011-04:00

Perfectly nestled in the mountains of Leogane lies an unspoiled village which surprisingly reveals a greenery that surrounds the area. It's a place of remarkable natural beauty complemented by the hospitality of the residents. Tombe gateau , on the way to Jacmel , is The easiest way to get to Beau Sejour if you want to avoid climbing all the way up.

Arrangements have been made , I am off to Beau Sejour , Leogane

2010-07-07T15:28:00.007-04:00

Leandre,who is going to be my guide in Beau Sejour , Leogane for the next few days, was already sitting and waiting for my arrival at Ms Rogene office when I got there . We were schedule to leave at 10 o'clock in the morning and he strongly recommended to be ready before dawn in the future to avoid the hot sun which can slow you down and cause rapid dehydration specially when you are not use to climbing steep mountains . Half hour later we were in Darbonne and leandre called one of his friends who took us to Mirton, on his motorcycle taxi, where we had to take off our boots one last time to cross the Rouyonne river at the bottom of the mountain and we started our climbing towards Beau Sejour.

A little girl waits for her family in Mirton , before crossing the river and climb the mountain to go home

Canal Breton in Mathieu , Leogane after the rain

2010-06-23T19:58:00.004-04:00

Dark clouds over the mountains early in the morning in Boutilier, which i can view from my balcony usually means it may rain sometime during the day. I made a few calls to leogane this morning about 8am to get an update regarding the weather, It rained most of the day yesterday and the clouds were already rolling in for another rainy day.But my friend told I can still come anyway , you never know sometimes it turns out to be a beautiful sunny day. just a few minutes after getting off the bus in Leogane & riding on a motorcycle taxi going to Canal Breton , it drizzled for a bit and heavy down pour after reaching my destination. Not only i was offered shelter from the rain but my new friends which unfortunately were not up to being photographed also invited me to have lunch with them.

on the way to the motorcycle stand to get to the port-au-prince bus stop I took this shot before the rain started again

Making arrangements to go deep in the countryside of leogane

2010-06-22T10:48:00.009-04:00

Finding Ms Rogene's office was a bit tricky but I managed to find it and she didn't seem to mind that I was a bit Late . She runs a small operation to help children in Leogane and two years ago she also started a foundation to help farmers & the environment in Beau Sejour , leogane , which is a five hour hike from Darbonne. It's now up to me to let her know when I will be ready to visit Latounel , and Beau Sejour. There have been some changes regarding that translator gig which is postponed for next week , so basically I am free this week but the wheater is not ideal to shoot . We have another strong tropical wave over the Caribbean that may produce heavy rain , so I have to stay put for a few days until this blows over.

A few months ago when i started traveling , I saw a fisherman unloading what he had just caught and getting ready to go back in the water one early morning in Merger , a very small town right after Mariani. It was a cloudy dark day , he didn't own a boat , he simply walked in the ocean and chose a spot . He was just standing there and doing his thing when i got closer to shoot some frames. I took a few shots but i wasn't too exited about the pics. While going over what I have shot so far since the start of this project, I came across those images which i couldn't decide if they were good enough to be published on this site . So here is the one i like the most: fisherman in Merger

Travels should resume in about a week -

2010-06-20T13:30:00.009-04:00

Some minor setbacks prevented me from updating the site & continuing with my travels. I am still in the process of making arrangements for another place to stay while I am still exploring leogane. Through face book I finally found a contact which I am meeting tomorrow , to set up the trip to go to Latounel/ Gwoso. I have a 2 or 3 day gig coming up that i am starting on tuesday to work as a fixer/translator for a national geographic magazine photographer who is doing a story on sugarcane and leogane is one of the locations that he'll cover. Before i move on with my exploring , I still have a couple of more places in leogane to explore and the next stop should be kafou Colas , some of you who have been to Jacmel probably know where I am referring to

A resident of leogane cuts wood to make a fire for dinner -

Latounel /Gwoso is way up in the mountains

2010-06-02T18:02:00.007-04:00

Kan-Kota , Leogane

Banana leaves dry out when they are ripe. Leogane & Archaie are the two main cities in Haiti where they are cultivated

Artist and I met as schedule in Darbonne , Leogane , he had the afternoon off and he wanted to show me around so off we went toward kan-Kota where they mainly produce Bananas. We were warmly greeted by farmers in the area and jean , whom i quickly became acquainted with , insisted that we drink some coconut , and welcome the idea that I come back to do a photo story on farmers in the area. While having conversation , he pointed out where Latounel /gwoso was located , " you see that cloud over that blue mountain that's where it is , and if you start walking now you will get there by 10 pm at least" it was around 3 pm and I quickly agreed that trip would have to take place another day . According to information I got on line it was suppose to be a 3 hr hike so I will inquire a bit more and make arrangements so i can get to this place which was described as a must visit

New template & journey will resume shortly

2010-05-31T22:54:00.007-04:00

It's been about a week since i posted anything on this blog, I had to stay put in port-Au-prince for a few days due to a nation wide warning regarding bad weather - We had a lot of rain but nothing threatening . More rain in the forecast this week for Port-Au-prince but as long as it doesn't get flooded I should be returning to leogane shortly and meet with "Artist", a farmer I met last week who will put me in contact with some of his friends who live in latounel /gwoso , in the mountains of Leogane . The image above is a portrait of Jacqueline who also lives in leogane , she was so camera shy but still allowed me to take a few shots.

Habitation Cercey , Leogane

2010-05-22T16:43:00.007-04:00

Acres of cultivable farmland that produces sugarcane, corn, mangoes, breadfruit, cantaloupe and a lot more. Most of the food is distributed in leogane and throughout Haiti. Because agriculture is still not modernized and irrigation remains a problem farmers are unable to exploit the land full potential. Next destination : latounel/Gwoso in the countryside of Leogane-
( it's a 3 hour hike from Darbonne )

Sugar cane Mill in En haut Lompre , Leogane

2010-05-19T10:21:00.005-04:00

Laborers at a sugar mill in En Haut lompre, Leogane,where sugar cane syrup is made. growing Sugar cane in leogane is is one of the main economic activities of farmers in the area.

Discovering the countryside outside of Leogane

2010-05-14T12:11:00.007-04:00

For Two days, I shared a tent outside of Leogane with people who lost their homes during the January 12th earthquake.Their spirits were up considering they lost everything. One woman told me " we have everything we really need , we are alive , a piece of land and our family - we'll manage." The plain of Leogane is so vast I unfortunately didn't have the time to completely explore all the places that my new friends recommended that I visit. There's a mill right after crossing the Rouyonne river where they make sugar cane syrup that I had the opportunity to photograph and the photos will be posted as soon as they are edited.

One of my photos inspires publisher of reflexions-haitiennes to write about Haiti

2010-05-05T19:25:00.004-04:00

Tristesse et mélancolie devant le calme éloquent de ce paysage, mais surtout désir soudain de paix et de sérénité en admirant ce lieu de simplicité. Enfin, étonnement et sourire de satisfaction puisque cette magnifique nature est en fait ma terre, mon pays. Mais l'esprit, cet inquisiteur souvent indésirable, gâche mon instant de ravissement et pousse mon regard vers le frêle arbuste que je perçois alors comme orphelin de ces grands arbres majestueux que nous ne savons pas préserver. Puis voulant connaître le lieu de refuge de l'arbre solitaire, la barque par sa présence, me fait comprendre la naïveté de mes sentiments. L'aveuglement de l'instinct de survie nous contraint à bâtir ce qui nous oppresse avec la dépouille de ce qui nous est cher. Vanité de l'action humaine, qui sacrifie pour les besoins d’un jour le petit arbre chétif marqué aux couleurs nationales. Voici donc notre pays que nous ne savons aimer que brièvement, le temps d'un aller-retour les jours de ciel bleu. Voila surtout le pays en dehors. En dehors de quoi ?

(Bravo au photographe d'avoir la sensibilité de certaines choses et aussi la technique pour les capturer et ainsi partager ses trouvailles avec les autres.)

For those of you who read french you can read his blog @ http://reflexionshaitiennes.wordpress.com/

Bino L'estere , Leogane

2010-05-04T20:39:00.003-04:00

The sweet smell of freshly cut sugarcane, The aroma of Clairin (sugarcane moon shine) you know you are in the countryside of Haiti. It rained this afternoon in leogane and without asking people invited me inside their homes to wait out the refreshing downpour. Such Hospitality that you can only find where people live close to nature...

Leogane

2010-05-01T21:41:00.005-04:00

last year, before the January 12th earthquake that also destroyed part of Leogane, I took a couple of trips to the City of Anacaona to do a photo story , and for reasons I no longer remember, I lost interest and never went back. Even though the two images above were already published on another website I have about Haiti, I think they should also be included in the image collection that I am currently putting together.

Mural in the City of Anacaona - Leogane

2010-04-30T21:13:00.002-04:00

I resumed my traveling today,early this afternoon I reached Leogane. At the entrance of the city I couldn't help noticing several murals painted by local artists. The January 12 earthquake leveled most of the city, so I didn't bother to go in, the rubble and destruction doesn't interest me , it doesn't inspire me at all. Instead I met people and they were so helpful as far as places to visit in the countryside which I will begin to explore tomorrow.

Done editing images for the book " A week in the life of Momance "

2010-04-26T21:15:00.003-04:00

Besides editing images, resting and planning my journey across Haiti, I have found a writer for the book forward. Out of all the images that I shot in Momance, (some that aren't published on this site), the one above is one of my favorite, it can stand on it's own, it tells so much about Haiti - By the end of the week, I should resume my traveling across

Exploring Momance has come to an end -

2010-04-18T11:41:00.013-04:00

"pot nou ap toujou ouvè pou-ou" Our doors will always be open for you - The week that I spent shooting in Momance has been an incredible experience, until you pay a visit to the countryside of Haiti, meet the people, see how they live, you can't claim you know Haiti and only after you do, you will realize the grandeur of the Haitian people, and understand why their has been a conspiracy against this nation from day one - there were no farewells, I made a lot of friends, I will miss this special place , but I will return for there will always be something worth photographing. The other images of Momance that aren't yet published on this site will be included in a book that will be entitled 'A week inn the life of Momance'. Sometimes next week I am continuing my journey and the next stop is Leogane. cheers

A week in the life of ... - day 6

2010-04-17T21:28:00.005-04:00

12:30 am - 4S546F49MMJJ I reached the sugarcane field where I left off yesterday before turning back. I am walking towards lassale which is near the beach to visit a fishing village. My timing was somewhat off, most of the fisherman called it a day and were taking the afternoon off. Nevertheless a few people entertained and showed me around. Momance lacks basic infrastructure, there's no running water so the residents use the river which is relatively clean. Their knowledge of natural medicine offer treatment to some ailments but a health clinic is badly needed. In spite of the hardship people face everyday, there's a genuine harmony among everyone that you can only find when you live in total harmony with nature. The absence of police officers in Momance also reflects their high level of spiritual life development. The "week in the life of" project is slowly ending but Momance is a place I will always be going back to.

A week in the life of ... - day 5

2010-04-16T21:13:00.006-04:00

leker Paul makes fish traps that he uses and also sells to other fishermen. He has lived in Momance all of his life and for extra income he also grows sugarcane and plantain that he sells to local residents. He was so willing to be photographed, and totally ignored me when I started shooting. Before I left he offered a chair to discuss important issues that he hopes can be resolved. He expressed the urgency for a health clinic to be built in the area, because residents have to go all the way to leogane to get care, and he's also very concerned about the flooding from the near by river that sometimes devastates homes and crops during the rainy season.

A week in the life of ... - day 4

2010-04-15T17:54:00.002-04:00

Schools have recently reopened in Momance, but 8 year old Kanedjie Jean Paul will have to wait until this coming September because his parents are unable to send him. In the meanwhile, a few times every week, under the supervision of his father, he goes over what he has already learned before the earthquake struck Haiti.

A week in the life of ... - day 3

2010-04-14T21:05:00.004-04:00

Wednesday afternoon is cock fight in Biré. From all the excitement and bets I saw today, I would say it's one of the main attraction in the area. Besides vendors selling drinks and cigarettes, it's a man only gambling pastime.

A week in the life of ... - day 2

2010-04-13T20:06:00.005-04:00

"jounalis fe foto'm" Hey journalist take my picture - that's how the kids greet me when I walk by , word got out that I am in town, which is a very good thing , it's becoming a bit easier to work and i don't have too much explaining to do anymore.

A week in the life of Momance - day1

2010-04-12T21:11:00.008-04:00

In addition to shooting pictures, most of the time I am exploring the area for beautiful scenes on foot. I also have to convince people to allow me to photograph them, I do understand where they are coming from, here I am without announcement, I am in somebody's backyard and because photographers have never taken interest in the area, my presence sometimes causes a stir but in a good way, but once I tell them what I am doing they usually say yes. Unexpected questions come up, On arrival today somebody thought I came to distribute relief food, a little girl thought i was a doctor who came in the area to build a hospital, another guy that i befriended confessed that when he first saw me he thought i was homeless and was looking for a place to crash - But it's all good, I simply love being in the countryside and I have to say that so far everyone that I met has behaved in a way that totally contradicts everything that has been said regarding the security issue in Haiti

Exploring Momance

2010-04-10T08:33:00.014-04:00

Before continuing my journey across Haiti , I must spend additional time in Momance to get more acquainted with the residents and shoot something like "A week in the life Of" type photo documentary which I will publish on line through blurb.com - As of next Monday, I am going to be spending a week or so traveling inside Momance and capture what ever it is that keeps me going back

A small town after Gressier named Momance

2010-04-06T10:53:00.013-04:00

Once you past the bridge, you have arrived in Momance.There aren't any welcoming signs, a passenger sitting next to me on the bus signaled the driver to stop. On the main road you mostly see motorcycle taxis waiting to take residents to Brache, where a small community lives. The population size is about six thousands and that includes two adjacent neighborhoods called Biré and Nepli . One thing that immediately caught my attention, there is no police presence in the town, none whatsoever, not even a police station. There is no crime in spite of the economic hardship residents face , it's simply amazing.

Lan Marechal , Gressier

2010-04-02T19:31:00.004-04:00

3:45 pm - I am walking in the direction of a place called Lan Gibot that somebody I met briefly suggested I visit. It's quiet all around besides a few laughter and children playing. The road is deserted but I can see people inside their houses, in the back yard of the unpainted house on my left a woman is actively washing her hair, a goat crosses the road and makes a funny noise. Not too many photographers have wandered in this part of Gressier, people seem to be very surprised when I address them in Creole. The barn, the tree and the clouds ahead simply invited me to take my camera out of my backpack so I can share how special this place is.

Belle Vie, Gressier

2010-04-01T20:13:00.005-04:00

Repeatedly in the past while traveling , I drove numerous times through Gressier without stopping, and it's so small you can actually drive through in less than 10 minutes. The town of Gressier doesn't offer much attraction , you can fill up , buy beverages, if you are desperate but most travelers heading back to Port-au-prince usually don't stop unless they live there. I ran into the mayor of Gressier this morning and he insisted I should explore the countryside which in his opinion truly reflects the beauty of his town. A short motorcycle ride and I was just amazed at what I've found in Belle Vie, which translates: beautiful life. In spite the destruction of many homes caused by the earthquake, it's simply an unspoiled little paradise where the people are very welcoming and so friendly. For the next few days I'll just wander about aimlessly and see what else I'll discover

Fisherman in Merger

2010-03-31T19:41:00.006-04:00

Once you merge on Route Nationale # 2 from Route Railles heading south, fasten your seat belt, there's no more traffic, you can go as fast as you want but do be careful. You have to watch out for livestock on the road, aggressive bus and truck drivers ect . The advantage of using public transportation, or somebody else driving, you can enjoy the view and notice scenes worth photographing . The photo op in Mariani didn't happen so I hopped on a bus and went to Merger. I arrived at 7 am, it's a very small town about a mile from Leogane. photograph of the fisherman was shot while walking on the beach.

Looking beyond

2010-03-28T21:26:00.008-04:00

Lamentin 54 - A couple of days ago, I walked further out on the beach, away from the light house, and saw a few children playing by the wreckage of a sailboat. Even though it would have made a good photograph, Instinctively I was reluctant to photograph the scene because of the severe ocean pollution, and of course there were children playing in the water. Because of the persistence of negative images about Haiti in the media, I carefully debated whether I should publish that photo on Traveling Across Haiti, but after much consideration I decided it was fine to share it. Where there is crisis, there are definitely opportunities, with the right leadership these ocean fronts can be transformed into some incredible settings.

Another afternoon at the River

2010-03-27T21:11:00.005-04:00

A short 30 minute ride in a taptap from Portaille leogane bus station to Bochette 91. The motorcycle ride to Riviere Froide was more pleasant, no dust on the road today since it rained last night. I took a different route to avoid walking on all the rocks in the riverbed and to shelter from the sun. Early morning or late afternoon are the best time you get beautiful light from the sun, it was already after 4pm, dark clouds were rolling in and the river was becoming more deserted. Islanda who lives in Riviere Froide walked by where I was sitting unaware of my presence and cameras, heading home before the rain. A good portrait should reveal something about your subject personality but you just don't capture it in two seconds. Unfortunately it was all the time I had before she noticed my lens pointed at her and simply turned away. Nevertheless it was the only photo opportunity that saved the day, It would have been awful to leave without having any images to post.

Riviere Froide

2010-03-26T20:47:00.005-04:00

During a conversation about my on going project to explore the whole Island of Haiti, a very good friend of mine inquired about Riviere Froide, she hasn't returned since her last trip there in the late 70's and was very much interested in finding out if the place still attracted visitors. A long time ago Riviere Froide lush vegetation and cool water captivated scores of people and became a very popular place to spend summer vacations or to rinse off coming from la Mer Frappée Beach. In spite of its progressive deterioration people still go there to wash off, and do their laundry. Visually it was a hard shoot, I sort of avoided shooting clichés like half naked women in the river, I was just desperate for a good photo until I noticed Darlene,(pictured above) playing in the water. She was so easy to work with, she asked me,"What do you want me to do" and I replied you have such a beautiful smile, just let me see it. She lives in the area and comes to the river everyday to play with her friends wash clothes and fetch water. Tomorrow I have to go back and shoot more photos, unfortunately it was getting late and I had to be on my way.

Currently exploring

2010-03-26T18:19:00.002-04:00

On the road

2010-03-25T20:10:00.008-04:00

2:53 pm, Acachon 32, Domaine Ideale - If you are ever driving or riding on a bus going south on Route rails, look on your right, you can see the ocean line and some palm trees. Be adventurous, pull over on the side of the road and walk down towards the beach, talk to people, most strangers I've encountered so far were very friendly and they listened to what I had to say. I am on the road again, going back to a spot I saw from the bus window yesterday. I am not sure what's its potential as far as pictures but in any case , I'll make some friends and learn a thing or two about Haitian culture. The bus stopped to let me out in front of a very colorful business I noted so I could remember the unpaved narrow alley that must lead to the water. The smell of the ocean, the tranquility in the air, it felt like receiving nature's message that's been hidden in plain sight, it felt like a place that's been neglected but holds so much beauty, its profound wisdom was just staring at me , I pressed the shutter to always remember what I felt

Traveling across Haiti

2010-03-24T19:49:00.014-04:00

2:17 pm, Lamentin 54 light House - Until I get my own means of transportation , I will be traveling by bus to go across Haiti. It's not the best way to travel if you are a photographer, there are tons of images to be made while you're on the road and you just can't ask the driver to stop every time you come across something interesting,but I am taking notes of spots that I eventually have to go back to. Using public transportation has it's advantages, it's very cheap, you get to meet people and hear their stories. So the project got off the ground, I am exploring Carrefour all the way to leogane.Once I am done with the first stretch the images will be posted on haitiphotos. Heading south, right after the Marine Haitienne (Haiti navy)you have to bear right if you want to avoid the traffic and get on a recently renovated road called Route rails which is about a mile long. My first stop today was at the Lamentin 54 light house which sustained some damage during the quake.

Meet 18 year old Cassandra, she's homeless , the house she lived in was destroyed on January 12, when the earthquake struck Port-Au-Prince. She now lives in a tent with relatives not too far from the lighthouse and she goes there quite often to relax since it's near the ocean.

No electricity in Port-Au-Prince

2010-03-23T12:37:00.000-04:00