EARLY HOURS... (PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES)

These are photographs taken in the early hours of several days last December and the recently concluded month of January. I chose almost all of them because they were taken in the morning, especially on foggy days, which are among my favorites for taking photos in the town's streets. Montalbán is a place that, when the fog rolls in, becomes much more complex and visually striking than it already is. Even the rhythm of people's behavior changes on foggy mornings, distinct from that of a bright morning with clear skies and sunlight. I invite you, then, to appreciate this series of twelve photographs, processed and edited with various monochromatic techniques and layers of blue or yellow tones, as I felt was appropriate for each photo. And of course, each photo tells a little story unfolding, as is often the case in my town...
Estas son fotografías correspondientes a las horas tempranas de algunos días del ultimo Diciembre y del recientemente terminado Enero. Las escogía casi todas hechas de mañana y especialmente en días con niebla, los cuales son de mis favoritos para salir a hacer fotos en las calles del pueblo. Porque Montalbán es un lugar el cual, cuando la niebla se hace presente, se torna mucho más complejo y elocuente desde el punto de vista visual, de lo que ya es. Incluso el ritmo del comportamiento de las personas cambia en las mañanas con niebla y es distinto a el de una alegre mañana con cielos limpios y luz solar. Los invito entonces a apreciar esta serie de doce fotografías procesadas y editadas con diversas técnicas monocromáticas y capas de atenuación en azules o amarillos según me pareció convenía a cada foto... Y claro, cada foto es una pequeña historia ocurriendo, como suele suceder en mi pueblo...

📷 01 - Two women exercise and talk in the silence of a lonely street... / Dos comadres se ejercitan y hablan en el silencio de una calle solitaria...

📷 02 - Boy playing ball in a dead-end street on a Sunday... / Niño jugando pelota en una calle ciega un Domingo...

📷 03 - Woman disappearing in the middle of Urdaneta Avenue... / Mujer que va desapareciendo en medio de la Avenida Urdaneta...

📷 04 - The saleswoman at the auto parts store, waiting for 8:00 AM, and two dogs, of course... / La vendedora de la tienda de repuestos, esperando que sean las 8:00 AM, y dos perros, claro...

📷 05 - An old woman sweeping in an alley that fades into the background... / Anciana barriendo en un callejón que se desvanece al fondo...

📷 06 - Taxi street, before the taxis arrive... / La calle de los taxi, antes de que los taxis lleguen...

📷 07 - Alias "Ñaca Ñaca" coming along the boulevard of Bolívar Street... / Alias "Ñaca Ñaca" viniendo por el boulevard de la calle Bolívar...

📷 08 - It appears there is traffic on Miranda Avenue... / Parece que hay tráfico en la Avenida Miranda...

📷 09 - The old (but nice) Ford truck used to sell water from house to house... / El viejo (pero bonito) camión Ford usado para vender agua de casa en casa...

📷 10 - More dystopia is happening in that place they call "The Soviet Quarter"... / Más distopia ocurriendo en ese lugar que llaman "EL Barrio Sovietico"...

📷 11 - Miguel doing yoga on the futsal court... / Miguel haciendo Yoga en la cancha de futbol sala...

📷 12 - A cat (bottom right corner) licks its belly on the last street to the East... / Un gato (esquina inferior derecha) se lame la barriga en la ultima calle al Este...
Thank you very much for your visit and appreciation!
¡Muchas gracias por pasar y apreciar!
ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL NOTE: Photographs captured with my Nikon D7000 DSLR camera in RAW format, then processed in Adobe Camera RAW for adjustments regarding light, sharpening, contrast and depth... They were then exported to JGP format on which minor modifications such as straightening and adding watermarks were carried out using PhotoScape v3.7
NOTA TÉCNICA ADICIONAL: Fotografias capturadas con mi cámara DSLR Nikon D7000 en formato RAW, procesadas posteriormente en Adobe Camera RAW para ajustes relativos a luz, afilado, contraste y profundidad... Luego fueron exportadas a formato JGP sobre el cual se llevaron a cabo modificaciones menores como enderezado y agregado de marcas de agua usando PhotoScape v3.7
"We make photographs to understand what our lives mean to ourselves." - Ralph Hattersley.
"Hacemos fotografías para comprender lo que nuestras vidas significan para nosotros mismos." - Ralph Hattersley.

Lens: Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM
Lens: Tokina ATX-PRO 100mm f/2.8 d MACRO
Lens: AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR
Lens: AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
Lens: Nikon AF Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8d FX
Lens:AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G
Lente: Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM
Lente: Tokina ATX-PRO 100mm f/2.8 d MACRO
Lente: AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR
Lente: AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
Lente: Nikon AF Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8d FX
Lente: AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G
https://www.reddit.com/r/FoggyPics/comments/1qwd0l0/early_morning_fog/
This post has been shared on Reddit by @davideownzall through the HivePosh initiative.
Hello @jlinaresp. I stumbled upon this blog and I am grateful to see this story. Montalbán is really a town full of stories and glories. The way you captured these photographies made a complete impression of what Montalban is beyond words. Your way of capturing photos are stunning, like even if I'm not that good at photography, I can say you are skilled and well-rounded when it comes to photography. I love the 12 photos you shared but my most favorite is this one.
The boy playing ball in the dead end street.
So much story is found in this photo. And my take is that how you put the monochromatic effects on this photo made more emphasis of our childhood and the child on the photo. Childhood is so pure and alive, nothing limits us on those years, and we live as if our own company is what only matters. That kid must be enjoying his time on the street when you captured a photo of him. The photo feels validating. It captured the raw emotions of what it is to be a kid and how we feel as an adult watching a kid we were once.
Thank you @whosee friend, for this insightful comment. Over time, I've learned to observe the spaces where things happen and, well, obviously, to take the shot. Also, as you so aptly put it, the place where I live seems to "conspire" to bring certain scenes together... I think that, after all, I am lucky to be here and find this kind of setting around me every day, and that it aligns with my passion for photography... That photo of the boy playing in the street, it must have been a little before 7:00 AM, and I think it was a Sunday, because neither that boy nor any of the others were going to school, as far as I remember. And seeing the boy's silhouette reminded me of my childhood Saturdays and Sundays, when I would wake up very early and go out into the morning mist to do crazy things like "flying kites or playing marbles" hahaha 😂... The feeling of having a day off and wanting to make the most of it is always wonderful, but even more so when you're 7 or 8 years old, I think!... Thanks for stopping by and supporting this work!
Justamente ayer hice unas fotos con neblina recordando tu pueblo y tus trabajos...
😄 Yo las ví!... Excelentes! 👏👏👏👏
🫂
Every time I look at your wonderful photos, I can't stop thinking of how the government has forgotten about that place.What a shame.
Hello @erikah friend!... It's been over 27 years since this downward spiral began... Now, with the recent events that have occurred and continue to occur, many people are hopeful that better times are coming. In fact, there are already some changes, such as improvements in fuel distribution and a slight stabilization of inflation in the prices of food and other goods. Now, perhaps basic services like health, drinking water, electricity, and medicine need to begin to improve gradually. Infrastructure too... But I am cautious, very cautious, because here the "society factor" is very critical and may be decisive in achieving a real and lasting recovery. I truly see how three generations, born and raised in a system of mediocrity and apathy, can be lifted out of the state they find themselves in and—in many cases—consider natural. I hope that happens, and that I can have my golden years ahead, looking at this town and the entire country as I knew it as a child and young man. Thank you for stopping by and appreciating this work; I am deeply grateful for that...
Great shots!