Monday, May 5, 2008

Black and White

One of the first things that grab the eye of a visitor to our home is a 5x7 Black and White photo in a crimson frame. The two women in the picture have an “I have just won the lottery” kind of smile. It is one of my favorite photos, mainly because of what the eye cannot see or hear,

The snapshot clearly suggests the two are acquainted as hinted by their intimate proximity, similar fashion, hairstyle and their toothpaste advertisement smiles. They are posed in front of what appears to be a stone building with a Spanish design. Chains of daisy cups hang from the structure’s roof and act as rain spouts – offering a reference to Latin derived ornaments in the architecture. Tropical foliage peeks into the picture from the right. The photograph is your basic black and white, outdoor shot; clean and sharpness, marking the photographer’s expertise in working with sun and light.

Oh but what beautiful colors and sounds the photographer left for me to gladly describe to each questioning visitor. I share with each of my friends the roar of the Caribbean Sea just a few hundred feet to our left; the pleasant chatter of area vendors as they haggle with swarms of trinket hungry tourists and the softly accented pronunciation of English by our Dominican host as they laugh and speak with the guests. The picture fails to mention the sweet breeze blowing across the scarcely wrapped bodies adorning the beach sand or the soothing melody of steel drums always present in the air.

Furthermore, the picture provides no clue to the time and struggle exerted to gain S’s cooperation in taking the picture. S hates taking pictures; however she reluctantly agreed. To both of our surprise, we had committed to a photo shoot with Otorro’ – the Island’s flaming photographer who perched, pulled, and positioned us in the weirdest poses for 2 hours non-stop. He made the dreadful event absolutely unforgettable.

Out of approximate 5 rolls of film: dune climbing, water splashing, hammock gliding, carriage riding, tree hanging and sand squatting, I love a simple black and white 5X7 that reminds me of all of the colors and sounds of the Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic. My Boo and I, with our big smiles and with the heat of summer love all around us. The sounds and colors of the picture are so breath taking that we are going back again, this year….

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