443 - Temple of the Frescoes
Tulum is a strange hybrid blend of modern age hippie and upper class Mexico. It’s one of those towns you could be completely content just people watching all day long. However, I must confess something before we get started.
When we arrived to Tulum, I was completely (and utterly) burnt out. The holidays were rapidly approaching, and my buddy just so happened to be landing in town to hang out. Combine that with the fact that we’d spent the past 6 months shooting 5 days a week driving 6,000 miles across America and through Mexico and… Enough said.
I was torched.
So upon meeting my buddy Tyler, I vowed to leave my camera in the car and catch up on some much needed fun. We went to a cenote, Mayan ruins, a beach party, and downtown to get some bomb tacos. And let me tell you… Not bringing my camera along was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
This town was pure Instagram heaven… But I knew if I tried to shoot, I’d be fucking up my rest period.
If there’s anything important I’ve learned in photography, it’s the power of a creative break. For me, the perfect formula is shooting five days a week, with weekends off. Then take TWO WEEKS off a year for mental recharging. This was the first of the two weeks.
At one point I broke my vow of silence and started shooting. I couldn’t resist. Here’s the one photo I came out with before my body completely gave out:
“Lizzy Tulumguire”
Taken on Sony a7rIII + Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM
[ISO 250 ~ 115mm ~ f/8 ~ 1/1250s]
(Want a Print? Get one here.)
That photo was taken in the Mayan ruins of Tulum Archeological Site, and was one of MANY iguanas that roamed the land freely. The shot was specifically taken on the Temple of the Frescoes. One day I’d like to come back and take a photo of the COMPLETE ruins, but it wasn’t in me today.
And with that, my body began to slowly recharge. Shortly after I flew home for an early holidays with my family in Colorado, using the airline point we’d so gracefully stacked up on our credit card.
That’s about it for this post. I know it’s a shorty, but what can I say. I needed the rest so I can come back stronger than ever. BYE.
I’m on a mission to explore as much as humanely possible.
Want to see my progress? Check out the Adventure Map.
*Please note this page contains affiliate links.
