ARTICLE ON SAN MIGUEL

Post from Jack Coffman

The February/March issue of Camera Arts magazine leads off a series of occasional articles on recommended destinations for photographers with a look at San Miguel de Allende written by photographer Mary Ann Lynch. There are several fine photographs from San Miguel de Allende by Ms Lynch and a number of other photographers who have visited the city. You will recognize most of the locations. If you don’t subscribe, copies are usually available at Barnes and Noble or other major book stores.

Here are a few excerpts from the article:

“In many ways, San Miguel seems to have paused in time. It was designated a National Monument in 1926, but even back then it must have seemed much older. Describing San Miguel, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez remarked, 'It’s beautiful like a piece of art with the riches Mexican colors you’ll ever see. I wanted to shot it exactly as it is, because the environment is so real, nothing had to be added. It was all there.’”

“Tourists also long ago discovered San Miguel and it regularly appears on top ten lists of best designations. Yet the feel of daily life on the streets remains that of an authentic Mexican village.”

“Today well-known photographers drop in an out of San Miguel, including Deborah Turbeville who has a home there. Residents and visitors have a range of classes and workshops in photography from which to choose, at Instituto Allende, Bellas Artes, from private instructors, and through the Academia de Fotographico programs run by veteran photographers and administrator Jo Brenzo, who has headed the photography program at Bellas Artes since moving to San Miguel in 1992….

“Raul Touzon is another point person, as the San Miguel coordinator of the Santa Fe Workshops, in their fifth year sponsoring workshops in San Miguel. These are taught by celebrated photographers, from Jay Maisel and Jock Sturges to Keith Carter and Elizabeth Opalenik. The workshop has its own extensive campus, including a hotel and restaurant four blocks from the Jardin.”

The article includes the author’s recommendations on places to stay and galleries to visit.