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2007 Banff Mountain Photography Competition
Best Photo — Mountain Culture

Louis Perron: El Tío, Bolivia

“I first became fascinated, then literally overwhelmed, by Potosí and its rich history. This city of legendary mines soon became my goal. Even though I had already heard about the famous “El Tío”, a half-god, half-devil deity, I was mesmerized when I met his statue for the first time with the collaboration of my guide, Susana, and this miner. Each mine is put under the protection of El Tío (meaning “the uncle” in Spanish), to whom they express a great devotion. Each Friday, the miners make their offerings. They put lit cigarettes in his mouth, pour some alcohol over his feet and place coca leaves within his reach. Over and over again I went into these mysterious mines and, during each visit, I found something different. Little by little, contacts with the miners became more open. The barriers that separated us finally collapsed, if only for a single moment.”

Louis Perron settled in the beautiful city of Québec City, Québec, Canada, over 12 years ago. During his professional career, he has tackled many aspects of photography, such as advertising, industrial and food photography. But the truth of the matter is that he has the soul of an adventurer. For the last few years, he has succeeded in capitalizing on his experience in order to put his energy in a new project — adventure photography. In 2005, he exhibited his photographs in two galleries in the greater Québec City area. A photograph taken during a trip in Mexico earned him a prize in a national contest. He is presently working on a new exhibition planned for the beginning of 2008. Long-term plans include the publication of a book.

www.oeilpouroeilphoto.com

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