Greetings from Mexico

[Adriana]

Hello 😊

I just wanted to introduce myself as I have been lurking the forum for a while.

 

My name is Adriana and I only allowed myself to become a photographer two years ago just before I turned 40.

It has been an amazing learning process and I have been able to explore the Yucatan peninsula, where I live, more in-depth after joining Alamy and getting a lot of motivation to get out there and shoot.

 

I hope everyone is doing ok, have a fantastic week. 📷

[Steve F]

Hello Adriana, welcome. Have fun getting your images online and don't worry, 40 is the new 30 (hope so, I turn 39 soon!)

Steve

[Adriana]

1 hour ago, Steve F said:

Hello Adriana, welcome. Have fun getting your images online and don't worry, 40 is the new 30 (hope so, I turn 39 soon!)

Steve

 

Thank you, 😊 yes, I've heard 40 is the new 30. I like being in my 40s despite feeling 90 today (everything aches lol).

have a great day

[Betty LaRue]

I like your images, and see that you are using scientific names for your plants along with common names.  Excellent!

One suggestion which will help your images get better search positions is to also flesh out your caption with common name, scientific name, also.

Betty

[John Mitchell]

Bienvenidos. You have some nice images. Mexico is a treasure trove for photographers.

 

Don't forgot that if you have RF images with people and/or property in them and you don't have model or property releases, you have to check the "for editorial use only" box in the image manager or offer them as RM (Rights Managed).

 

¡Buena Suerte!

 

 

[Adriana]

4 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I like your images, and see that you are using scientific names for your plants along with common names.  Excellent!

One suggestion which will help your images get better search positions is to also flesh out your caption with common name, scientific name, also.

Betty

 

Hi Betty, Thank you very much for the advice, I will go back and fix the captions :)

[Adriana]

1 hour ago, John Mitchell said:

Bienvenidos. You have some nice images. Mexico is a treasure trove for photographers.

 

Don't forgot that if you have RF images with people and/or property in them and you don't have model or property releases, you have to check the "for editorial use only" box in the image manager or offer them as RM (Rights Managed).

 

¡Buena Suerte!

 

 

 

Thank you, I will double check my images for sure.

 

Mexico is wonderful for photos. I am lucky to live in an extremely safe place as I would love to travel further down north but violence has taken over. 

 

Adriana :)

[John Mitchell]

1 minute ago, Adriana said:

 

Thank you, I will double check my images for sure.

 

Mexico is wonderful for photos. I am lucky to live in an extremely safe place as I would love to travel further down north but violence has taken over. 

 

Adriana

 

I love the Yucatan Peninsula, so many fascinating places to visit, and most of it is still relatively safe. Are you based in Mérida? It's one of my favourite places in Mexico.  It's a real shame what has happened in some of the more northern states like Michoacán and Guerrero. Hopefully, things will improve.

[Ed Rooney]

Welcome to Alamy, Adriana! 

[Betty LaRue]

2 hours ago, Adriana said:

 

Hi Betty, Thank you very much for the advice, I will go back and fix the captions

I love new people who take advice! You can’t believe how many newbies get insulted when all we’re trying to do is help people to maximize their portfolios. 
It’s so much easier to do the re-editing when you don’t have thousands of images up. I edited 5000 of my images a couple of years ago, and it took months. I just about went crazy, but I got it done. It was no fault of my own, but when Alamy introduced a whole new format that messed up all my keywords. 😤

[Adriana]

19 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

I love the Yucatan Peninsula, so many fascinating places to visit, and most of it is still relatively safe. Are you based in Mérida? It's one of my favourite places in Mexico.  It's a real shame what has happened in some of the more northern states like Michoacán and Guerrero. Hopefully, things will improve.

 

Yes, I was born in Mexico City but  my Yucatecan father brought us to Merida long ago. It is a wonderful place despite the extreme heat which I can still not adapt to ha ha. My British husband has adapted way easier which shocks me.

 

What is happening in Michoacan is a true tragedy. The Monarch butterfly protectors are being murdered. People would think it has to do with drugs but it is actually to do with the avocado mafia.

 

What are your favourite places you got to visit from the Peninsula?

[Adriana]

18 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

Welcome to Alamy, Adriana! 

 

Thank you Ed, have a lovely day

[Adriana]

16 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I love new people who take advice! You can’t believe how many newbies get insulted when all we’re trying to do is help people to maximize their portfolios. 
It’s so much easier to do the re-editing when you don’t have thousands of images up. I edited 5000 of my images a couple of years ago, and it took months. I just about went crazy, but I got it done. It was no fault of my own, but when Alamy introduced a whole new format that messed up all my keywords. 😤

 

People get insulted? that's silly. I am like a sponge trying to learn from all of you and I really appreciate your kind advice.

 

I am sorry you had to re-edit so many images, not fun at all. I hope Alamy doesn't make more changes now that is has been acquired by another company.

[meanderingemu]

Hola Adriana....

 

Welcome to the party.   Mexico is such a lovely country.  I'm currently escaping colder climes, and have been in Oaxaca de Juarez for last 6 weeks.  Loving it- Merida is awesome, but i can't stand the heat 🙂, so this is ideal .  The whole security is tragic.   Oaxaca feels totally safe, until i look at news (though they do see to want to keep the centre of the capital safe to keep us coming...)  

 

nice portfolio...

 

 

[John Mitchell]

2 hours ago, Adriana said:

 

Yes, I was born in Mexico City but  my Yucatecan father brought us to Merida long ago. It is a wonderful place despite the extreme heat which I can still not adapt to ha ha. My British husband has adapted way easier which shocks me.

 

What is happening in Michoacan is a true tragedy. The Monarch butterfly protectors are being murdered. People would think it has to do with drugs but it is actually to do with the avocado mafia.

 

What are your favourite places you got to visit from the Peninsula?

 

Merida has grown by leaps and bounds since I first visited in the 1980's, but it's still a wonderful city. The heat at certain times of the year is tough to handle, though. I was there in September once and almost died. I've long been interested in the Maya civilization, so I love all the archaeological sites. I visited Calakmul in the state of Campeche a number of years ago. It really stands out. Calakmul is difficult to get to but well worth the effort if you've never been. Then there are all the handsome colonial towns, haciendas, flamingo reserves, etc. Too many places to mention. I used to to really like the so-called Riviera Maya. However, I find the Caribbean area overdeveloped and too crowded with fellow tourists now, and unfortunately the carteles have moved in. It was horrible what happened to the Mexican conservationist in Michoacan recently. I visited the Monarch butterfly reserves in the early 2000's. They are magical places. Mexico City is a favourite place of mine as well. I've been there many times.

[Adriana]

23 hours ago, meanderingemu said:

Hola Adriana....

 

Welcome to the party.   Mexico is such a lovely country.  I'm currently escaping colder climes, and have been in Oaxaca de Juarez for last 6 weeks.  Loving it- Merida is awesome, but i can't stand the heat 🙂, so this is ideal .  The whole security is tragic.   Oaxaca feels totally safe, until i look at news (though they do see to want to keep the centre of the capital safe to keep us coming...)  

 

nice portfolio...

 

 

Thank you, I am so glad you are enjoying the country. Oaxaca is amazing and the food is one of the best form the whole country. I agree with you, Merida is amazing but the heat is extreme, it is so early and yet so hot at the moment, it makes me so tired.

 

I hope you keep having a lovely time and let me know if you ever come to Merida, would be lovely to meet :).

 

Btw, love your photo of Estrella Vázquez.

 

 

 

[Adriana]

22 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Merida has grown by leaps and bounds since I first visited in the 1980's, but it's still a wonderful city. The heat at certain times of the year is tough to handle, though. I was there in September once and almost died. I've long been interested in the Maya civilization, so I love all the archaeological sites. I visited Calakmul in the state of Campeche a number of years ago. It really stands out. Calakmul is difficult to get to but well worth the effort if you've never been. Then there are all the handsome colonial towns, haciendas, flamingo reserves, etc. Too many places to mention. I used to to really like the so-called Riviera Maya. However, I find the Caribbean area overdeveloped and too crowded with fellow tourists now, and unfortunately the carteles have moved in. It was horrible what happened to the Mexican conservationist in Michoacan recently. I visited the Monarch butterfly reserves in the early 2000's. They are magical places. Mexico City is a favourite place of mine as well. I've been there many times.

 

Oh yeah, Merida is so different! The construction mafia has taken over, they are building without control and finishing he green areas. I still can not get used to so many tall buildings.

 

I have not been to Calakmul in ages but I do know the area is in danger as our president has decided we should have a train going through all the Mayan zones in the South of the country. Many people believe this will have a terrible impact on our natural areas.

 

Cartels have ruined the Mayan Riviera. Tulum, which was one of my favourite places in the world is now extremely violent which fills me with sadness.

 

Mexico City is amazing, so many things to do all the time. I would be living there again for sure if it wasn't so chaotic.

[John Mitchell]

1 hour ago, Adriana said:

 

Oh yeah, Merida is so different! The construction mafia has taken over, they are building without control and finishing he green areas. I still can not get used to so many tall buildings.

 

I have not been to Calakmul in ages but I do know the area is in danger as our president has decided we should have a train going through all the Mayan zones in the South of the country. Many people believe this will have a terrible impact on our natural areas.

 

Cartels have ruined the Mayan Riviera. Tulum, which was one of my favourite places in the world is now extremely violent which fills me with sadness.

 

Mexico City is amazing, so many things to do all the time. I would be living there again for sure if it wasn't so chaotic.

 

The last time I was in Merida was in 2013. It sounds as if the city has changed quite a bit since then. Hopefully, the historic architecture is being protected. When I first visited the lovely Maya ruins at Tulum in the mid 80's, the site was almost deserted. There were no turnstiles, no ugly handicrafts market full of junk, and no silly tourist "train" or polluting tour buses. Nothing was roped off either. You could climb the structures and explore at will. Now it's a disaster, totally overrun with day-tripping cruise ship passengers and access to the buildings is "prohibido". Unfortunately, the tourism people have discovered their goose that lays the golden egg. I felt perfectly safe in Quintana Roo back in 2013. Things sound pretty bad there now. Es una pena.

 

P.S. I heard about the proposed tourist train through the south. I guess Obrador wants to promote domestic tourism. He closed all of the Mexican tourism board offices here in Canada and in many other countries.

Edited February 20, 2020 by John Mitchell

[meanderingemu]

10 hours ago, Adriana said:

Thank you, I am so glad you are enjoying the country. Oaxaca is amazing and the food is one of the best form the whole country. I agree with you, Merida is amazing but the heat is extreme, it is so early and yet so hot at the moment, it makes me so tired.

 

I hope you keep having a lovely time and let me know if you ever come to Merida, would be lovely to meet :).

 

Btw, love your photo of Estrella Vázquez.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you,  Estrella was just wonderful (and as we wrote in other thread, i did struggle with terms to use beyond Muxe, but Vogue used Trans in their article so i went with it).  That event was just so special, and in fact validated my decision to focus on editorial part of stock within my meandering.  Before i would have taken to image, and that's it.  Now i have probably spent a couple hours after reading of the whole Muxe, Third Gender, acceptance within the community, as well as article on Estrella, who does know how to play the camera.  Much easier than reading on all the source of the protests i saw...

 

 

made my north today to Tlaxcala, because i wanted to see a more traditional Carnaval.  Now reading on all the HueHue dances of the area....  Fascinating .