GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY ADVENTURES IN JACO, COSTA RICA
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by Wolfgang VonBunnell |
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The Pacific roared as its huge waves crashed down upon themselves far out at sea, driving broken smaller waves frantically to the shoreline and over our feet. We were scurring and sloshing our way toward the distant volcanic rock formations that jutted out into the sea. Ahead of us the incoming waves exploded over the ancient pyroclastic flows like dynamite charges set off by Neptune himself.
This was Jaco, Costa Rica, a wild place of raw force and natural beauty. This is why I came so far from the United States to do glamour photography Costa Rican style. My photography models would be totally surrounded by uninhibited natural splendor. As we trudged through the black volcanic beach sand, approaching our rocky goal, a man came running to us from one of the nearby beach homes. He was waving and smiling. He looked friendly, and I instantly recognized him as a restaurant owner from the previous night of fine cuisine in Jaco.
"Excuse me," he said, "Are you the American photogapher who placed classified ads for several weeks in the newspapers, "Tico Times" and "Costa Rica Today," for models to photograph before coming to Jaco?"
"Yup! That's me, " I said with some surprise at being recognized so easily.
The smiling face and gleaming eyes belonged to Sr. Juan Calderon Vargas who owns the Artesania El Tabacon restaurant on Avenida Pastor Diaz, which is the main street in Jaco. He also happened to be the editor of the "Jaco Wave," which is a newspaper/magazine about news and events in the Jaco area.
As an editor of a great metropolitan newspaper, Juan was curious about my glamour photography experiences in Jaco. He invited me to return to his restaurant that evening for an interview over "pescado entero." I glady accepted.
"Good luck with your photography today, and tell me all about it tonight. O.K.?"
With a smile and a nod, I bid Juan adieu, and we resumed our march along the beach. A few minutes later my models and I finally reached the huge blobs of lava frozen in time for eons. My seaside volcanic studio beckoned us to immediately begin a glamour photography session.
My glamour photography philosophy means beautiful women in beautiful places, and at this moment in Jaco, I had both requirements. The two models who were about to pose for me were a little apprehensive but eager to try. I had met them yesterday outside Jaco at a little beach cafe called the Backyard on Playa Hermosa. This would be their first modeling experience.
They simultaneously removed their shorts and blouses while looking around a little nervously. Standing proudly and beautifully, wearing only thong bikini bottoms, they walked like sleek panthers onto the lava rock formations. Their beautiful topless figures were a natural compliment to the wild beauty around them. The ocean roared its approval!
Anita and Carolina quickly learned how to pose with a few suggestions and a little patience. Their curvacious outlines were accentuated by the water blasting over the rocks behind them. They were quite safe where they were posing, but through the camera's viewfinder, the images were soft, feminine beauty surrounded by wild, untamed fury. The contrast was divine.
Their topless beauty did not go unnoticed. Some nearby surfers quit surfing, just to watch our photo session. About a dozen surfers now stood at a respectful distance behind us in dumbfounded awe. Most of these surfers were also Americans who had traveled a long way to surf in Jaco. Now their idle surfboards were scattered on the hot beach sand and left abandoned to the sand crabs.
My fellow compatriots were so captivated by the power of glamour photography that they quickly forgot why they came to Costa Rica. However, from their expressions, they seemed to be very glad and thankful to have made the trip. I could have charged them admission.
One hour and many rolls of film later, our photo session was done. As we walked by the crowd of admiring surfers, they sincerely applauded, while nodding to us their respectful appreciation. We passed in review by our loyal subjects with all the pomp and circumstance of imaginary royalty in procession. Anita and Carolina were each puffed with pride and grinning from ear to ear with their sudden "super-star" status on the beach. Jaco would never be quite the same.
The pescado entero was done to perfection, and the flavors were especially savory in the night air. I was back at Juan's restaurant, El Tabacon, and enjoying his friendly company as much as the fresh fish. Juan was most helpful with suggestions about where to go and what to see in the Jaco area. His knowledgeable guidance was a great help to my photography. Helpfulness and friendliness are hallmarks of Costa Ricans, and their genuine warmth is just as beautiful as the natural wonders of their country.
Two of Juan's suggestions about where to photograph in Jaco were outstanding successes. The next place I took a model was up a winding mountain road next to Jaco's Petting Zoo. This steep and narrow road snaked its way up the mountain to an unlikely pavilion with a spectacular view of the entire crescent curve of Jaco's grand beach.
This high mountain vista made a spectacular background from the pavilion's Pacific side. Exotic rain forest trees and tropical plants flanked the rest of the pavilion's primal Eden. The exotic combination of jungle and high ocean vista can only be described as majestic. My model, Carmen, drank in the intoxicating majesty and posed her figure with a magical grace and ethereal beauty.
The last place I photographed in Jaco before changing location was indeed the "coup de grace." Just outside Jaco is La Catarata waterfall, and getting to the waterfall was a two part adventure. The first part was a forty-five minute trek on horseback through a heavily wooded area.
Of course, the horse I rode was the horse from hell. My horse had an evil mind and was without shock absorbers or mercy. I was bouncing so much my saddle felt like I was riding on a log that was as jumpy as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. My ride on this "escapee from a glue factory" more than made up for all the spankings I deserved, but weaseled out of as a kid. My model for some reason seemed to really enjoy her horseback ride, while our intrepid guide rode behind us shaking his head in either disbelief or silent laughter.
At long last we arrived at a place where we stopped and tethered our horses to trees and began our second forty-five minute trek. This time we were carefully tiptoeing our way along a narrow, mountain foot trail, that even a suicidal mountain goat would never travel.
In the distance we could hear the thundering cascade plunging down more than three hundred feet, as it blasted out its basin pool from solid rock. We were near it but could not see it. Our guide at this point had no idea that Maria was my model or that I was a glamour photographer. He was also very near a surprising and beautiful sight he had never seen before, a glamour photography session by a waterfall.
After sidestepping many tree roots and rocks, we eventually beheld the awesome glory of La Catarata. It was a beautiful, roaring jewel singing out its thunderous song of praise to God for His wondrous creation. Wide-eyed in wonderment, staring in reverent amazement, we gazed at the awesome power and beauty of falling water. We pray it will forever sign its riverbed signature through the rain forest on its way to the Pacific. It also really makes you want to go the the bathroom.
Maria and I went around the guard rail and scampered down a boulder studded, rocky slope to a large plane of flat rock next to the waterfall. Our guide always remained forty feet above us behind the rail. Suddenly he blossomed a smile big enough to rival any of the surrounding wild flowers at our serious artistic endeavor. Maria had just removed the last of her trappings and vestments of civilization. In her natural spendor, she stood as a priestess on her rock alter in Costa Rican paradise. La Catarata roared its approval!
Maria posed in and out of water pools near the spillway, sometimes with the water spraying over her figure. The falling water behind her was a white curtain of sparkling diamonds dashing through sunlight. We photographed undisturbed for two hours, while she posed her striking beauty with uninhibited grace. This was indeed a glamour photographer's dream come true.
Reluctantly we left the waterfall behind, bouncing once again along happy trails on our bippity-boppity hay burners. Now that our guide realized I was a photographer and that Maria was my model, stopping to photograph on the return trip would be no surprise. Eventually we rode through a dense area of flowering heliconia and other broad leafed plants. The natural garden setting was perfect, and Maria got herself ready for my final glamour photography session in Jaco.
For the next forty-five minutes she was Lady Godiva of the Rain Forest while posing on horseback, completely surrounded by lush tropial plants and flowers. Even her horse was smiling. She had a ham for a horse, and mine was an earthquake with a saddle. When we were finally finished and ready to travel, we all rode off bouncing into the sunset.
At sunrise the next day, I was still bouncing. This time I was sipping, slurping and slopping hot coffee all over myself, while bouncing over every pothole my car could find. I was leaving Jaco and on my way across Costa Rica to different places and new photography adventures.
What I will never leave behind are the memories of some of the warmest and most helpful people I have ever met. I will always remember Juan and his family for their sincere friendship and timely suggestions. I will always remember the sparkling personalities of my models and the many comical experiences we shared, not to mention some of the most beautiful photography I have ever done. What I was to discover later is that Jaco is a microcosm of Costa Rica's greatest national treasure, Costa Ricans. Viva Ticos!
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