Amazon 3.0 -- Bicycles of Barcelos, a Four-Minute Photo Essay

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Amazon 3.0 - The Bicycles of Barcelos, a Four-Minute Photo Essay

July 24, 2008, Barcelos, Amazonas, Brasil

Note: This blog posting is out of order. When I get to a better internet connection I will get back to the story and photos from the Rio Orinoco.

Perhaps bicycles are an odd thing to notice on an Amazon trip. But anyone who has been to Brazilian cities or towns would notice the difference here - very few cars, a few trucks, plenty of motorcycles and scooters, but hundreds of bicycles in this small town. Lucho had noticed them - back on Iguana when I told him I planned to stop in Barcelos on my way to Manaus he said “Everybody there rides bicycles.”

They are parked everywhere, leaned against walls of stores and homes and schools and government office. I did see a bicycle rack, but no one used it, they still leaned the bikes against the wall. And not a bicycle lock to be seen. Street crime is an immense problem in Rio, São Paulo, Recife and other major cities, but not here.

After photographing bicycles parked in every fashion I wanted to shoot the riders, but without being too intrusive. So I decided on a 'Four Minute Photo Essay.' Standing in front of the church for four minutes, I photographed every cyclist who went by, including a few walking their bikes. Twelve cyclists in four minutes.

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Photos

Barcelos is on the Rio Negro
Those are islands in the background, not the other side of the Rio Negro. The Rio Negro is about 50 kilometers wide at this point, and full of islands.

First Cyclist
Cyclist was a tad blurry at 1/90 sec shutter speed, so I doubled it for subsequent shots.

Second Cyclist
Should I count those walking their bikes as well? Sure, why not?

Twelth Cyclist
This one is a cargo bike. Four minutes are up.

Comments

[Cliff]

Bikes of Barcelo
Kit, What a novel approach to documenting the bicycle traffic! Must be a grant out there to expand this timed study! :)

[KST]

Great Idea
Great idea, Cliff, when I get back we will have to write up a grant proposal.

[susan schneider]

are you still travelling?
Hi Kit As I am just catching up on your blog, I notice July 25 is your last entry. Are you done with the trip? Loved the photos and descriptions. Susan

[KST]

Still Travelling -- Behind on Blog Posts
Susan, Still travelling, going back to Seattle on the 20th (four flights, yuk). I'll finish the blog when I get back -- haven't had good Internet connections since I was in Manaus, it would take me all day here to post a couple of photos. Kit