honorable mention
Cédric JAGER
title
Inside the mines of Potosi
I spent a few nights with miners, discussing with them before going into the mines at three different times for a total of 12 hours and taking photographs. The only source of light is the beam of the headlamp, so flash photography was obligatory. The situation of the miners, the difficuly breathing because of the altitude and the dust made this a deeply moving experience.
back to gallery
entry description
These photographs have been taken inside the silver mine "Grito de Piedra" in Potosi at an altitude of 4300 meters. These mines are still active and the miners are organized in cooperatives. Working there is very hard and the expected lifespan of a miner in Potosi is anywhere from 35 to 45 years old. Shovels, pickaxes and wheelbarrows are their working tools.I spent a few nights with miners, discussing with them before going into the mines at three different times for a total of 12 hours and taking photographs. The only source of light is the beam of the headlamp, so flash photography was obligatory. The situation of the miners, the difficuly breathing because of the altitude and the dust made this a deeply moving experience.
back to gallery