Bolivia

Bolivia is widely regarded as one of the most picturesque countries in Latin America, and my journey through this landlocked Andean nation only confirmed that reputation. My expedition began in the centuries-old colonial cities of Sucre and Potosí. At these high altitudes, I traversed icily cold, cobblestone streets lined with vibrant colonial churches and ancestral homes.

The highlight of the highlands was a descent into the eerie depths of the silver mines beneath the "Rich Hill" of Potosí. In the claustrophobic darkness, I encountered "El Tio" effigies—devil-like figures adorned with offerings of cigarettes and coca leaves, placed by miners to ward off disaster.

The Silent Desolation

Nothing, however, prepared me for the sheer magnificence of the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat, and the otherworldly Atacama Desert along the Chilean border. This region is a photographer’s dream: a daunting, prehistoric landscape of deep blue lakes, emerald and red lagoons, and jagged rock formations set against an azure sky. In this vast silence, miles from civilization, I found a unique intimacy with the wildlife. Walking among grazing llamas and guanacos in their natural habitat allowed for a series of portraits that captured the raw, unencumbered spirit of the Andes.