Arequipa is a very beautiful city in the south of Peru, located at an altitude of 2,335 meters, the average altitude in the country; built of volcanic stone, it is known as «cuidad blanca», which means «white city». A visit here is well worth the detour, as you’ll discover a city within a city, the Santa Catalina Monastery, whose walls are blue and red! So, just before crossing the border into Chile, Peru left me with some very fond memories. I had the impression that Arequipa wanted to fill my camera with images and offer me an intense photographic moment.
The wobbly step of this woman, whom I first saw from behind, caught my eye; she walked extremely stooped and looked like a person who lives on the street. I walked ahead of her, then crouched down, pretending to be interested in the beautiful church in the main square behind her. When she reached me, she suddenly turned and looked at me. I didn’t think she’d make a move like that, so I threw the focus ring to the exact spot where chance does its best, and clicked the shutter. This old lady almost frightened me by imprinting her gaze on the sensitive surface of my camera… her eye now travels far beyond the border of Chile.