NATURE
DRUDGING THROUGH A ROOI
ARIKOKAruba and the other islands don’t show the familiar touristic "pictures" but also a challenge for lovers of nature photography, which is an unknown characteristic.
People come for the beaches, the hotels and the numerous watersport facilities. After a week you have seen it all and then you are obliged to go to the other islands. For nature photographers there is plenty to enjoy at the other side of the isle: The north- and east coast, the inland and the wonderful ARIKOK.
SUPERMARKET FAVORITO
With Herman Reis a friendly freelance photographer and a local guide Ronald Lemminga I made an appointment to watch the Arikok landscape. When we talked about the time of departure we both were astonished, because Roland said that it would be allright he would pick us up the day after tomorrow at 6.30 Am. at the Favorito Supermarket. We would drive together to the park.
As against the Arubian habit not to show at the agreed time we see eachother at this very early time. Some time later we enter the park.
ROOI
At 7 Am. we walk behind him declining a steep hill. A few minutes later we follow the trail of a "ROOI", Arubian for a dry river-bed. We walk eastward, while the first sunlight carefully searches its way. We can’t make any pictures.
Lemminga shows us the characteristics of the landscape, especially the extraordinary cactusses and the fantrees which can be found everywhere. The shadows are still too long and the sun is still standing low, but the temperature starts rising gradually.
The landscape around us is rough, dry and desolate. But photograpical very interesting. The endless shapes of the trees, bushes and cactusses make it difficult to make a choice. Ronald selects his objects, knows what is special and also knows that many pictures will be a disappointment after developing them at home. The exitement of the moment will not be transferred in an image once at home.
The "ROOI" is enclosed by wonderful with cactusses overgrown hills. To clear outstanding trees and bushes from the background you have to take a very low point of view: lying down or work with a very long focal distance with a large opening.
After about half an hour following the "ROOI" we reach the coast. Fortunately we can sit down and have a cup of coffee from Ronald’s bag. The seawind cools our heated bodies.
Some point north of where we had our coffee break we enter through another "ROOI" the countryside again . Photographically things get more interesting. Colours become brighter and more intense. Ronald goes in front, still marching, now and then taking a picture or waiting for Herman or me. For us the landscape is new and overwhelming and we are afraid to miss good pictures while marching too quickly.
GIVING UP?
Temperature rises considerably. We get redder and wetter, because the "ROOI" climbs gradually. There is no wind. Ronald searches for a beacon, a point of orientation, to find our way back to the car. He grumbles that we probably have walked too far into the "ROOI". After half an hour there is no beacon to be found, but we started climbing a very steep hill unnoticed. On top we should be able to see the beacon.
Halfway the very steep hill even our guide, used to these circumstances after a 25 year stay at Aruba, had to find his breath. We were gasping for breath for more than a quarter of an hour. We appeared to be lost a bit. Herman and I walk towards the top of the hill and we enjoy the wonderful view. On both sides we see the sea and a bigger part of ARIKOK stretches in front of us. The passat wind cools us fortunately. The little edge of the hill stretches in a broad platform which is photographically interesting. The scarce trees and bushes are easily to be photographed.
Some time later Ronald arrives. The beacon is to be seen and we walk down the hill south east. The cabrites show nice images during the descent. At about twelve o’clock we reach our car, an hour later than planned. In the shadow of the car we try to quench our thirst, but it is obvious that we have to "refill" the rest of the day.
After we reaches the car, Lemminga confesses that we climbed the ARIKOK (182 m) without knowing it and that he had lost his way. We have to leave quickly because of the heat taking pictures will be impossible. The sun is already high in the sky and the light has become too hard. Working with slides contrasts are already too substantial to make beautiful prints.
TECHNICS
Lemminga uses Pentax equipment and especially a super 17mm wide angle lens which he uses in the Area. You can easily take total cactus-images and divi-divi trees.
Herman uses Canon equipment. He likes his favourite lens a 17 - 35 mm, 2,8 L most for this landscape. He advises me to walk through this area three times or more. Each time with a different steady focal distance, which you can’t miss.
I myself use a Leica RE with a 2,8/28mm, 2,8/35mm and a 2,8/60mm macro.
Lemminga mainly uses negative material which is developed in his own darkroom. Developing slides on Aruba is a delicate matter, because no lab can guarantee constant quality.
Herman and I both work with the same slide material: Fuji Sensia. Under tropical circumstances it provides a constant quality and after developing the material in the Netherlands it shows its neutral character.
By way of prevention we keep our exposed and unexposed films in the refrigerator.
Text and pictures © Bert Raaphorst
