New York Times: Mexican Rodeos

Photograph © Jim Wilson/The New York Times-All Rights Reserved
In time to highlight the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop starting in Mexico City this coming Monday, here's a multimedia slideshow from the New York Times of the charreada. These are rodeos and fiestas rolled together, and are one of Mexico’s most popular sporting events, dating to the 17th century.

Similar to the US rodeos, the charreadas involve horse riding, bull riding and team roping. However, riders in the charreadas wear elaborate three-piece suits and women ride sidesaddle in their traditional fineries.

After criticism from animal rights and anti-rodeo activists, the events have been changed to reflect better and safer treatment of animals involved in these rodeos.

Here's The New York Times' Mexican Rodeos

Chico Sanchez: Lady of Guadalupe

Photograph © Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved
With the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop starting in Mexico City this coming Monday, I had the good fortune of stumbling on the work of Chico Sanchez, a photojournalist based in Mexico City. He produced a slideshow on the pilgrims visiting the church of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is one of the projects I intend to work on with some of the students enrolled in my multimedia course.

Chico Sanchez worked in Venezuela, collaborating with Reuters, European Pressphoto Agency, Agencia EFE, and freelancing for various newspapers and magazines.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is known in Mexico as "La Virgen Morena", and her festival day is celebrated on December 12, commemorating her appearances to Saint Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac near Mexico City from December 9 through December 12, 1531. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is the second most visited Roman catholic shrine in the world after the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican.