Nicaraguan Moments...

Several years ago I produced a video telling of and the reasoning behind the Downtown Tulsa Rotary Clubs' Water Well Project in Nicaragua. This project has been ongoing for several years and has been responsible for gaining potable water for thousands of people. It has also provided the liberation of the children from the daily job of gaining water for their families to a great extent. The long walks to and from the wells kept the children out of school, and hindered them greatly. It has also brought to an end the reliance of the Barrios on hand dug wells that are easily contaminated and go dry quickly.

While there I met one of the premier Fashion designers of the Country. Knowing that I was a professional photographer she asked me if I would photograph her newest collection which was to debut at a fashion show in Managua that weekend. The show was sponsored by Mercedes Benz and Cartier Watches and I thought it would be great fun and a needed break from the drilling work. If she won she would have her line open in New York and really launch her career.

She told me of her collection and we decided to shoot the outfits outside primarily due to the fact that I had no lights to speak of and the environment was different enough to really tune up my senses. We spent the day shooting and ended up on a lava field for some of the shots.

At the show I was wined and dined on finger food and wine and the lights flickered signaling the start of the show was on us. There were three designers in the show and there would only be one to go to New York. The music started and the models started their walk down the runway. It was exciting, fun, classy, and something I quite frankly never expected to see. The three designers all took a bow after their models did their walk with each one having around 7 different designs. The lights flickered again and the intermission was signaled. In about twenty minutes the lights did their thing again and we took to our seats.Turn on your imaginators and walk with me through this next segment.

The room is pitch black. Faint thunder rolls followed by silence. More thunder, a brilliant clap of thunder which raised EVERYONE out of their seats, and a soft light fell on the stage. Thunder sounding like drums rolls through the space and fog starts covering the stage. Everyones' eyes are dancing around the room as flashes of lightening are blasting  the stage. Looking at the stage I can see the fog start to move out of the center as the floor opens. Everyone was spellbound-you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were on the stage as the new 600 series Mercedes Benz rises from the fog. I have NEVER seen something so amazing. What a way to introduce a car internationally. Aha....right place right time....again.

Making a long story short, my designer won and I assume launched her career in the Big Apple. I need to follow up with a friend I have in Nicaragua and see where she is.