Urban Photography Festival 2010.

     The first Panama’s Urban Photography Festival took place from March 11th to 14th, 2010, and the event was inside of Santo Domingo Church’s dilapidated structures where you can find the famous “Arco Chato” (Flat Bow).

     The event was promoted by the Casco Antiguo de Panama Office, to collect the photographic works of professionals, amateurs, and enthusiasts, highlighting the art, historic places, how people live in the streets every day, people, buildings and houses, food and folklore of Panama, among other things.
     All who wanted to exhibit their work could do for free, as the entrance.
     To participate in the competition you had to register and pay a cost depending on the category and professional level. Fifteen categories were awarded, with total on prizes of about $ 6,500.
     I visited the exhibition one day and I post some photos of the Festival. The day that I visited the exhibition were exposed only a few photos. Every day, different photos were exposed with its author, being spread all photos of participants and non participants during the four days of the event.

Panama: The path less traveled (3). Casco Antiguo.

     “El Casco Antiguo de la Ciudad de Panamá” (Panama City’s Old Town) is now Humanity’s Heritage, proclaimed by UNESCO. It’s the Panama City’s site that preserves the oldest buildings.  Its construction began, after pirates destroyed what is known today as “Panama La Vieja” (The Old Panama) in 1671.  During the military dictatorship, the buildings were neglected. But thanks to democracy that exists today in the country, governments have been invested in its reconstruction and maintenance for future generations.