Snapshots of Humidity: My Buenos Aires Adventure

okay, i'm sitting in this tiny cafe in palermo called vainilla - three tables, a barista who makes cortado art that looks like a tiny dog, walls plastered with concert flyers from the 80s and black-and-white photos of unknown poets. my camera bag is heavy, my neck is sweaty, and i finally have a moment to write about what the hell i'm doing in buenos aires. i'm a freelance photographer, which means i'm constantly chasing light, cheap coffee, and that one shot that might pay my rent for a month. buenos aires has been on my list for years because of the way the afternoon sun slants across the san telmo cobblestones, turning dust into gold. plus, the whole city feels like a film set from a tango movie that got lost in time.

i landed two days ago and the humidity hit me like a wet towel. just checked the weather and it's sitting at a humid 23.28°c with feels like 23.73°c-so basically the sky decided to sweat with you. neat. the humidity is 79%, which is great for neither my camera gear nor my hair, but apparently great for keeping the street art looking like it's weeping. the atmospheric pressure is steady at 1013 hpa, which i read is supposed to mean clear air, but i'm not sure. anyway, i'm dealing.

the map? here's where i'm at:

. that'll give you an idea. i'm mostly hanging around palermo, san telmo, and a bit of recoleta. if you zoom out, you'll see i'm nowhere near the coast yet, but i've heard the atlantic beaches are worth a trip during summer.

i started wandering with my old film camera (yeah, i'm that guy) and a roll of kodak portra that might have seen better days. first stop: la boca. the houses are all rainbow colors, but guess what? it's tourist central. i heard someone say that the best empanadas are at a place called "empanadas de la boca" but also that they charge extra if you take a photo of the building? not sure. i think the locals roll their eyes at the crowd. still, the light was insane at golden hour. i set up my tripod, got a shot of the caminito street that actually looked like a postcard, then almost got knocked over by a guy juggling fire. like, actual fire. someone warned me that the area gets sketchy after dark, so i left before the bazooka street performers turned into something else. (kidding, but not really.)

the humidity is messing with my film. i keep it in a ziploc bag with silica gel i bought at a pharmacy. my camera's shutter sometimes sticks; it's a vintage canon ae-1 from the 80s, so it's not built for this swampy weather. but that's part of the charm, i guess.

i found a quiet alley where this kid was tagging a wall with this insane piece that blended into the facade. i asked if i could take his portrait. he said, "sure, but you gotta give me copies." that's how it works here. i love that. i heard later that the city has a weird tolerance for street art, but if you tag a historic building, you might get a fine. i'm not looking for trouble. the colors in his paint were so electric they almost fought each other. good for color film. the humidity actually made the wet paint glisten, adding an extra shine.

the food: omg, you have to get the steak. but don't go to the overpriced places in the tourist zone. i got a tip from a bartender at a dive bar that the best parilla is actually in recoleta, called "parilla de la noche". i went, had a ribeye that made me cry a little, and the malbec was cheap. check it out on yelp: Parilla de la Noche. but note: the waiter might judge you if you order it well-done. i'm not kidding. also, the chimichurri was a green revelation. someone told me that the secret is they let it sit for 24 hours. maybe that's just gossip.

if you get bored of the city chaos, a short ferry ride gets you to montevideo, uruguay. it's like a mini baires but with less traffic and more beach. or you could head west to the outskirts and see the pampas. just be careful with the buses; they'll drop you anywhere. i heard from a traveler that going to chicago? actually that's in the us. ignore that. but seriously, consider a day trip to tigre, the delta. it's peaceful, and you can rent a bike. i've been told the train ride there is an experience in itself, passing through shantytowns and green fields.

i've been using this little hotel called "hostel del arte" in palermo. it's cheap, the wifi is okay, and they have a rooftop where i shot the skyline at dawn. if you wanna stay there, check their booking page. also, i joined a local photography meetup group through a site called "buenos aires photo walks". that's been gold for finding hidden spots. i met a guy who showed me an abandoned cinema in once a grand neighborhood, now covered in dust and golden light. i'll be processing those shots forever.

i've got three more days before i head to the next assignment (some wedding in patagonia? yeah, that's the gig). i'm trying to absorb as much as i can. the rain started last night, and it's still drizzling. the city looks different when wet; the colors get saturated, the streets glisten. i'm heading out with my camera again in an hour. i'll tag along with a tango dancer i met outside a milonga. he's letting me shoot his practice. that's the kind of thing you just can't plan. he said the dance is like a conversation, and i'm going to try to capture that in stills.

before i forget, i should mention the subway. it's efficient but can get packed. i heard from a local that line a is the oldest and looks like a museum. also, keep your backpack in front. typical big city stuff. but i love the tile work in the stations. i shot a few frames down there, but the lighting is terrible, so i used a fast lens. i'm telling you, the subte is a vibe. the rumble of the train and the scent of old dust almost feel like a time machine.

anyway, that's all for now. i need to process these rolls before i run out of space on my hard drive. and maybe find a decent coffee. the coffee here is strong, sometimes too strong, but i'm not complaining. if you're coming, bring a rain jacket, comfy shoes, and an appetite. and maybe a phrasebook; though most people are patient with broken spanish. also, don't forget a power adapter if you're from the us; they use type c and i? i'll check later.

here's a couple of shots i took:

also, check out these links for info:
- a city guide on tripadvisor: Buenos Aires Travel Guide
- a local event calendar: BA Agenda (i think it's mostly in spanish but google translate will help)
- a photography blog about the city: Lentes en BA - they have a section on film labs if you need to develop.
- a forum where travelers exchange tips: BA Travelers - i found a tip about a secret speakeasy there.

that's it. until next time, keep shooting.