Alicia Fox Photography Blog

James and I wrote and photographed this article for Tide Magazine in Germany. James interviewed Patricia and Ellie, from Munich, about their falling in love with the magical Panamanian village of Santa Catalina and starting the regions first surf shop. The girls are an inspiration and show that you can follow your heart and live your dreams in paradise.

The article was translated into German. Please send me an email if you’d like to read the English version.

Photos by Alicia Fox
Surf photos by Richard Brady
Words by James Galletly

I wrote the article “30 Days in Chugchilan” for Shutterbug magazine in The USA. This article is about my personal project to document the village I was living in, Chugchilan in Ecuador, in 2010.

A full set of the photos and the story behind them can be found on the “30 Days in Chugchilan” tab at the top of this page.

Volunteering with Opportunity Nicaragua was an wonderful experience that allowed me a glimpse into the lives of many hardworking artisanas and farmers around Granada, who despite adversity, can go through life with a smile. The experience gave me perspective on how tough life is for so many people throughout the world, and how fortunate I am to live the life I have.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the experience.

Here are a few shots from my recent shoot for El Camino del Sol. I had the pleasure of staying in the community throughout the photo shoot and enjoying the nearby town of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Playa Gigante, Nicaragua

This morning when I was on the front porch three men with very big guns walked past me, trailed by some very excited dogs. They returned this afternoon with a bunch of iguana for dinner, Saturday night special. My little friend took one of the iguanas from her Dad and started parading the catch around the main street (Yes, this is the main street pictured).

To celebrate my Travel Photos feature in Shutterbug Magazine (USA) I have updated my Etsy shop with all new travel photos available to purchase.

Please stop by and take a look and let me know if you are interested in buying any of my photos that aren’t listed on Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AliciaFox

Cheers!

I spent a week living in a hotel in the middle of the pulsing heart of Granada – The Market. I would wake up each day at 5:30am (the heat was insane even at that hour), walk out the door and grab some fruit, veges and fresh tortillas for breakfast, each time returning home with almost the same amount of money.

It stinks and its probably a bit dangerous at night, but I definitely recommend staying in the middle of a Central American market if you get the chance. You’ll feel like you are getting to know the real people and the real country, and it’s much easier to photograph at golden hour when you only have to step out the front door.


I bought cheese from these two all the time. It was delicious.

I had an fantastic time photographing and staying at the luxurious Aqua Wellness Resort in Nicaragua. Located near Playa Gigante, the resort is a world of luxury in a secluded bay with gorgeous white sand and perfect sunsets every afternoon.

Here are some photos from our sunset shoot.

No matter how many monkeys I have seen on my trip around Latin America, I can never get enough of watching them and photographing them. I shot the silhouette image above then turned around to capture his friend in another tree in completely different light.

Here are a few early morning shots of the beachside restaurant and the beautiful yoga instructor, Sunshine.

Nicaragua is a fantastic place for photographic portraiture. The characters are real, their lives are extreme and the people are so friendly and open. Not since being in Japan have I found a culture of people so willing to be in front of the camera.

As soon as I saw this little lady in her blue top and red hat, I knew I had to photograph her. She was visiting her friend in a tiny, dim, outdoor kitchen where smoke from the fire mixed with the steam pouring out of each large pot on top. She looked like a doll to me, with wrinkles attesting wisdom and experience. Her hands injured from working.

I followed the señora outside where I tried to chat with her, but she had no idea what I was trying to say. I could very well be the first foreigner she’s ever met. We communicated through actions and I managed to get the exact shots I had visualized – a portrait and a close up of her injured hands. She thanked me and said goodbye.

Me with three lovely Nicaraguan ladies in a village outside of Granada

After 3 amazing months in Costa Rica I have arrived in Nicaragua. I felt the difference between the neighbouring countries immediately.

Nicaragua suffers a lot more poverty, but the people are just as welcoming and friendly as the Ticos in Costa Rica. I have had the privilege of being welcomed into the homes of many Nicaraguans, through work I am doing with a fantastic non-profit organisation, Opportunity Nicaragua. Here is one of my favourite shots from last weeks shoot. I will post more photos soon.

This dog takes a rest from the sweltering heat of dry season in a village outside of Granada, Nicaragua