Por las Calles del Viejo San Juan (in the streets of Old San Juan) on Fuji Superia X-TRA 400
If someone offered me a plane ticket anywhere in the world to photograph a city, I would have to choose Old San Juan in Puerto Rico. I lived in this special place for three years (from 2013 to 2016) and it continues to captivate me.
While I was living there I mostly shot with my digital cameras, but was looking for a different challenge and decided to come back to filmmaking for a few projects. As a gift, a friend of mine sent me his Nikon F65 with a 28-80mm lens, and I thought this combination with a Fuji Superia X-TRA 400 that I found at a local pharmacy would be perfect for explore the city.
Located at the western end of the islet of San Juan, Old San Juan was founded in the early 1500s by Spain and features colorful buildings in different architectural styles, cobbled streets constructed from stone ballast early ships, two UNESCO World Heritage listed military forts, historic churches, world-class restaurants and galleries, and many other attractions, all of which can be explored on foot.
There is a wealth of information about visiting Old San Juan, both online and in print, so this article will focus on helpful tips for those wishing to visit and photograph this wonderful city.
Narrow streets and limited parking make driving in Old San Juan a challenge, and the entire historic area can be easily explored on foot, so avoid driving if possible. It’s a short taxi ride from the airport (not all carpools are accessible in Puerto Rico), so walking por las calles del Viejo San Juan is the best way to get around. Sturdy shoes are helpful as the cobbled streets and hills can make walking a bit more difficult.
A city in the tropics
Being in the heart of the Caribbean, warm temperatures and high humidity levels are the norm, along with frequent downpours. The biggest challenge I’ve encountered is condensation that can occur on the camera when moving from a cool, air-conditioned room to outdoors. A large plastic zip-loc bag can be a big help – put your camera in there before you leave the air conditioning and let it warm up for a few minutes before removing it from the bag.
The bag can come in handy later in the day when the inevitable downpour arrives. Shower caps can also work well. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and take breaks throughout the day, especially if you’re not used to the heat and humidity. Piragua (flavored shaved ice) and Helado (ice cream) carts can be found all over town, so grab a cold snack and head to one of the many plazas to sit on a shady bench for a rest.
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watch the crowds
Old San Juan is a major destination and hub for cruise ships, as well as one of the most popular tourist areas in the Caribbean. During the winter months it can be extremely busy so it can be worth checking how many ships will be in port and planning accordingly. In my experience, Old San Juan is a late-rising city, so if you like solitude, take a stroll through the streets in the morning and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful sights without too many people.
On the other hand, if you like photographing people, you will not be disappointed. The many parks and plazas are usually busy throughout the day providing wonderful photo opportunities. Speaking of parks, the Parque de las Palomas (pigeon park) next to the Capilla del Cristo church can offer some unique scenes with all the pigeons and the people feeding them. Just watch your gear – I’ve had several instances of them “bombing” my camera! There are also beautiful sea views from the port of San Juan.
There are many festivals throughout the year, but perhaps the biggest is the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastian, which bring the festive season to a close in early January. The festival features parades, costumed characters with the famous vejigante masks, dancing and an all-night street party that attracts thousands of spectators.
A city full of nature
Nature abounds in the walled city of Old San Juan with gardens, parks and plenty of green space to provide subjects for nature photography. You’ll find tropical plants and flowers, birds (I saw macaws and other parrots in the trees), and along the Paseo de Princesa walking path you’ll usually encounter iguanas climbing the wall. Although not strictly a natural feature, the city is known for its cats and cat-themed features are almost everywhere. An organization called Save-a-Gato (cat) patrols the city and traps cats for sterilization, and offers food to cats along Paseo de Princesa.
Wandering the streets and alleys of Old San Juan has given me many hours of enjoyment. The film projects I have undertaken have been particularly rewarding. When I trade in my digital camera for one of my film cameras, I have a completely different mindset and approach to photography. I slow down more, think more deeply, and tend to notice things that I just miss when using my digital cameras. I’ve tried to simulate this with digital cameras – limiting myself to only taking a certain number of images, not looking at the LCD screen, shooting in manual mode only, or letting several days pass or weeks until I review the footage, but to me, nothing can compare to the unique challenges, rewards, and experience of using a film camera.
Puerto Rico license plates say Isla del Encanto (Island of Enchantment). If you’re looking for an exciting photo destination, the enchanting streets of Old San Juan and its friendly locals are worth considering.
~ Dan
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Knowledge transfer across the film photography community is at the heart of EMULSIVE. You can add your support by contributing your thoughts, work, experiences and ideas to inspire the hundreds of thousands of people who read these pages every month. View the submission guide here.
If you like what you read, you can also help this passion project by heading to the EMULSIVE Patreon page and contributing as little as $1 a month. There are also prints and apparel at Society 6, currently featuring over two dozen t-shirt designs and over a dozen unique photographs available for purchase.
Share your knowledge, your story or your project
Knowledge transfer across the film photography community is at the heart of EMULSIVE. You can add your support by contributing your thoughts, work, experiences and ideas to inspire the hundreds of thousands of people who read these pages every month. View the submission guide here.
If you like what you read, you can also help this passion project by heading to the EMULSIVE Patreon page and contributing as little as $1 a month. There are also prints and apparel at Society 6, currently featuring over two dozen t-shirt designs and over a dozen unique photographs available for purchase.
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