Living in Peru : your everyday companion

By Katrina Heimark
Photos courtesy of Armando Alcázar

With his deep belly laugh, his shining eyes, and his propensity to talk passionately about all things under the sun, it is easy to understand why Armando Alcázar can find beauty in the “simplest and seemingly insignificant things.”

A photographer by passion Armando has not always dedicated himself to the art which he feels has given him a special gift of “seeing, capturing and showing the beauty of God’s creation.” In fact, one could find his life story to be one people only read about in story books.                     

With a love of animals, both wild and domestic, Armando has actively participated in falconry, being the first Peruvian (along with two friends) to study and practice the art of training these majestic birds (all three were trained by American naturalist, Tony Luscombe.).

Armando has also raised Rottweiler pups for protection, and also for profit, with his male Rottweiler winning many international breeding prizes. But, perhaps more interestingly, Armando has owned and taken care of pumas, one of which he took in as a pet and called Rodriguez.

And perhaps his history of animal care has provoked him to photograph falcons, birds, insects, and plenty of other animals that he finds on his daily jaunts. A true photographer at heart, Armando is never far from his camera and always takes advantage of unique and strange moments that he may come across, whether it be a car accident, a bird flying over head, or a child playing on the street.

As a lover of photography (and not the boring studio kind, as Armando characterizes it), I am moved by Armando’s photos. He seems to capture that essence of life in Lima that one can really only get to understand after having lived here for an extended period of time. His photos capture the charm, the struggle, the hope and the desperation of people going about their every day lives.

Armando was moved to photography after a strange and interesting career as a political commentary columnist within various Peruvian magazines, two of which were “Gente” and “Oiga.” When working, always with humor, Armando was inspired to learn how to use Photoshop to begin to manipulate photos for humorous and political purposes as well. It was this exposure that opened the doors for his interest in photography.

While he would like to exhibit his photos in more locations throughout his country of Peru, Armando prefers to continue taking photos over coordinating their distribution. A few years ago he accompanied the “Emirates Travelers” (among which a relative of the vice-president of the UAE traveled as well) as their official photographer during their travels throughout Peru, which has then prompted his recognition as a superb photographer in the UAE.

While I truly believe that words can explain and capture artwork, it would be pointless to do so here when I can include some of the wonderful photos Armando has produced over the years. With photos of his appearing in National Geographic online, as well as in the 4th Emirates Photography Competition '09, Armando laughs saying “I am like a prophet; better known outside my own country than within.” But we certainly hope this will change.

For those of you interested in purchasing work done by Armando, as well as seeing more of his work, click here or contact him via this email. Soon Armando’s work will be featured in an upcoming series by LivinginPeru.com of a Photo of the Day.

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A great article on a wonderful guy, and one who has friends all over the world through our mutual website, PhotoPoints. 

I have known Armando through photography, and I think he is a wonderful photographer. You have done a great job of showing people his talent and in the varied photos shown here. I am so glad you will continue to show his work. Congratulations Armando.  Alison

Aha! my dear friend you are so full of surprises! Not,I hasten to add,in a photographic sense,for all of us at PP have long admired you art. No,it is in your other pursuits that I find "THE MAN FOR ALL SEASONS" admired and respected by his peers.
What a wonderful documentary on a life well lived,allow yourself to be proud Armando,others,less well deserving seem to get all the plaudits in life,it is so refreshing to see one of our own being recognised with respect for their achievements and humanity.
My Best wishes to you and your beautiful family.

                                                        David Jamieson
                                                         Photopoints Contributor
                                                          South Australia.

Congratulations my dear friend...
Great article for a great photographer.
Reda Danaf

Armando is a great photographer
he is an old frind of mine

i saw many of his works and he is really talented
and wish you my dear freind best of luck

Really good picture and he is a good photographer .. Icerock

Thank you for this wonderful and interesting article about Armando Alcázar! I have known Armando for many years via photography sites on the internet, and I'm very happy to see him featured in your publication! His passion, dedication and talent for the art of photography are clear to any who know him, and are beautifully presented here. Congratulations to Armando and to Livinginperu.com!

Magnificent work! I did visit photographer Alcazar's site and was amazed by the close-ups. As he says, there is beauty everywhere, you just have to open your eyes and.. get your macro lens ready. Congratulations and best hopes for further exhibitions.
Enrique Ortiz

Great collection of photos.
You surely are an exceptional photographer Armando.
Best regards, Peter.

I'm just really excited to read the comments of my friends from all over the world!
I want to thank you all and especially to "LIVING IN PERU" and Katrina Heimark who kindly noticed my work as a photographer and has written this undeserved, but beautiful article which shows part of my life.
As she says here, my work as a photographer is best known outside my country than inside it.
Thanks again, I will continue  contributing with this excellent Site that promotes the beauty of my country and show to the world how wonderful  is Peru.

I know Armando firstly as a committed family man with a heart felt warmth toward all that lives. One of those gifted people who with his camera has the great gift of embracing life and all it holds wether good or bad. More than anything Armando is a true ambassador for his Peruvian people with his camerawork that presents images of life in this beautiful country to the world.
        I salute you Armando as a talented and feeling photographer and a true son of Lima.

Congratulations, Armando!
What we at Photopoints have known for years will no longer be a secret due to this wonderful article! 

Congratulations to the writer of the fine article and to Armando for a job well done. His big heart shines through in his lovely photography and it is a pleasure to have met him through the sharing of our photos.

Greetings from Canada

This is a very well presented article about Armando Alcazar, a great photographer who has his very own style in this art form, something which is very difficult. I have known Armando through his posts in photographic sites and have always been impressed by his work which is an outstanding advertisment for his country, as it shows everyday life in Peru with a very passionate way, full of wonderful colors, light and compositions.
I wish him all the best,
Elli Dimitriou
Greece

What a wonderful article. I have been a long-distance internet friend and an admirer of Armando's photography for quite a long time. As a fellow photographer, I am always inspired by his work, and as an anthropologist living in a very different cultural environment, I am always intrigued by his views of life in Peru. Congratulations, Armando, on this great article!

Steve Garrigues, PhD

Professor, Kyungbuk National University

Daegu, South Korea

Congratulations for this compilation of images and a wonderful description of you and your passion. Beautiful images.

Yes my friend you are indead famous.

Love the photographs and story.  Wait till Dora reads this :)  Congratulations.  Pat Snelling Weiner from WYOMING  USA  Happy PPing

So fantastic articles coming from great photographer
all my best and congratulations
A.M

Not surprisingly, seeing the works of Armando to have exposed in many places, I knew him for quite long time.

Armando not only an excellent photographer, but a great person, his wide varieties of photography subjects, he has been taken shows his passion, love and respect to nature and life.

So keep on your creative works alive,, so many of your friends and photography lovers enjoy and admire them. Saeed

Armando is an enthusiast.
People like him make the world to move.
Congratulations and continued success !!!

Radu Florin - Romania.  

Armando is a great photographer  and i love his humor.

Congratulations on this wonderful article.

I wish you all the best.

You see with internet there are no borders....

you in Peru i am in Canada.

My Best wishes to you and your family.
Your Canadian friend
Erna

Armando is great at photography and all different subjects with lots of interest.... good article here...

Great article indeed with wonderful images by Armando.

I have the privilege to follow closely his work and always admires me how he plays with the passion in any kind of photography regardless if it's on nature, animals, architecture, journalism or whatever. Congrats, Armando! Keep on working hard and producing these so fine photos! Hugs to you and your lovely family!

Joan Roca - www.joanphotoroca.ephotosites.com - www.joanphotorural.com

I'd love to add to my previous comment that I'm a semiprofessional photographer from Catalunya (Spain). Thanks in advance!

Armando, It is nice to see you using the talents I saw in you when you were 9 years old! Keep up the great work! Persistence usually pays dividends.

I was very glad to read this article about Armando Alcazar who I know from our mutual participation in the online site PhotoPoints. I feel that the article is a well deserved recognition of his great talent and high level of skills. His photos are always well done and distinctive no matter what the subject matter. His subjects show a wide breath of interest, from tiny insects, to people and places and to flying high above Lima in a hang glider. But I feel that the best thing about his photography is that every image shows a unique personal quality; his strong zest for life.

The above article is a great dedication to Armando Alcazar, who is a fine photographer, with a very specific style and technique.
I have been viewing his photos in Photopoints, and truly admired his talent in discovering his themes and presenting them in a very creative way.
I am sure he has many more to show in the future.
Karolos Trivizas - Greece

hi brother... we will never forget the time you participated with us driving in Peru. You are a special friend and a good photographer

Emirates travellers team (Dubai)
Awad & Dhahi

This is a beautifully written article of about a phorographer who has enlightened the viewing public with his talent. It is a treat to share the person behind the lens and the vision.