An expat photographer continues to ply his trade in ‘photogenic’ Cuenca

Not all Cuenca expats are retired, and many of them continue to pursue their professions on a full- or part-time basis. A good example is photographer Bill Riordan.

Bill Riordan takes pictures from his balcony, overlooking the historic district.

Although Riordan visited Quito, Cotacachi and Ambato on his first visit to Ecuador three years ago, it was Cuenca that caught his fancy. “I fell in love with city at first sight,” says.

As a photographer, he quickly realized that Cuenca was highly photogenic. In the city’s historic architecture, landscapes, cuisine, and faces, he saw infinite possibilities.

In addition to taking pictures for his personal pleasure, many from his balcony overlooking the historic district, Riordan photographs social events and provided images, including the cover shot, for a book honoring the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra.

Riordan, who works with a Canon D60 camera, says he never tires of capturing scenes of Cuenca, ranging from holiday fireworks displays, the flower market, city parks, the Pumapungo Inca temple site, to sunsets. “I take pictures of things that have a personal interest for me,” he says, adding that photography has always been fun, even when it’s a job.

He has also taken on personal projects out of town, including photographing Amazonian people near Macas and hummingbirds in Mindo.

Riordan, who has shot more than 100,000 in his three years in Cuenca, is preparing a book of his work.

Cuenca seems to be a magnet for photographers and there are a number of professionals still working. Jack Hardy, a former surgeon in the U.S., operated a photography studio on the Pacific island of Saipan before moving to Cuenca.

Among other expat photographers are Kevin Van Haesendonck, Alex Morrison and Julia Abbot.

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Source: El Tiempo