Photography at Machupicchu

Beyond the classic photography of Machupicchu

Beside the classic Machupicchu photographs, you might try a new perspective from the route that take visitors toward the Inca bridge, this view allow us to take the Urubamba river down below that is going like a serpent through the Canyon with a well defined curve encircling the massive Huayna Picchu mountain which is the most remarkable mountain-the most popular-. In my own experience I have taken pictures from different perspectives and I love that one pointing out the east. When taking photographs of Machupicchu you might encounter the following options:

1. The sun rises at Machupicchu

If you are early in the morning or in the late afternoon-around 16:45 pm at the Sanctuary of Machupicchu, for sure you are going to capture amazing photos. So in doing so you need to make a reservation in advance-approximately three months in advance-of your entrance tickets, train, buses and so on. The Sun rises at Machupicchu is awesome!, but keep in mind that rainy or dry season. You might feel disappointed if the clouds cover everything and you are not able to watch anything. In that case you just need to be patience and wait for the "SUN FATHER" to come as soon as the fog dissipates. The latter is possible in few minutes when you might have discarded to happen.



Machupicchu is amazing during the dry season; however having a mix of rain and Sunset ends up in amazing rainbow formations eastward -obviusly due the projection and position of the Sun-.

2. The view of Putucusi mountain

This element of the landscape of Machupicchu displays an outstanding geological formation. Depending on where you take this picture from, you might get a better picture from the Moon sector and be able to capture the river too.





3. Shooting flowers blooming over the amazing landscape.

• Taking close up pictures of flowers, trees?

Definitely taking close up pictures of flowers and trees in the Sanctuary of Machupicchu is a great idea above all because the possibilities are unlimited. You can take your whole life taking pictures of orchids, bromelias, mosses and lichens and remarkable species of trees. The combination of all these elements in the nature is unlimited as well, for instance you might take a picture of a beautiful specie of the orange moss growing over the white-grey granite intrusive rock of Machupicchu.

Taking close up pictures of Orchids with a mobile phone is fascinating and the results are wonderful; however if you are looking quite high resolution perhaps you should use your digital SRL, Compact or wherever camera that you posses to obtain the results that you are expecting. It's Obvious that for that type of photography you might get an extra macro zoom lens, it will allow you to capture very small insects as well.



• Orchids for photography:

So far more than 400 species of Orchids have been recorded in the Sanctuary of Machupicchu which encompasses an area of 32000 Hectares approximately. Since Orchids are Epiphites plants, most of them grow up over the moss that covers trees branches, at times hanging from trees together with bromeliads plants. All this context is amazing for your pictures and your interest in nature.

• Moss as tapestry over the rocks:

The Sanctuary of Machupicchu is quite amazing -in terms of culture and nature attractions-, so taking photographs in this region is a great gift from the nature. Massive intrusive rocks of Machupicchu play an important role on the landscape, ¡they are just beautiful!, the combinations of several plants growing over the outcrop of granite ¡are fabulous!.

The topography of Machupicchu enriches the beauty of the landscape. The shape of some geological formations such as the mountain Yanantin, Huaynapicchu, Putucusi or Machupichu itself are known as "sugarloaft". The history of them are ¡quite interesting!. According to geological studies the intrusive rock began to emerge into the surface from the bowels of the earth about 250 millions years ago. If we had summed up the history of earth in a book of 100 pages, that would be page 93.

Moss, lichens growing up over the granite rock is like watching tapestry, the colors are so diverse but perhaps the green, orange, grey and white tonalities are the most common. Perhaps bromeliads at times look like beard especially if you find out faces on the landscapes, the possibilities are unlimited.

• Paleo plants:

Paleo-biology is another field that deserves to collect some photographs, and therefore Paleo-plants, that's to say the oldest plants of the world. In terms of geological time it means the Paleozoic era -about 400 millions years old-. ¿But which of these plants are consider paleo plants?.

Ferns are plants with a vascular system, that's to say they posses vascular tissues because they have true stems, leaves and roots. In the Sanctuary we can see more than 3000 species of ferns, but perhaps the most outstanding is the fern tree a very aesthetic plant that looks almost like a palm tree and witnessed the evolution of our planet from the Paleozoic era which is equivalent to the page 87 of the aforementioned book of 100 pages.



• Paleo rivers:

Beside amazing flowers that look like angels, displaying cute and delicate faces, you might wish to take pictures-using your telephoto or fish eye lens- of the geomorphology such as the shape of Urubamba river or the Machupicchu canyon. For this purpose you will have to be located in the upper side of a mountain to command a panoramic view. The shape of the river can tell you the story and provides you a lot of information about the time -from a geological perspective-, in this case the shape of the Machupicchu canyon fits the Permian period (298.9 to 251.9 Millions Years Ago). For this type of photography you might be located in the mountain of Machupicchu, Huaynapicchu, or perhaps walking through one of secondary Inca trails that leads to the "Llajta".



• Going back to Cusco from Machupicchu

If you are thinking of spending a lot of time in the Sanctuary of Machupicchu, whether walking through the secondary and classic Inca trail (4D/3N), hiking the Salkantay trail or just taking the train from Ollantaytambo. Either way is ¡fascinating! the views are diverse, even when the Sun-set and the light is gone, you probably might wish to capture pictures on the way back because another show begins inside the train that will catch you by surprise.

When going back to Cusco, you will notice you feel balanced and happy with life. Perhaps you will feel that you need a "craft beer" or a cup of "wine". ¡That's up to you! you are acclimatized, ¡there are no more restrictions!. In doing so the next day in Cusco -if you have extra free days- maybe you will feel that you need more inspiration to keep shooting your camera. ¿Street photography?, ¿Portraits? or just ¿taking pictures randomly?. If you run out or ideas you might keep reading this blog to get more inspiration.