Every now and then, as a photographer, you capture a frame that sums up a place, a moment, a feeling. For me, this shot of a boy mid-backflip at Playa de Pescadores in Chorrillos, Lima, Peru, is one of those.
Every now and then, as a photographer, you capture a frame that sums up a place, a moment, a feeling. For me, this shot of a boy mid-backflip at Playa de Pescadores in Chorrillos, Lima, Peru, is one of those.
I lived in Peru for several years, and I spent a lot of time around Chorrillos — a fishing district just along the coast from Barranco and Miraflores. It’s a place full of energy and contrasts: colourful boats bobbing in the water, pelicans swooping low, fishermen mending nets, surfers chasing waves, and kids launching themselves into the Pacific without a second thought.
On this day, the light was perfect — hazy golden tones softening the background skyline of Miraflores. With my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Sigma 135mm Art lens (ƒ/6.3, 135mm, 1/640, ISO 250), I was able to freeze the boy at the exact moment he arched backward, suspended above the sea like time had stopped. The fisherman watching on adds a grounding human detail — one life spent working the sea, the other enjoying it in pure play.
This image was a runner-up in Sigma UK’s “Shoot Amazing” competition — a small recognition that meant a lot, given that the lens itself was such a crucial part of the shot. The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art is a beast: fast, razor-sharp, and with incredible focus accuracy. It’s not just for action though; it’s also become one of my go-to lenses for creating abstract seascapes, where its depth and sharpness let me play with colour and form in subtle ways.
Chorrillos has always been a goldmine for photography. From the lively Playa de Pescadores, where you can eat fresh ceviche and watch the sunset, to La Herradura, Lima’s iconic surf spot, to the dramatic dives at El Salto de Fraile, the district is layered with stories. If you’d like to read more about the area, you can check out my previous Chorrillos blog here.
But this image, for me, captures it best: freedom, energy, youth, and the constant hum of life by the sea in Lima.
👉 More of my Peru work can be found at www.geraintrowland.co.uk and my Flickr Peru gallery. Prints are also available — feel free to reach out for details.
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