Llama and the Boy

Llama and the boy at Abra La Raya, between Cusco and Puno in Peru. I photographed this high in the Andes on a bright, clear day, with snow still covering the ground around the pass.

I liked the simple balance in this scene: the llama standing in the foreground, the seated figure just behind it, and the long valley opening out in the distance. Abra La Raya sits at a natural divide in the mountains, and that wide view really helps tell the story of the place. You can see the mix of rough brown slopes and fresh white snow, with the darker rock ridge rising on the right side of the frame. It feels cold and exposed, but not empty.

I was drawn to the contrast between the warm color of the llama’s coat and the snow all around it. The small pile of hay on the ground adds another quiet detail and gives the moment a lived-in, everyday feel instead of making it look posed in a polished way. The light was strong and direct, which worked well with the high-altitude air and the deep blue sky. Everything looks sharp and clean up there.

I used a wide lens for this so I could keep the llama large in the frame while still holding onto the scale of the pass behind it. That helped me show both the animal and the landscape without losing either one. For me, the photo is really about that mix of human presence, working animals, and the huge Andean setting around them. It was one of those roadside stops that stayed with me long after I left, mostly because the scene felt so ordinary and so specific to this part of Peru at the same time.