Something that happened last week really hit home for me. However, this article isn't about him specifically. Most of the readers don't know, but I live in Lima, Peru, which is right next to Brazil for us that are geographically challenged. I would like to share with everyone what I have dealt with and continue to deal with on a daily basis as a professional photographer working in South America. Besides telling everyone about my own personal experiences, I hope to bring light to this subject that maybe many outsiders don't realize is going on here, and start a discussion.
People usually associate being mugged with dark alleys or in an empty parking lot at night like in the main image above. People are robbed here on a daily basis, broad daylight, and with lots of people around. Especially artists such as photographers and videographers, as we rely on using expensive equipment to make our art, we are constantly a target.
San Juan de Lurigancho in Peru. A poorer district of Lima, where lots of criminal activity originates from. Unfortunately in my almost five years of living and working in Lima, I have been a victim of theft twice, and had a third close call.
The first time was a face to face mugging where I did not loose any of my camera gear, but I did loose many other possessions, the second time was a robbery I wasn't present for, but that time I did lose a lot of photography equipment. Let me explain, I won't get into tons of details If anyone is that curious about the details, just ask me in the comments, and I will be happy to explain and answer any questions you have , but the first time I was robbed, it was very similar to what happened to Mr.
Costello in Brazil last week, minus the decoy to distract me. They robbed me of everything I had on me at the time, middle of the day, sun out, public place with people nearby, two police officers just around the corner. They were very well organized and prepared, it was over in seconds and they jumped in a getaway car that was waiting and gone in the blink of the eye. They knew exactly what they were doing, and seemed like they had done it a thousand times.
