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Portraits of Rural Jamaica

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Portraits of Rural Jamaica

Portraits of Rural Jamaica

By Lee Abel on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - Photos by Lee Abel - Comment

Check these photos series that was shot all across Jamaican country between 1979 and 1988.

My first trip to Jamaica was in 1979 to do a black and white documentary on the Rastafarians as a final project for a University degree in Visual Anthropology. I was in awe from my first moments off the plane. The air was so moist and hot, the land bursting with a thousand shades of green, punctuated by flame red flowers. Reggae blared out from cars swooshing by, the scent of ganja lingering behind. In the countryside I found warmth and spirituality from a people who had little material wealth.

I have been to Jamaica countless times since then, have photographed reggae artists extensively, published scores of photos in magazines, album covers, calendars, and on multiple websites, but my favorite images, the ones that whisper sweetly to my soul, are my Portraits of Rural Jamaica. The bulk of this series was shot all across the country between 1979 and 1988, but I continue to add to it with every island visit. I would encourage all of you that go to Jamaica to get beyond both the tourist resorts, which will isolate you, and the crowded city streets, which will exhaust you, and journey into the countryside, which will surely captivate you with its lush beauty and magical charm.