Tobacco Barn in Black and White

Canon 5d Mark III, Canon 17-40 f4L, handheld, ISO 400

This Tobacco drying barn at the Finca Santa Anita, south of Salta, Argentina dates back to the mid-1800s. It is built from adobe bricks and rough-cut wood beams and stands strong after nearly two centuries of steady use. Inside, though not much tobacco remains, the distinctive smell of the drying leaves hangs thick in the air.

As I made this image, I was thinking about the history of the building, wondering, from its perspective, how much change has happened in the many years since its construction. It occurred to me, that perhaps there wasn’t that much. Horses and carts, while largely replaced by pickups, still do ply the narrow dirt roads around the farm. The nearby farm houses were constructed around the same time as this barn and are still homes to families of farmers. Goats graze the fields, tobacco is still planted and harvested, year after year. In fact, perhaps I was part of the biggest change the barn had experienced. Tourists, few though they may be, have found their way to this farming community. And I suspect, the click of my shutter and glowing digital screen may be the strangest thing this barn has encountered.

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