LA RINCONADA – GOLDMINING IN THE ANDES

There are a lot of times when you pitch and pitch story ideas with no takers – But this one stuck. Michael Robinson Chavez made his journey to the Peruvian Andes, altitude 17,200 feet, to the mines of La Rinconada. The surging price of gold has triggered a massive influx of Peruvians willing to work the deadly mines in search of their fortunes in gold. We kept in touch during his stay and dealt with the various hurdles he encountered on the spot. I was so excited to see his images when he returned. They were printed in the Los Angeles Times Magazine along with an online video. Need help with story ideas? Let’s talk about your ideas! Click on any image below to view original video and additional images at Los Angeles Times|Photography.

Awards: RFK Journalism Awards: International Photography. POYi: Award of Excellence Feature Multimedia Story.