Patrick Zachmann “What drives me to take a picture?
With the exception of certain specific periods in my life when, having been exposed to too much violence, I felt a deep desire to work on landscapes, my lens ge
(...) nerally errs towards people, human presence. It's an irresistible need, actually; even if I sometimes feel despaired by humanity, I always look for a sense of connection with the people I photograph.
I was working on a story about the victims of Pinochet's dictatorship in Chile, where I explored the Atacama Desert, the driest and most extreme desert region in the world. I would drive for hours without seeing another living being. One day this ice cream vendor appeared out of nowhere, in the middle of the desert! I was researching a project on the disappearance of human traces when suddenly, this man appeared, as if by miracle, where I was least expecting him.
I stopped my car, climbed out and waved at him, quickly photographing this surreal scene.”
– Patrick Zachmann © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
