A New Chapter: La Quebrada, L'Équipe, and a Renewed Website
La Quebrada was commissioned work, carried out over two intense days in Acapulco.
Today marks an important day for me, not only because La Quebrada has been published in a special issue of L'Équipe entirely dedicated to Mexico, but also because I am unveiling a completely renewed version of my website, with major updates in both content and layout, including a brand-new portfolio section.
La Quebrada was commissioned work, carried out over two intense days in Acapulco. Yet, looking back at it now, I feel that this project represents something deeper. In many ways, it embodies the accumulation of experiences gathered throughout a professional journey that officially began in 2010.
My intention was never limited to documenting the technical gesture of the divers. I wanted to explore the emotional side of a life choice that demands sacrifice and courage. The divers of La Quebrada are not simply performers. They are climbers, too, ascending the rocks with their bare hands and bodies before diving into the ocean below. Their world exists somewhere between sport and art, where every jump is not a competition but an act of dedication and spectacle.
During my time with them, I was able to witness their daily routines and physical preparation. I was astonished to see children already undergoing rigorous training, fully aware that discipline is essential in a profession where injuries are always a possibility.
This assignment also forced me to confront some personal limitations. I suffer from vertigo, including what I would call empathic vertigo, where even seeing someone standing near the edge can make me uncomfortable. Perhaps because of this, the experience became even more meaningful.
I strongly believed that this story had to be photographed in black and white. It was a decision made before arriving in Acapulco and one that I discussed with the client in advance. I wanted to pursue a more timeless and emotional approach, trusting that monochrome would allow the images to speak beyond the spectacle itself. Looking at the published work today, I feel that choice was the right one.
More than anything, La Quebrada reveals a maturity that has gradually taken shape over the years. It is, in my opinion, the strongest assignment I have produced for L'Équipe, and perhaps one of the most complete works of my career.
As I share this project, I am equally pleased to present a renewed website. Over the past weeks, I have redesigned large portions of it, introducing a completely new portfolio experience and reorganizing the content to better reflect who I am today as a photographer, journalist, educator, and storyteller.
To those who are discovering my work only now, welcome.
And to those who have followed my journey for many years, thank you. Your support, trust, and encouragement have always been part of this path.
Every achievement is personal, but none of them are ever truly reached alone.
Explore the new portfolio and discover La Quebrada:
https://alexcoghe.com/selected-work
Thank you for being part of the journey.
Alex Coghe
