The Basketball Oasis of the court at La Perla, Puerto Rico.
My love for basketball may not have taken me to “The League” or made me a millionaire, but it definitely continues to enrich my life. Last week basketball took me to Puerto Rico for the first time. After handling my day-job business, I hopped in a cab to Old San Juan looking for any signs of “the court.”
La Perla mural.
Bobbito told me to give his cousin a call while out there, which was the best thing I could have done. There I was in Old San Juan standing right over a Basketball Oasis without knowing it. Jancy’s direction was that I go to La Perla and find the court. That’s it. I felt like Bruce Leroy on his quest for “The Glow.”
Viejo San Juan court on way to La Perla.
So I stopped a cab driver and asked him how to get to “La Perla.” Him and his buddy turned pale. “You don’t want to go to La Perla,” he said. “Especially not with that fancy camera. The only people that go to there are in “the business.” “Tell him what the business is,” said his buddy. “Drugs, guns, and robbery,” he warned. I’ve been from hood to hood and never had an issue, and I wasn’t going to let this be any different. So as I walked towards the steps that descend from the tourist area of Old San Juan to the lower level right on the coast of the water, took a deep breath, not knowing what I was getting myself into. I definitely stood out, especially with the 70-200 lens I had on my D200.
View of La Perla from above.
So I got down there and it’s like any hood I’ve ever been to. Dope graffiti, kids running, and old folks sitting around talking. I relaxed a little and took out my smaller camera to snap some photos of the artwork. I took a left and walked down a winding road until I reached the water. “You know where the basketball court is?” I asked some random guy. “Walk the other way,” he told me. This camera I was holding definitely got me a lot of looks.
“Cocaine Papi?” some guy shouted from a group. “Nah homey, I’m good,” as I kept it moving. Then I hit the group you see in every hood. They were deep, loud and picked up on my intrusion immediately. “Yo, Yo, Yo papi come here!!!” I was shook and unlike Biggie, I didn’t have my Roscoe on me. “That camera, you can’t use it here,” he said. “Cool, I’m just looking for the basketball court.” Then I remembered Bob’s cousin telling me to drop his name. I felt a little better thinking that was my pass. “Yeah I’m just going to take photos of the court. Jancy told me to come down here.” “WHO? I don’t know him. NO PHOTOS PAPI! The court is that way,” he said.
I wanted to make sure I understood him right, so I asked, “Ok, so no photos on the street, but once I get to the court I can shoot right?” “Si, Papi.” He even sent some of his boys to follow me on scooter. I finally got to the court, and it was like reaching El Dorado or something. The beauty of the empty court was worth my travel and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Thank you to the people of La Perla for granting me entrance onto your beautiful land. Just as I thought you are brothers and sisters in arms doing what you gotta do. Peace and Love.
September 19th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Jeremy Ripley says:
Beautiful pictures Stanley! It’s always incredible to see the effect the beloved sport has had on other places.
Peace.
September 19th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
clementine Mensah says:
Hey Stan:
I am so proud of you. The pictures were awesome. I am so glad your love for basketball and photograpy is so deep and take you so many places. You are doing exactly what God intended you to do. Keep the Good work. God Bless!
September 19th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Jesse Washington says:
Stan, thanks for lacing us with those images. Gorgeous!!!
September 20th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Aimee L says:
HOTTTTTT! Thanks for sharing this with me & keep doing what you LOVE!
September 20th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Venicia says:
Fabulous!!!!!The pictures are so vibrant, the colors are so rich!!!
I especially like the one that shows the juxtaposition of the haphazard, chaotic neighborhood against the calm, soothing sea…..
You are doing what you love!!!! Congrats!!!
September 20th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Lilliana says:
so proud of you
beautiful….
September 20th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Tam Rock:-) says:
Thanks for thinking of my heritage. The pix are beautiful. You always have an amazing way of capturing the space so I feel like I’m there with you.
September 21st, 2007 at 9:31 am
Kristoff Hermitt says:
Stan, incredible work. The growth I am seeing in your photography is amazing.Your photos coupled with your commentary paints a vivid picture for the reader. Keep up the good work.
September 21st, 2007 at 11:33 am
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
yo Stan-
how many females do you know? all your commnents are from them! i might have to get you to co-promote my party at APT!
September 21st, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Stanley Lumax says:
Bob, they are family. Mrs. Stanley Lumax is the love of my life.
September 22nd, 2007 at 1:49 am
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
word up!
September 23rd, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Dominique says:
Not everyone gets to find their purpose in life – you are one of the lucky ones…you should begin a book of all your pictures and the stories behind them, the world needs more photojournalist who are capturing the heart of places people have forgotten or think they don’t need to know…keep up the good work…these pictures have such an emphatic presence…priceless
September 24th, 2007 at 3:31 am
Bakar says:
Mr. Lumax, much props. I can relate to the feeling of being in a foreign land, taking a risk to snap pics of places where normal visitors won’t even think of going. And for the record, them pictures are tight!
October 4th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
LAWRENCE LUMOR says:
DEAR BRO STANLEY ,U ARE DOING A GREAT WORK .NICE PICS.KEEP IT UP.WE ALL PRAY FOR UR.
October 4th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
LAWRENCE LUMOR says:
BRO Stan, incredible work. The growth I am seeing in your photography is amazing.Your photos coupled with your commentary paints a vivid picture for the reader. Keep up the good work.
October 21st, 2007 at 10:58 pm
LAPoetSUPREME says:
Peace baller……..
Pat pill with the right/ hit the sucker with a fake
Rocked behind, through the legs, went for steal/ 1st mistake
Juked with left, quick spin, slow pause/ shake n bake
Only thought on my mind is to make ankles break!!!
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PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPREAD THA WORD!!
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June 29th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
alex ureta says:
tremendas fotos papi la perla la mejor cancha de puerto rico i play in this court in the torneo de la perla and is crazy no man land i live 4 years and old san juan is hot i come from san german the crib of puerto rican basktball boricuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa uh uhhhhhhhhhhhhh