An AP photographer finds a scene that to her represented the sensation of abandonment Venezuelans are feeling

CUMANA, Venezuela (AP) — Ariana Cubillos has been working for AP as staff photographer for 20 years, 15 in Venezuela.

Here is what she had to say about this extraordinary photo.

Why this photo?

When I saw the boat sitting stranded at the shore, it gave me right away the sensation of what Venezuela has been going through in the last decade - the sensation of what was once prosperous country, full of life, has now turned into scenarios of abandonment. The two young men in the back trying to catch something to eat, and the old man alone in front of the picture that earlier was cleaning his bike with ocean water – all lit by the sunset - gave me the loneliest sensation that reflects the situation in the country. I took the picture!

How I made this photo

I was on a trip to do a story about fisherman in Venezuela. Before the trip, I searched the cities and towns we were going to visit and was able to compare how it looked two decades ago with how it looked now. When I arrive in Cumana I talked to the driver and explained where I wanted to go to try to take some pictures. He understood exactly where to go. I was there no more than 30 minutes and the light was close to being gone. It was very fast and the picture was the first one I shot before walking all the way to the end where the boat sits.

I used a Sony A1 and a 35mm lens with manual exposure. The shutter speed was high, and I set the ISO to 50. The light was nice but strong enough to give me an aperture of 3:2, enough to focus on the boat, the main character for me, and also the man in blur in the front of the picture.

Why this photo works

The scene was perfect: the abandoned boat, the light, the people in the picture at different points in the frame. And I was lucky to be there at the right moment.

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