La Banda

This image made in April of 2013 exemplifies some of the reasons I enjoy street portraiture. Regular candid street shooting involves no connection or involvement with the people being photographed. In a strict sense, it's almost --or well could be-- defined as exploitative, but this is obviously debatable and I won't get into a senseless discussion on the subject here. There are, however, street tog purists who will outright reject any photography that involves posing individuals. The claim is the photography lacks authenticity. I would rather not be called a street photographer if I am to be bound to certain rules that will keep me from enjoying something I do greatly: connecting, understanding, and getting to know others while following my passion for photography

Corner Shot

Here's an image from circa 2006 when I first delved into the use of an ultra wide lens (Sigma 10-20mm). Around 2013 I started to experiment more with other focal lengths: 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm. Yet 15mm is pretty much how my mind likes to see the world: wide and inclusive as to not lose context. It sort of reflects my obsession with drawing meaning about a fact or piece of information from the environment in which it is found. I had backed away from using the wide for fear it was becoming a gimmick and not allowing me to grow my vision. The aforementioned concern disappeared upon realizing that photographic vision is nothing less than how we perceive the world and how we choose to convey that which our mind's eye sees. 

Old Red

I enjoy contemplating the past through its artifacts. We call these things old connoting a discard of that which is now obsolete. The old can take on a whole new glory when we take the time to explore those details that define the time and place that gave them birth. Funny, for all our attempts to move on and find solutions in our future, the answer can sometimes be found if would just tale a small, yet attentive, glance into our past.

Droves

Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México - Zócalo, Mexico City

Happy 4th of July U.S.A!

Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. --Elvis Presely

Love Is In The Air

Francisco I. Madero - Centro Historico - Mexico City

Organillero

An organ grinder friend in Mexico City's Centro Historico.

Enter

Catedral - Zocalo, Mexico City.

Farmacia

Av. Cafetales - Coyoacan, Mexico City.

Morning Shadows

A morning shoot as I took advantage of what little time I had heading to work. I love how the sun brings out life in Mexico City at dawn and dusk. The shadows, the colors, the textures take up a character of their own mimicking the idiosyncratic personality of this urban scape. There is a magic to it, one unique to this city that has attracted me to it since my initial years in Mexico. 

Ritual

Spiritualist rituals are far from uncommon at Mexico City's municipal square --El Zocalo.

Strange Days

Some days not only feel strange, they really are.

Splash

It's been raining for days and we just got our first break of sun today in time for Mexico's election day. I guess it is one reason less not to vote. Yet there are some in Mexico who have called for exactly that: boycotting the vote to send a message to power that the citizenry is tired of playing along. I have spoken with many here who insist not one party or aspiring politician has a credible platform, much less a viable solution to Mexico's growing social and economic crisis which seem to worsen year after year. Sadly, democracy has brought little but party options to Mexico as each ideological bandwagon fights for a piece of the pie of power and influence that serves to nurture an entrenched and growing kleptocracy.

Setting Up Shop

Making ends meet. The cliche is true for all folk all around the world. What differentiates this experience is by how much dint of blood, sweat, and pain this fleeting goal is achieved, even how it is defined.