An afternoon in CDMX between the Chinese market and street photography

I don't mind pursuing a commonly accepted street photography aesthetic. Rather, what interests me is to offer an observation of the world around me, without filters, as genuine as possible and close to the experience made.

What I propose is a walk with me. With imperfect photos, but containing my observation without filters. Photographing only what I encounter and what stimulates me to shoot makes my street photography something absolutely unprepared.

This is different from those who meditate excessively on a shot, perhaps choosing a location, a suitable background. I do not want to respond to an approach of the many but rather to make mine, to create a photograph without superstructures and without aiming at those aesthetic appeal that is easily obtainable to respect one's own style. My mission is different and aims at documenting the city, its moods, the energy it transmits to me on a given day.

And if I happen to go downtown with my wife, photography inevitably changes. This is the visual chronicle of an afternoon spent shopping and taking pictures. Mexico City (CDMX) is an incredible megacity, guys. I hope these photographs can give you some of the energy that I feel while shooting.

The humanity that interests me does not need to count on who knows what extraordinary moments. My observation is aimed at that curiosity that certain moments in the street stimulate me.

There are people and situations that suddenly appear and I raise the camera and shoot. There is no need to think too much because in an instant that moment is gone.

The beauty of photographing in a city like Mexico City is that you find something interesting everywhere. A city in constant change that from one day to another is never the same. This makes the experience exciting every time. Each time it feels like you are in a new place even if it is the same. After more than ten years here I still haven't got tired of photographing the multitude. I am very interested in observing how people occupy public space.

The evidence of what I photograph is revealed through a vision that wants to be respectful and at the same time revealing that humanity that I learn to know through careful observation. For me it is essential to be a good observer to know. You must have a different sensitivity, because you must be able to grasp certain nuances in expressions and gestures.

Shooting at close range allows me to focus better on the face and expressions and to fill the frame with the person. Street photography therefore becomes an opportunity to take portraits but they are always spontaneous portraits in which I do not ask for permission. I pass in front of you and I photograph you. In doing so, I choose people who have expressions that seem interesting to me. I have already expressed myself on the question masherine: unfortunately this is the situation but this does not mean I stop photographing or I avoid photographing people.

Street photography for me means documenting what is an expression of the time we live in. It is not reproducing something of a time that was. I am pretty sure tha Garry Winogrand, one of my photography heroes, would have photographed even in these difficult times. Anyway, guys, remember that the eyes can reveal a lot about the person.

I am convinced that especially in color many photographers would never publish photos like these. But I am different. This is a photograph of those that often happen with film. My creative process of the images still keeps in mind the idea of having images as organic as possible and this, even if many do not believe it, is possible to do it digitally too.

Sometimes it is precisely from such imperfect images that I find the enthusiasm to continue shooting and get excited for what I do.

In photographing what I see in front of me I try to immortalize scenes that still have some meaning. I'm not talking about stories. I think I have already written in a previous post how the idea of proposing stories through a shot is very accedemic, affected and pretentious. Rather, I attach myself to the concepts of atmosphere and knowing how to make that energy that in this case is given by crowded streets.

The most common actions can also be photographed.

In my curiosity about the world, I experience street photography as an act of recording scenes from everyday life. It is not the search for those extraordinary moments that many are inclined to satisfy by setting the scene. Although sometimes it is necessary to work a scene, most of the time I am walking around. And anyway, I'm more people oriented as a photographer. It becomes a pursuit of a portrait photographer rather than that of a street photographer as many today understand it.

I photograph certain surreal aspects that I find in the street with the joy of a child in front of a new toy. Mexico City and Mexico in general never disappoints in this respect.

In no way will I return to Mexico; I can't stand being in a country more surreal than my paintings - Salvador Dalì

Do not try to understand Mexico from reason, you will have better luck from the absurd, Mexico is the most surreal country in the world - Andrè Breton

The female universe interests me as a photographer.

As a portrait photographer I make books for models. And clearly when I am on the street I happen to photograph women even if they are not the only subject. In the portrait competition, I believe by far they win over us men. This is derived from a certainly aesthetic fact, women have clothes that certainly capture more attention even in an image.

They give a shot a completely different strength. At least that's what I believe. Which is ultimately the most important thing when it comes to talking about my photography.

On this photo I spoke yesterday.

Moments like these if you find them in front of you and you don't photograph them you are not worth anything as a photographer.

There are always debates about interventionist photography and that of no one.

In photographing I don’t hide what I do (essentially to be a photographer with a camera) and sometimes this causes visual contacts. Other times not because I disguise looking beyond the subject. Or I shoot from the hip. There is not a technique that we must discard. Remember that anything is worth to obtain the result.

To be invisible is part of the superpowers we the street photographers have.

When we photograph in different places on the same day we must have a flexibility in the change of scenery. Getting out of the chaos of a crowded area to find yourself in a calmer place can also be refreshing for our action as photographers during the day. I also suggest doing it by alternating the two places. It often helps to regain focus and get different photos.

What fascinates me about some street photography is the magnification of space. I like to get lost in scenes where you can see a lot of the urban landscape. This is derived from my being passionate about photography proposed by Stephen Shore and Joel Sternfeld.

Conclusions

I love doing this kind of post. It is a way of sharing one's photography by highlighting the virtues and weaknesses of photography. During a day you can take interesting photos and others that are definitely forgettable. We must not forget that being street photographers entails this reality and no one is an exception. I strongly believe in the circulation of ideas and, as a photographer, images are clearly part of that. The important thing is not even to take a lot of good photos, rather it is that there is an idea behind it. An idea and a motivation that leads us to shoot. Are you then able to talk about it? Why you make street photos? I really hope this is not because you want to get famous on instagram. I have seen a lot of street photographers lose enthusiasm and disappear all these years. A sign that their motivation was not strong enough. I hope that this blog can be an example of how important street photography is first of all for ourselves in having pleasure in doing it.