Mosaic of the Mexico City
October, 2023
In the middle of the summer, I became aware of an upcoming conference focused on alternative processes and large-format photography. Besides the program, the time and location were appealing: the end of October in Mexico City. I signed up.
While planning my visit and learning about the city, I realized that taking casual pictures of whatever would catch my attention would not be enough. Then, a better idea came to my mind. The concept was to treat photographs as elements of a mosaic. Together, they will form chapters, each highlighting a specific aspect.
As for the camera, I decided to go with my faithful Mamiya RB67 - not the best camera for traveling and walking around a city, but it would deliver the quality I needed.
National Museum of Anthropology
I arrived on Tuesday afternoon and had the rest of the day at my disposal before the conference started the next morning. I checked in at the hotel, left my bag in the room, and took an Uber to the museum. The visit was a perfect way to kick off my stay in the city. I quickly realized that this museum alone deserves its own chapter.
Streets of the City
It was a photography conference, and one of the sessions was a photo walk with a local guide. It was a perfect opportunity to explore places that I would not have thought about myself, like a food market with some exotic goods. Those become invaluable elements of street images set.
City Dwellers
People are not simply living in a city - they are the city. Without them, my story would not be complete. My photography style is slow and deliberate, and I like to take my time to study my subjects and figure out the best approach. That presented me with a challenge: with photographing strangers going about their businesses, I did not have the luxury of being slow and deliberate. Nevertheless, I tried my best. Fortunately, my visit coincided with the annual events of the Day of the Dead, which made my task a little easier.
Nightlife
Every city has a nightlife. It could be quiet or busy. For some, it is party time. For others, work only begins. But once again, the annual celebrations and evening events helped me witness more than I would see during other times of the year.
// Films: Kodak Gold 200, Portra 400, Ektar 100, CineStill 800T