Recently in Places Category

I've been busy lately... it's cooler to say you're quitting your job than actually doing it.

I mean... I could just walk away and not give a fuck, but that's not my style. I try to do things properly.

Even if people hate me... I like it when they hate me properly, not just plain old, mediocre hate...

...as I know that certain readers do.

But what are you going to do? This is the net, and I prefer to avoid any emo-kiddo or wannaby artsy fartsy pretentious self portrait with camera gear, or books... as if I were masturbating to the thought of being something I am not.

---this is all; what you see is what you get.

Pictures don't lie.

Unless Photoshopped... but that ain't happening here... I couldn't care less about modifying my frames for stuff other than tones and balance.

...as if I could remove in Photoshop someone's being an asshole...

As I told N the other day... I like to make frames of things that catch my eye... but some individuals will never be photographed (again) through my lens just because they are not worthy of it.


And so-fucking-what? My camera; my point of view.

This also brings to mind some other thoughts... like school and growing up.

There's only so much you can do on school, then you have to grow-the-fuck-up.

My limit is Master's Degree. Yes, like... I want to have theoretical expertise in a given field that I am truly interested in (Information Technology - I'm a computer guy according to my university degree). But the problem is not about getting perfect grades, it's actually what you do in the real world.

...and unless you are not doing real world research, if you are still in school, after university, you suck.

"I feel good in this comfort circle that harbors no responsibilities other than doing my homework, and teaching some undergrad kids" definitely does not count as Real World. Puhleeeeease... unless you can actually make it happen outside, then you are using up valuable resources like oxygen.

Anyway... I don't usee a blog to make you think I am a thinker, a philosopher, or someone who actually cares about making himself look interesting. My friends know who I am, and how much I would do for them.

But come on... this is too much bla bla and no photos. My photos.

On a side note, I think it's caring too much to put a copyright notice on each photo, but my good friend Nuno (who is a kick ass concert photographer) told me to always do that.


First, let's get digital out of the way:

My ex-roommate asked me to drop by his live presentation at Café Iguana.

He's an amazing DJ... and this was his night.

It's twice the fun to watch him wink you, just before he puts your favorite mixed song.

We both worked at the same company once... and just like that, life goes on:

Check out his site: http://www.myspace.com/djferh

He's also working as a producer with some other guy: http://www.myspace.com/loudroomrec

T'was a fun night...

Film already!!!

These are some old scans from a Portra160NC:

Reala 100. Do they even make that film anymore? In the lovely store where they scratch the film sans extra fee, they sell it... and it's dated, so I'm going with a "yes, they still make it".

drumrolls

Yes! A lovely brick wall. Please note coma, chromatic aberration, pincushion and vignetting.

Ha!

Gotcha!

Nah, just for the fun of it, here is a brick wall:

This one serves to illustrate two things:

1. Car accidents in Monterrey happen a-fucking-lot... most of the people drive like shit
2. If you batch scan color film with automatic dust and scratch removal, you might end up with shadows like those here shown:

...and now... a commercial break...

I like the rolleiflex, but working out the square neg is quite challenging for me.

I can't wait to see how my b/w homemade developing works with MF... so far with 35mm it's going fairly well.

Now, starting with some images from my first attempts to develop Tri-x myself:

I'm loving Xtol, and learning how not to mess up the Fixer (two practice rolls screwed, one good one screwed, but somewhat scanneable).

And all that mixing, pouring, and shaking produces this:

Delta 100 (Xtol 1:3)

Now Delta 400:

... and now Tmax 400 (Xtol 1:3):

I don't know why cameras are prohibited in super markets. Is it because someone may photograph their layout? You could write it on a notepad. Are you documenting what they have in stock... well... you can write it down as well.

Anyway...

I went to the movies with N, and as we got out of the car, I saw this man sitting in a bucket. I've seen him around since I first came to this cinemas, about six years ago. It took me all this time, and the experience I've built until now to approach and ask for a portrait.

I was very happy to see he was was willing to sit for a moment and let me make a few frames.

He told me that he looked after this car for a friend who owned it.

He asked for a print, which I will be making next weekend.

This was a reminder to never leave the camera at home, or somewhere else... you never know where you'll find something that makes you feel that rush pressing the shutter.

Finally...Trix 400 (Xtol 1:1):

And this is life as I saw it happen.

So this is in a way, me.

The me I want you to know...

...exactly how I want you to know it.

Hope life catches you well,

J

...So there were some reasons to go back to Mexico City...

I won't go into the strongest personal reason... none of your business whatsoever.

Some are just waiting to get back... others like me are just trying to move on.

It's weird how things work. I love home, I love the city, but I think I'm over it.

In Mexico, certain people from the countryside blog about this place, and rant about how awesome and great, and fucking special it is. I guess it is thaaat special when you grew up in a stinky town, and long to feel special in a place where you're not that unique. Anyway... I'll digress.


I still got a sweet spot for Mexico City deep within me. It's too bad I had to leave N temporarily, but well, she's tough and can kick anyone's ass without my help.

...So there was a photo-workshop...

Not any photo-workshop, but the meanest, baddest workshop in town: Foundry Photo Workshop.

Here's some name dropping if you're turned on by that:

• Kael Alford
• Paula Bronstein
• Andrea Bruce
• Renée C. Byer
• Guy Calaf
• Tewfic El-Sawy
• Stanley Greene
• Ron Haviv
• Eros Hoagland
• Hugo Infante
• Scott Mc Kiernan
• Michael Robinson Chavez
• Benjamin Rusnak
• Shaul Schwarz
• Stephanie Sinclair
• Khadir Van Lohuizen
• Holly Wilmeth
• Adam Wiseman
• Adriana Zebrauskas

Last, but not least... not teaching but helping veeeery much:

• Rodrigo Cruz
• Hugo Infante

I jumped between 3 classes: Multimedia Storytelling (Tewfic), Building a Reportage (Eros) and Photojournalist Bootcamp (Renee, Paula, Scott). It's too bad there were so many great photogs teaching at the same time.

Sort of reminded me of a little kid in a huge candy store, and only seconds to grab a few things before mom or dad calls.

And so a week passed by.

A somewhat strange week... with photographers from all over the world, lots of beer, avid desires to learn, to teach, to grow aware of what's around you, and introduce yourself to truly awesome guys... friendship in the air.

I did 3 things: Help translate, get access, and shoot.

Multimedia Storytelling

We headed to Sonora Market, to shoot traditional Mexican stuff.

Well, it's a market where you can find from toys, to herbal medicine, live animals, and healers. It was a bit daunting at first because I had not heard any good things from my father... he was a bit reluctant to let me go... but you know... I've been in worse places.

After trying to convince Lukcero Aghakán to let us take pictures, we looked around for someone else who would be willing to let us take photos and provide us with information about healers and the healing process. We actually never got to talk with Ms. Aghakán; one of her assistants made a point in saying that they had an arrangement with the big-evil Mexican TV network Televisa.

It sucked... I mean... traditional healers with their exclusivity contract with a tv station. Pleaseee...

After wandering around the market for some time, we spoke with Angel Guarda who was truly amazing. He explained the healing process, and was quite friendly when it came to share experiences and take pictures. Angel, you rock!

So here is what I did in the end...

It's not much but I liked the result:

...and well... being in Mexico City, I could not neglect my long time friends Betty and David.

Time was short, but we had fun. David showed us his latest creations and well, Betty smiled.

We went to El Hijo del Cuervo to have a couple of beers and just talk about everything we have always done.

The next day was calm. During the morning I attended the Building a Reportage lecture, and discussed some cool things about coherence of the story, and closeness (image-wise).

But since I had my wheels, I told Matt we could drive downtown and just walk and shoot pictures.

He's funny, and an awesome photographer. Check out MJR. N O W ! ! !

Also met Mustafah from MJR. He did a hardcore project about crime in Mexico City. He had awesome shots as well.

Mustafah was sitting down half awake, half asleep in a couch, so I approached and said:

J: Rough night?

M: Man, last night I was in a police raid and so sooo many firearms... like I'd never seen before. And it was hardcore... safeties off and just ready to shoot.

J: I don't think those guns had any safeties.

M: What do you mean?

J: Safety devices are considered "extra" in here... y'know... guns with safeties cost more, and well...

It was cool he did not get hurt, or shot. A police raid in Tepito... that's harcdore.

PJ Bootcamp.


This seemed like an interesting class, and since I was free, and not shooting, I thought I might as well go in.

So I opened the door and everyone went quiet and looked at me.

Typical "oh shit" moment.

M: Is this PJ Bootcamp?

Scott: Yes.


M: Can I stay? I'm interested to hear what you have to say.

Scott: Yeah, grab a chair.

And they kept reviewing people's projects, and I just felt infatuated with this class. It was about three teachers with incredibly trained eyes for photography telling you how to build a small story with images... and you brought them your photos straight from the camera and they would tell you what worked, and what sucked.

To have the three guys discussing out-loud about what photos were cool and which ones weren't - priceless.

So it was Thursday morning... Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday went by quickly (as when you have lots of fun), and Thursday morning I met Tewfic, Chris, and Adam at the Mother's Monument, where people were protesting naked.

Peasants and fishermen from the Mexican state Veracruz were removed from their lands. Eventually, the local government seized these lands without providing the original owners any type of restitution. Since the local government was not opening any channel for communication, the peasants and fishermen brought their families to Mexico City to obtain an answer to their situation.

Their marching and dancing naked is a symbol of the fact that without lands they do not have anything; not even clothes.

This is one of the first times I've photographed public manifestations up close and personal.

I met a really cool guy called Pedro who guided me around. He had a cool sense of humour... which made me wonder how much humour I'd have if I were protesting against the government.

Well... never mind.

So Thursday Morning I met with the Multimedia Storytelling guys, and shot this. Later during the PJ Bootcamp class, I decided I wanted this to be my project (originally it was supposed to be low-level cantinas, but the window for that project was killer for waking up early for class).

I did not like any of the pictures I took in the morning.

It felt good to see the whole material on the big screens. The colors sucked, but the atmosphere in the auditorium was cool.

My favorite panel was the one with Stanley, Khadir, Scott, and David (from NatGeo), and the discussion about the future of photojournalism.

And that was it for Foundry 2008.

I spent the rest of the time with my family, and was quite happy about it.

Too bad couldn't go out to dinner the three of us, but well... there will be other times.

Better times, hopefully.

Mexico City's airport has seen me many times in these past years. With lots of luggage, with only a backpack and a camera, exhausted from intercontinental flights, but this time was weird. I had this strange satisfaction you only have when things go perfectly sweet, and there's no way someone on Earth can take that from you.

... a small realization, maybe.

They sky on my way back just gave me a pretty good image to close this chapter down... youth, dreams, and good times... here and far.

Hope life catches you well.

J

Here, in the Sonora Market, there are many elements of the occultism.

Many spiritist, santeros, witches, magicians and chamanes are found here.

To do any witchcraft work, there are four main elements that rule the planet: Fire, Water, Air, Earth. Everything is energy. Witchcraft does not exist, it’s only energies.

But how are energies created? Chamanes dance around a bonfire until they reach ecstasy to create energy; there are people who mourn/pray; there are those who work with herbs and manipulate herbal substances to whatever end… good or bad. But there is a greater power that people do not recognize: the energy of the human being. There are those of us who have a great mental power, there are some who are not aware of their own power.

The human body is a receiver and an emitter of energies, that is while after some time there is a need to cleanse the body. For this end, there are many many methods... like temazcales, baths in rivers or cascades, cleansings, quartz stones, etc.

The easiest and most traditional way to heal oneself is an egg, or some herbs from nature. Most of the time, no-one knows how to do it properly, nor how to use the 4 elements.

At the beginnings of time, there were two parts that controlled the stability of the planet: the good and the bad. Since these are two extremes, a fusion becomes a saint... the balance.

Saints desired more power so they discovered red magic and green magic.

Red magic is a very powerful energy, and uses blood from sacrifices or donations.

Green magic is based on nature; herbs. It does good or bad to the humans. There are very powerful herbs that may kill humans, so everything depends on what is used.

Most of the people doing this, are not aware of the foundations of how to handle magic. A lot of them have read literature from undocumented sources that worked for a particular case, and most likely won't work for other cases.

Black magic by itself does no harm... you need to have a combination: a duality.

There are four main types of magic: Black magic, green magic, red magic, white magic: four elements: Water Earth Wind and Fire.

Many recipes or preparations just use a couple of types of magic, without considering the others... for the product to work, you need the presence of four... it's like a two-feet table.

I'm 53, and I've been doing this since I was 12. There's nothing I haven't read... but many don't know a thing. I was taught by ascended teachers whose names I can't mention.

There are three fundamental steps to a complete process:

1.- Consacration of the elements: that prepares the energy in them.
2.- A rite: All the movements and gestures for the process: whether good or bad.
3.- The spells: the most important step. The spells create an enchantment; they close... they create a trascendency in the process.

For a healing, herbs or natural elements are used. Oils, soaps, lotions, perfumes... many elements can be used as well. In reality, to heal a person you need energybecause the human being is energy.

There are four other steps for a healing process:

1. destroy all bad energy. Spirits and negative energies exists. Even though people don't believe in them, we are not alone at all. They exist beyond our capacity to understand them.
2. The human body is comprised by seven energy points called chakras. When someone is not feeling well, it's because their chakras are not stable. Once a person stabilizes and harmonizes his/her chakras, healing occurs... this can be done with herbs, with energies, with many different elements... even with conventional medicine.
3.- We are all immersed in the energy of the human being. There's a polarity; once a person is polarized he/she becomes a human magnet. Bad energy can be repelled and good energy can be attracted. For all this, you need a process... this polarity exists on Earth. There's people whose polarity is so unstable that good things that arrive to them are repelled unconsciously... same with health. When you're correctly polarized, you attract good energy.
4.- There are many protections (like the tetragrammathron), and elements that serve as protection. Unless those things have a healing and spell process, they are only material things, and cannot provide real protection.

Once you have a connection with divine energy, the universal energy, you become immune to many things, and no energy can affect you; you have an energy field that protects you.

(shows book by Barbara Newmann - hands that heal)

The most special cleansing is by using quartz.... it has an energy by its own.

In Sonora Market, in order to know who knows about magic and who is fake, one should ask them how many types of magic exist. If they don't mention the 4 magic we have mentioned, don't waste your money.

If a person uses an egg for a cleansing, they use white and red magic because the egg is in principle a living being, and it is used as a sacrificed to absorb all bad energy in the person.

If they use plants to cleanse, they use black and green magic.

The trick is in consacrating the elements and ritualizing the process. In wrong hands, this processes can hurt people, or do evil upon others.

In this market, there are not many people left who know about magic... the only way is to approach someone who knows magic.

In a human being the energy terminals are in the palms of the hands and the feet; those are the sources of energy flow in all of us.

Strange feeling sitting on the corner waiting.

My favorite one is still burning... this old flavor of youth. Yeah. Trying to prove something.

You try so hard, and it all comes to a brief hit.

...and this is the last one.

I just love it when electronic devices sort of sync to the body. Like... songs that really fit your mood... even though the device it's set on random.

Silencio - Ely Guerra. Headphones and the remains of a certain period of my life. No one talking around.

The wind whirs around the headphones and remind me how you cannot totally disconnect from what happens around.

Strangers passing by and well, the heat of this oven-like city.

I was watching America's Most Smartest Model on tv (yeah, like there's so much to do around), and found some interesting words:

• Nincompoop
• Emaciated
• Variegated

There ya go. If you're bored go look out for their meaning.

I'm listening to Muse. It's been a while since the last time I was really into Muse... (I can picture Checo telling Galo: "duuude, you don't know them... you're not a fan"). Well, I never really listened to them. I saw them live, and I pretty much enjoyed it.

*zap* Subject Change *zap*

A man who ran the board of directors of my uni died last week. As expected, Monday morning was a pretty hectic day. I had to create spots for the huge tv screen outside campus, send EVERYONE on this campus the formal PR communication about the decease, and some other stuff. Couldn't attend this journalism workshop I was supposed to be at. This workshop is quite interesting... I'm much more into electronic media and publishing, but well... theory of journalism will come in handy sooner or later.

Today I had to write a small article about whatever I wanted as long as I included context and impact of the product/action itself. So I presented the Kindle, and while getting info about it, I found this:

*Loved* the wired book.

How come most reviews are boring (except for engadget and techcrunch (lately) )? I know... not all business people care about this, but I do. If it makes me smile with witty humour, I'll probably like it.

Anyway...

By the way... how come Photoshop doesn't have a "Auto-all my photo"? I know... it's oh so powerful... I guess it could even photoshop the hunger out of the world, and photoshop world peace, and stuff. Yeah... it's a damn verb. Like BillG said about Google being a verb (to google-it). The point is that I sometimes don't carry a somewhat decent camera, and I'm stuck with the cellphone camera which sucks royal.

So here's the scenario: I take a photo with my crappy phone camera, then import it into Photoshop (which might be overkill now that I think of it.... there's only so much photoshop can do with a crappy photo), and then I have to:

• Auto Levels
• Auto Contrast
• Auto Color

But we're missing a super ultra mega useful:

• Auto Don't Suck

Something like this:



Yeah, well, that goes for the guys at Adobe. You need a functional spec for that? Hahaha. "Auto don't suck v0.3 build 0012" hahaha. Riiiight.

*zap* Subject Change *zap*

I got tired that my journalism class had all the class documents, references, research papers crammed in a single gmail account with no filters, so I did the geek thing and created a blog for all the stuff in our class. Yeah, I *LOVE* content management systems (you could say blogs, but technically unless you can actually manage tags, categories, and authors, it's not properly a content management system).

An asshole once accessed the mail account, and deleted everything.

So much for being in college; that bastard will get it sooner or later.

Anyway

Photos:


Then......... wedding time!!!





A week later, we drove up North... we drove to North America (as if we weren't already there - In case you did not know, FYI North America comprises Mexico as well).

Laredo... here we go!!! Yay!!!








And that's it for somewhat decent photos.

Moving on to simpler photos...

Finally The Sharper Image went bankrupt. I mean... how many "Ultra-massage 9000 VX" chairs can you sell???


And for our grand finale....

There was this woman in Laredo's Old Navy that carried two huge bags stuffed with sandals to the cashier.

Yeah, those ones you grab at the entrance of outlet stores.

I insist... HUGE

The lady behind me whispered to me "Oh my God, two bags... it's too much". I told her.. "Well, it could be worse".

And then it became worse.

...

...

The woman stepped out of the cash register to grab a SHOPPING CART FULL OF SANDALS.

I told the lady... "Well, yeah, it was worse".

Everyone started looking at the cart, and I grabbed my P&S and took her picture.

So now you know... this is what a shopping cart full of sandals looks like.



That's a goooood moment to switch cashier lanes.

Comment on this... what do you think she was going to do with all those sandals?

• Wear a new pair every day for a year?
• Sell them twice the price in a flea market in Monterrey?
• Give them to their children and grandchildren so they never get sandal-less?
• Prepare sandal recipes at her place?
• Build a castle of sandals one on top of the others?

Hope life catches you well.

J

As usual, I had to leave Monterrey in a rush. I guess if it was all careful planned it just wouldn't feel right. I am working on changing that.

This will be a photoblog-esque entry; I shot a couple of things today, and found some others in a CF card.

My room. Well, "my room". Love the frame created by the entering light.

I guess it is sad to switch apartments yet once again. Life goes on.

Among the photos I found, some belong to a series I did with Pablo. We had planned to walk around the city, shooting street. Due to some problems, we went out after the sun had come down. It was sad to waste a perfect overcast day to shoot street, but I amused myself just fine.

We drove up a hill where the largest Mexican flag in Monterrey is placed.

I don't recall being here at night.

Since I did not bring any fast glass, I had to use hiiiiigh ISO, which is not that nice.

Many 15 year-old girls come here when they are about to celebrate their "presentation into society" party. I have said a lot of shit about that, so I won't go any further. At first I thought the dress had some kind of lamp (which would not surprise me at all, knowing the amazing tacky tastes some people have), but she stood over one of the lamps that point at the flag.

Pablo made a comment relating City Love and this scene. We both captured this couple while they talked. It sort of made me think how much I complained when I was 18, and how different things are now. Had to make it BW... wish it was film instead, but well... you have to make the most out of the equipment at hand.

This is Pablo after parking the car. Most of Barrio Antiguo (old Quarter) is lighted using these orange lamps. I remember how much we hesitated about leaving the car there... but well... we just parked and left.

This is a Christmas tree installed on the Macroplaza. It had an amazing pink glow.

I liked this one. Somehow the mom and baby make me wonder what were the words they were crossing.

I waited for Pablo to take his eyes off the viewfinder and as soon as he looked to me, I pressed the shutter.

I think this was just after this one .

Just after looking at the tree, we decided to move towards the Municipal Palace.

I hadn't been here in ages. The palace is now a museum and it's free (something new for me in Monterrey). It's worth the visit if you happen to be nearby.

The outside.

The inside w/ Pablo's head.

We later ate some tacos. Well, not just "some", but El Gauchito's - the best tacos in Monterrey IMO.

The next day I got into a bus and left.

Here is the last photo: Mexican desert. Kilometers of nothing.

Every time I get on a bus I have just enough time to think about life and times.

12 hours? That gives you just enough time to think a thing or two.

Hope life catches you well...

Just an average day in Mexico City. Lots of things to do, and well, nothing to do really.

It's my first amazing futureless and unemployed vacation.

Some call it their personal hell, I prefer the term "freedom". Try not to picture Bush waving a Republican flag. Feeling sick from all that media overdose. Burn your TV down.

What-fucking-ever.

So I woke up.

First day I have some decent sleep. My bed at my parents' is pretty fucked up. Slept there for more than a decade and a half, so I guess it was about time it gave up on me. I had to get an old exercising mat and place it under the mattress.

Simple breakfast - two-year-old cereal samples. Old, hardened, and tasting funny.

Note to self: Do small shopping with parents when coming over.

Went to pick up my electric razor. It's not cool to hear an old repair guy saying "those modern trimmers are complicated" when you need your trimmers serviced. Fuck that. I'd rather take it downtown for some good fixing. You can find everything downtown Mexico City... that's one of the advantages to be in the largest city on Earth. Getting to the repair shop is an adventure itself. Downtown's fucking huge. I'll get there later...

So I wanted to see N today.

Crossed Mexico City from South to North. Got to N's, and realized how much I've missed her. Just a smile everything is just fine.

Sbarro is awesome. Sbarro with N is even better. I drove a loooong way in Seattle to bring N Sbarro food to the airport, and we had Sbarro in NYC near Times Sq. when we were starving after the loong walk from the Financial District, to Times Sq. We have a small story with Sbarro. Well, there is only one place N knows where we prefer pizza. It's just by the place that's "our" place. Pizza and a sunset by the beach. Will not elaborate any further.

So we went downtown Mexico City.

The "Cleansing" of the soul.

Met with AP and Collín in the metro station. Got down at the Fine Arts Palace, which is always quite a sight. Took some snaps at passers by and really liked them. Should get N a decent camera one day. Well, hers is decent, it's just old. Anyhow... I can shoot with Nikon Pro glass and get a fucking great photo, or shoot a simple PS and still get a good shot, so don't bitch about pixels when I post them (are you expecting an f1.4 in N's camera? Seriously, fuck off).

The Cathedral
A Police Officer

We saw the huge skating rink in front of the National Palace. How smart is that? I mean... use shitloads of energy to keep that shit cold, in Mexican open air weather. Brilliant! Instead of actually working to make this a better country through work or proper economic development (as Garch - the most brilliant economist I've met - would probably insist), we make the crowd happy with this shit. When native, homeless people with 3 children and no shoes come begging for change, smile and point at the skating rink if you please.

The skating rink

Note to self: Before ice-skating in Mexico City's downtown skating rink, think what these skates smell like.

Walked to a drums store that was unable to be reached, so as plan B, we went for churros. Churros with N, AP, and Collín are quite a laugh. Fun times.

Had to say goodbye to N and her friends. Had an awesome day. Kind of playing tourist in my town.

Went back to my parents, and saw my father falling asleep on the couch. One of those moments I will never forget. A man I have looked up to since being a small kid. All, in a really human moment. Someone who taught me to think.

So I want to sleep.

Lifeless, fucked up people unable to get over the past, others craving for attention saying they are paranoid when they have no fucking clue about actually being paranoid, an ex that tries so hard to tempt the person who's over her, cruises over the Atlantic, or gays behaving like 14-yr-old princesses... let's see what life brings next. Right now, I'm just walking with an open mind, beating heart, and love by my side (which feels weird, FYI).

Like she wrote on the wall:

"Wings set on the back and soil-stained feet."

Hope life catches you well.

J

p.d. The title comes after watching Sigur Rós live with Jools Holland. Wonderful.

Majestic Pizza
8 Cortlandt St, New York, NY 10007, USA