Monterrey

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:

As I walked in…

Preparing the next song… his own creation

Up – close – and personal

People grabbing their own cameras…

From the DJ’s point of view

Spacing out

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:

Sleeping man in a department store.

Late night— 7-eleven

A repair shop door. f1.4 Vignetting

Ice-cream – In this place “Brownie” is spelled “Brawny”; Brawny ice-cream here is delicious

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”.

I hate banks. You give them money that produces them more profits, and t
hey charge you for so doing.

Dusk… 100 asa is not that friendly handheld with a Tessar f3.5

*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:

A tool for evaluating lenses… or so many claim

This one serves to illustrate two things:

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

There are no dark areas… look how the software ate the bottom shadows into weird pixelated blocks

Martist after being photographed with his 15yr old fans

…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:

Xtol stock – me likey blacks… not much detail in shadows, tho’

Xtol 1:1 – My personal fav for trix

Xtol 1:3 – Grrrraaainyyyy. Don’t know… not really like this one…

Xtol 1:3 – In this case I liked the result.
This individual’s stereo is probably double the cost of the old car he’s driving

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

This is where the mixing and pouring take place – Leftmost: Stop, Fix, Hypo, Flo, Cooking Oil

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

Delta 100
(Xtol 1:3)

I dig the 1.4 DOF on this frame

f2 + strong light source = flaring. I still like this one, though.

E and I used to get our late night fix of tacos here. We would laugh at drunken juniors losing their dignity in public.

Monterrey upscale nightlife: Park the Mercedes or Jag, and get a hot dog or some tacos somewhere

Apodaca is up North from this place… Wtf were they doing in downtown Monterrey?

Now Delta 400:

Bus station. One way ticket. Sherezade is done with this place. This is her last picture here. Godspeed.

Shooting into the sun. I loved the detail on the ticket taped to the windshield

This is typical Monterrey: wanker parks on a reserved space and does not care. Shotgun, please!!!

N couldn’t resist a glass of pineapple-flavored water

Street in Barrio Antiguo – downtown Monterrey

… 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…

N choosing I don’t remember what – 1/500 f1.4

Yours truly in the milk aisle – 1/500 f2

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.

1/250 f4

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

1/250 f4

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

1/250 f4

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.