What pushed you to get started with photography? I got into photography thanks to skateboarding and personal travels. I chose it as a means of expression, as a way to document what I was living on a daily basis, skating down the streets, visiting and discovering new places. From the moment I developed my first film and saw the pictures, I definitely knew it was something I would have to keep on pursuing and practicing day after day. Do you have any special referents because of their work? There are so many photographers I admire because of their work and dedication. Just to name some: Fred Mortagne, Christopher Thomas, Joseph Hoflehner, Brian Gaberman, Vladimir Ríos; the list could go on and on. We’ve been able to admire many of your photographs related to skateboarding, which are not the usual, what do you seek to convey through your work? I don’t know which is the perception people have towards my work, regardless, I try to express the different scenarios we see on a daily basis from a different perspective, showing there are many viewpoints to express these situations we sometimes ignore due to the high velocity we are living nowadays. Architecture-skateboarding, skateboarding-architecture. Your works tend to revolve around these two worlds that are indisputably tied together. What captivates you so much about them? The fact that I’m a skaterboarder, able to capture these precise moments through photography is one of the reasons why my works revolve around this environment. On the other hand, architecture gives me the opportunity to experiment with infinite possibilities, perspectives and compositions, either if they are symmetric, abstract, etc. Most of your work is in black and white. What does it gives you that color doesn’t? I like to work in black and white because of the timeless appearance it gives, besides, the result offers an image with much less distractions, focusing on composition, fragments, textures, lights and shadows. With which cameras do you usually work? I work with different cameras, depending on what my subject is, though I really like the squared format the Hasselbad offers and the panoramic the Xpan has. Lately I tend to carry a Leica M6, since it’s pretty light and compact, and I can take it everywhere without much trouble. Do you usually prepare your work or do you let yourself go within the moment? Usually, when I’m shooting I try for it to be spontaneous and natural, without much preparation or parameters. Nevertheless,
there are times, due to adverse conditions, where you have to proceed with defined methodologies in order to achieve the result you’re seeking for. What has been the hardest part of opening your path in the world of photography? I don’t know, I guess that, since nowadays everyone is a photographer, it’s a very competitive area, saturated with images. As well, the fact of being self-taught implies a lot of patience, motivation and dedication, a thousand trials and errors. And the most fulfilling? What’s most fulfilling is being able to enjoy each moment doing something you love and achieving the results you were looking for in a piece, just as you had imagined it. As well, having your work recognized and appreciated by people is a big motivation. Your photographs are very cinematographic, are you interested in the world of films? Off course, I like good movies, though I’m not an expert in the subject. I like to pay attention to the different field sizes employed, to see if I can use them or apply them or have an initiative with them in some way on my work. This issue’s theme is SILENCE; is it necessary for you in order to create? As a matter of fact, I don’t have any inconvenience with a little bit of noise surrounding me, though working in peace is always good and I believe it brings out better results. So, usually where do you manage to concentrate more? I think maybe in the lab/dark room. There you have to be focused, no excuses, otherwise you can ruin all the material you have. What do you feel in that precise moment of silence that comes after pressing the shutter and hearing the ‘click’? Usually, I’m so focused looking through the viewfinder that I’m oblivious to this (laughs), but I can say that sometimes it tends to be tension related, due to the precise moment of shooting. When are silence and noise important? I think a balance between both is the best recommendation for our every day life. There are moments throughout the day when these elements are necessary in a certain way, and each person has its own way of managing them. Are there any new projects coming soon for us to enjoy? In July I’m having an exhibition in Barcelona at the FTC store. I’ve been inside the dark room all these days developing copies for it and, off course, you’re all more than invited. Then, in Panama, I’m working with some friends to carry out an exhibition in the Museum of Contemporary Art during September. It’s a very important project for me and I hope it leads to many more.
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