The Photos I Make

Many people think that photography is a new thing for me. I have actually been obsessed with documenting my life with photos since my parents gave me a Pentax Spotmatic SLR and two lenses for my high school graduation present. Shortly after graduation I moved to Australia to work for Ashton's Circus and I was constantly taking photos in an effort to document the experience. I didn't really care if anyone ever saw those photos, I just wanted them for myself. I have shot thousands and thousands of images in my life, I was just never particularly skilled at it until I stopped taking them for just myself. At some point I began studying the great documentary photographers like Bruce Davidson, Dorthea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, and the great war photographers like Lee Miller and Chris Hondros. It was then that I realized what a great tool the camera is for telling powerful stories. Studying the masters of the craft helped me improve my work to where I wanted to start sharing it with others.

Amantes (click image for full size)

I have never had much interest in making photos of tourist attractions or landscapes; people and their stories have always been far more interesting to me. The trick for me has been to tell those stories respectfully while maintaining authenticity. I have had three exhibitions of my work since moving to Ecuador and the most frequently asked question I get at these events is "do you ask permission to take these photos?". The answer is almost always NO! I struggle with this because I never want to be disrespectful or make people uncomfortable, but I have found that once I ask for permission, the story changes and is no longer documentary. Once the person gives permission for me to shoot, their face changes and they pose. It's just human nature, we all want to look our best. To tell the stories authentically I feel the images need to be candid. I love capturing brief moments or interactions in the lives of ordinary people; I find power and beauty in these moments. Few things make me happier than when someone at one of my exhibitions stops and looks at one of my photos for an extended period of time. Once at my show in Quito a woman spent a good twenty minutes looking at my work. When she was done she came over to me and commented that I must have lived in Ecuador for a very long time because she felt that I had truly captured the soul of Cuenca. That was an incredible moment, but later that evening I overheard two men talking as they looked at my photos and one them shook his head and said "I don't get it". Thank goodness for people that keep us humble! It just proves that art is subjective.

La Mirada (click image for full size)

There is a concept in Japanese called 一期一会 (ichi-go ichi-e). The literal translation is "one time, one meeting", but it really describes a cultural concept of treasuring the unrepeatable nature of a moment. That is what I always look for when I go out to shoot. I often spend five or six hours at a time walking the streets looking for those special moments. I usually put in my AirPods and listen to music to both inspire me and to minimize distractions. It's interesting, but when I'm listening to music I see images in my mind...actual images. It helps me see things with a different eye. When I listen to "Father John" by The Dead South, its like a freakin' IMAX theater in my head. While I am shooting I never "chimp", which is the habit of continually looking at the display screen to see if you got a good photo. I just keep shooting and only look at the photos after I get home and load them on my computer; I love the big reveal on my laptop screen. I often compare this process to fishing; sometimes I spend the whole day out there and don't catch anything, sometimes I come home with a boatload of bangers.

The thing I constantly struggle with when doing this type of photography is the ethics of the whole thing. I never want to be disrespectful and I want to honor my subjects. To keep myself clean I had to create some rules for myself, a code of ethics if you will. For example:

• I never take photos of children unless I ask their parents for permission, or unless they are participating in a public event like a parade or a performance where photos are expected.

• I don't share photos that are unflattering or make people look bad, unless they are obviously doing something illegal. I will document that shit!

• If someone asks me to delete a photo, I comply. No questions asked.

• If they catch me taking their photo, I smile and thank them and offer to send it to them if they give me their email address. More often than not, they have no clue that I took their photo.

• I do not take photos of homeless or disabled people unless its for a specific project and then I will typically talk to them first.

• I never pay for people to pose for me. That's not documentary, that’s just a business transaction.

• Avoid at all costs invading people's personal space

• Bottom line - be respectful

  
  

Abuelita (click image for full size)

Sometimes people think that I am pushing some kind of agenda with my photos. A few years ago Ecuador legalized same sex marriage. The next morning there was a huge march protesting the new law and supporting traditional marriage. Later in the afternoon there was a different parade celebrating this landmark event. I documented them both. Another one of my rules: "Document. Don't Judge". As an immigrant, I am grateful for the kindness and acceptance I have been shown by the people of Ecuador. When I see the intolerance directed at immigrants in other countries, it breaks my heart. My hope is that by sharing my photographs I can contribute in a small way to the notion of empathy and understanding. I just want to share stories of South America and the people I have come to love so much. You can find my photo albums here: https://www.global-dispatches.com/client-showcase. Or you can navigate there by clicking on "Albums" on the menu at the top of the page.

¡Hasta la Proxima!

"Street Life"