One of the coolest attractions in Mineral del Chico is Peña del Cuervo. A viewpoint pretty high in the heart of the mountains.

For you to know better where it is, see the following picture.

To get there, you need to get a four-wheeled motorcycle known as a Razer via a private tour. In the previous article, I mentioned that I was hesitant to do it in the early morning to check the sunrise, but I ended up going for the sunset as I’m not truly a morning person.

So, with dark clouds and rain menacing, I took the leap, and we headed our way to the mountains.

The road is a bit muddy, but Razers are fully capable of managing it. I tried to capture a bit of the road, but I was going low on frames left. I would rather not waste any of them because the promise of amazing views was high.

It’s not a quick trip. It takes around forty minutes to get there. While you’re going up, the air gets cold, humidity attacks your cameras as if it hates them, and you start wondering if it was the right call, haha. I remember I asked the guide, “How much is left?” And he said, We’re barely at the middle of the road. I was like… “WTF, really?”

Twenty minutes later, “We arrived,” the man said.

To get to the top, you need to go through some rocks that act as a ladder.

Once you passed them, the magic started. I won’t say too much at this point. The viewpoint is a “big circle” with a 360-degree view of the forest and the Mineral del Chico town. I prepared my Yashica Mat with the last couple of shots and started doing my thing before it got too dark. Also, my F3 frames left count was low, so I grabbed whatever I could.

I don’t normally do landscapes. For me, they mean “tripod,” and that’s a big no (at least, at this stage of my photographic career, whatever that means).

Here’s what I got.

Amazing, right? I’ve never felt as much at peace as I did there, at the highest altitude I’ve been to in my life. The clouds touching the trees, all that nature in front of me.

It was breathtaking.

BACK TO DOWNTOWN

Another forty-minute ride to get back, but I felt energized. Peña del Cuervo is absolutely magical. I felt like I was in the Knocking on Heaven’s Door song. However, all cool things must come to an end, so around 7pm, I got back to town.

To wrap this up, I’d like to share a couple of pictures I got while wandering around downtown. Let’s call them, street photography.

MINERAL DEL CHICO DELIVERED

This was a weekend trip. However, I felt like I did plenty of things for such a small town. I’m glad it’s only a 2-hour trip from Mexico City, so I can return whenever I feel like it. The thing is that Hidalgo state has plenty of Pueblos Mágicos (magic towns), so it’s worth visiting them. I want to go to Real del Monte, a bigger town with even more activities to do. I hope I can go soon.

Meanwhile, Mineral del Chico delivered all it promised. Plenty of nature, plenty of activities, plenty of rain, plenty of fog, and, of course, plenty of mountains.

I believe I will retire someday in a town like this one.

Gear used in this article

For those interested…

• Kodak Tri-X 400 on both 135 and 120.

• Cameras: Yashica Mat (6x6) and Nikon F3.

The Mineral del Chico series:

• The Road to Mineral del Chico (Part I)

• This is Mineral del Chico (Part II)

• Mineral del Chico: Let’s go to Peña del Cuervo (this one).

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More cool stuff

→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.

→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers. Featuring more than 500 zines right now.

→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by sending some coffees (or film!), this is the way.

The taxi drive from Pachuca to Mineral del Chico had some stunning views.

The higher you go, hills start to appear, and suddenly, El Cedral dam was right in front of my window. I’ve shot a couple of pictures that don’t do full justice to how magnificent it is.

Then, after the taxi driver (a cool and friendly old man) navigated some curves uphill, he told me, “We arrived.” I was like, “Hmm… ok? How do I get into the town?” because I felt like he just dropped me off on the outskirts of the town.

“Just walk a hundred meters and you’ll be there.” — the main said.

I closed the door, checked my surroundings, and thought, “What the heck, this is an adventure; let’s walk and see what happens. It can’t be that far anyway.”

A hundred meters, sure. That’s what locals always say. I started walking down a quiet road lined with a few pretty houses, each with a big garden, catching glimpses of Las Monjas in the distance every once in a while. Though I had no idea yet I’d get a much closer look at them later that day. The morning was so quiet that I started shooting along the way.

Two hundred meters later, I truly arrived in Mineral del Chico.

This is a nice little town

The town is tiny. The Main Street connects all the restaurants, bakeries, cafes, handicraft stores, and everything you might need during your stay.

One thing I liked is that it reminded me of the Twin Peaks series. Small town, misty weather, forest, cabins (and hopefully some mystery). That was a nice impression I was not expecting.

The first thing I did was to go to my Airbnb room, which was one block away from downtown, to drop my backpack. No one wants to be at high altitude with the sun getting stronger and carrying extra weight. Remember, this place is over 2,200 meters above sea level. I didn’t like my Airbnb room, but that’s a story for another day. I would just like to mention that at least I had wonderful views of the forest hills.

Back to downtown

As I was going only for the weekend, I didn’t want to lose any time, especially because I decided to visit Mineral del Chico in the rainiest month of the year. Even though rain feels pleasant and cozy when you’re in the forest, it kills all kinds of tours and adventures.

In downtown there’s a bus called the Chicobus. It gives you the typical tour around the town while a tour guide shares some history along the way. However, the Chicobus doesn’t go to the mines, and I truly wanted to be in one. Mineral del Chico was a mining town back in the 16th century, when the English started mining the town, looking for gold, silver, and precious minerals.

I asked around, and it turned out that you can get better tours if you hire a Razer, a four-wheeler, with a private guide tour that also reaches the mines and other charming places.

It all starts with a witch’s house.

I am not sure if it’s the best way to start a tour talking about witches who were burned at the stake. However, that’s how the tour starts. The guide explained that some decades ago, this was a beautiful house where two women lived. I don’t remember all the details, but they were accused of kidnapping a boy or girl (even though it was never proven), and the townspeople hanged and burned them from a tree in front of their house. The house crumbled over the years and now looks like an abandoned place, but local folklore says that sometimes, people see shadows lurking in the dark.

I love folk tales, but this seemed too close and real, so I wanted to leave, haha.

Meet Las Monjas

The next stop is a small waterfall right in the woods. Good spot. You can truly feel you are in nature. I grabbed the pics I could because lighting conditions were changing every second, and having cameras without a light meter can slow you down a lot when you want to move quicker.

Anyway, here are some shots.

Then, as the tour continued, we reached a point where you could see Las Monjas mountain/hills (The Nuns). It is a natural rock formation that, somehow, resembles nuns (not for me). Here they are in glorious black and white, and probably my favorite picture of this trip.

One thing is true: they are mesmerizing. No picture does them justice. It feels like a spot you’d see in a movie. I felt blessed that natural monuments are close to where I live.

The San Antonio mine

Not sure about you, but old mines have a special charm for me. Maybe it’s because I read fantasy books with dwarfs living happily and drinking mead in the guts of the mountains. I don’t know, but I always wanted to go inside one.

After leaving the waterfall and Las Monjas, we continued the journey through great landscapes that at times offered glimpses of the town, which was getting further and further behind us. Before we reached the mine, I saw people practicing activities not for the faint of heart.

Then, we arrived.

A mine guide welcomed us, and after putting on our helmets, we went inside. I could barely take any pictures because obviously, it was super dark, and my film cameras were no match for the lack of light.

The coolest part (I wasn’t convinced at the beginning) was when we all turned our lights off and started walking in the dark, just following the guide’s voice and touching the right side of the stone with our hands (to not get lost). I felt I was going to die at any minute, with my head crashing against the top part of the rock over and over. Good thing I had my helmet on properly!

Now onto El Milagro River

After the mine, the guide recommended visiting El Milagro (the Miracle) river that was really close. Since it was the first time I had a proper camera with me around a river, I went there to try to get some nature shots. I think the Rollei Blackbird 64 worked its magic by generating dark and contrasty pictures.

The adventure continues

After the mine, I returned to the pueblo to grab something to eat. I ended up in El Fresno, a fonda where you can eat fresh and typical Mexican food. It was good, man.

Should I stay or should I go?

It was around 4pm after lunch, and I wanted the adventure to continue. However, rain and cloudy weather made the sky grayish. I knew where to go next, but I wasn’t sure if the rain was going to allow it. So, I wandered around downtown looking for a sign on whether to go to Peña del Cuervo, a spectacular viewpoint at the top of the mountain, or not.

The guides around town said that the best hour to go is in the early morning to catch the sunrise. That meant waking up at 4:30am, and I didn’t feel like it. Actually, I went to the town looking to get a better night’s sleep, and waking up so early was counterproductive. I took a chance and decided that instead, I was going to chase the sunset, but I needed to hurry, as it is a 40-50 minute drive from downtown in roads that are muddy and slippery in some areas.

I paid for another Razer trip and prayed for the best.

In the next part of this series, we will go up again and see some of the most spectacular views I have ever seen.

Stay tuned!

Gear used in this article

For those interested…

• Color pictures are OptiColour 200 and iPhone shots

• Black and white are Rollei Blackbird 64, Fomapan 100, and Kodak Tri-X 400.

• Cameras: Yashica Mat, Olympus XA3, Nikon F3, iPhone 16.

The Mineral del Chico series:

• The Road to Mineral del Chico (Part I)

• This is Mineral del Chico (Part II)

More cool stuff

→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.

→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers. Featuring more than 140 zines right now.

→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by sending some coffees (or film!), this is the way.

I had my first trip out of Mexico City in a while. I’ve decided that after having work fatigue (I work in the tech industry), a quick trip into adventure and nature could help me to relax my mind for a bit.

After weighing my options, I’ve decided to go to Mineral del Chico, a Pueblo Mágico located in Hidalgo state, a 2-hour drive from Mexico City.

I don’t have a car here, so picking a bus was my option. I have a thing for buses; I don’t know what, but I find them an integral part of any adventure.

However, before jumping into the bus, I had analysis paralysis the night before: what cameras should I bring to a weekend adventure? Seems easy, but it wasn’t. In the end, I’ve decided to pick three cameras: Olympus XA3, Nikon F3 (which I didn’t sell after all, and now I love her), and a Yashica Mat for those big six-by-six medium format negs.

As for the rolls, I also picked a mix:

• Kodak Double-X 250

• Rollei Blackbird 64

• Optik Oldschool Opticolour 200

• Kodak Tri-X 400 (135 & 120)

• Fomapan 100 (120)

It felt too much. Even my camera back thought so, as I barely fit all of that on it. But it wasn’t.

In the early morning of the next day, I arrived at Terminal del Norte, where I grabbed some coffee and a sandwich while waiting for my bus to depart.

Once on the bus, I was thinking if I was going to shoot some road views or not. I remembered my Olympus XA3 had like twelve shots left. It had a Double-X that I was shooting at 1600 (like +3 stops), but I thought it was going to work fine because the bus had windows tinted a bit.

After developing the roll, I thought, “Hmm, I don’t think I like them.” However, I left them in Lightroom for a couple of days to see them later with fresh eyes, and of course, it worked. They are far from perfect; they even have this surreal, dreamy look. This is what happens when you use a point & shoot with high ISO and shoot from the window in a moving bus.

However, I believe they fulfill the goal of documenting the road to Mineral del Chico.

This was the most interesting part of the road to Mineral del Chico.

Once in Hidalgo, the terrain got a bit flat and boring, so no more pictures.

Once in the Pachuca Terminal (Pachuca is the capital city of Hidalgo state), I picked a taxi to Mineral del Chico. It’s a half-hour drive into the middle of the mountains at 2,342 meters above sea level.

So, in the next part of the series, you will walk with me in Mineral del Chico, my favorite Pueblo Mágico so far.

The Pueblos Mágicos are towns all over Mexico that get that distinction from the government because they keep their essence as pueblos (towns). They are pretty and have cool attractions, but they remain true to their roots. If you visit Mexico someday, add a Pueblo Mágico to your plans; you won’t regret it.

Meanwhile, here’s a small spoiler of what’s next.

See you in the next part of the series!

More cool stuff

→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.

→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers. Featuring more than 140 zines right now.

→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by sending some coffees (or film!), this is the way.

I’ve been wanting a Polaroid for a few months now. After seeing some videos, I concluded that I wanted the SX-70 classic model. It’s cool, foldable, and has a glass lens. However, it’s a 50-year-old model, so getting a working one might be a challenge.

I avoid impulsive purchases most of the time. Nowadays I wait until a good deal appears, and that was the case with this one. Two weeks ago, I decided it was time to visit my favorite antiques bazaar to see if one was available.

Call it destiny if you like. I just stepped in and there she was. A Polaroid SX-70 in absolute mint condition. “Hey, does it work?”, I asked the seller. “Yes”, he replied with confidence. “How much?”, I replied in return. “Six fifty”, he said. Instantly, my mind went a bit nuts. How much was that? I was so used to online prices that for a moment I thought the guy asked 6500 and not 650 MXN, which is about 30 USD. A bargain considering how much these are on eBay or proper resellers.

I went home super happy. I’ve ordered an ND filter to be able to use it on my SX-70 along with Polaroid 600 film, as SX-70 film is scarce and pricier.

One week later, I was able to start shooting.

Moment of Truth: Does It Really Work?

My first cassette was total trash. It reminded me of my first roll of film being a disaster. It seems the first try on any medium is a rite of passage. Seven out of eight pictures didn’t develop. It turns out that the rollers on the SX-70 are no joke. If they’re not clean, the chances of ruining your pics are pretty high.

Here’s my first shit show.

Get Rich or Dye Trying

I’m all thumbs when it comes to repairing anything. It’s simply not my thing. However, I truly wanted my Polaroid to work, so I went to YouTube to understand how to clean the rollers properly. I ordered some Windex and isopropyl alcohol and followed the instructions.

Second cassette, here we go.

I’m glad to say that it worked (mostly). I was in downtown Mexico City shooting cool stuff until I reached the Torre Latinoamericana. I pointed up at the sky and pressed the shutter. No picture came out.

Fuck.

The only action I could do, according to a quick googling, was to reinsert the cassette and pray for the best. It worked, but I lost the picture. However, shots seven and eight came out fine.

I hoped it was a one-time hiccup, but no. It happened again with my third cassette. This time, I didn’t eject it on the street. I waited until I got home to do it in my changing bag. It worked out after a couple of ejections and reinsertions. So annoying.

I’m not sure what causes this. It seems Polaroid changed the design of the cassette a bit in 2024. I’m still trying to figure things out.

Final Thoughts for Now

I knew shooting with Polaroid was going to be fun. I just didn’t know how much. The SX-70’s viewfinder is amazing. It’s big and bright. You can focus at a really short distance.

Also, the instant film has a particular look that is cool and nostalgic. In the end, I have so much to learn and understand, as the Polaroids have some quirks you need to overcome. For example, the pictures must not be exposed to direct sunlight after ejection, or you’ll risk them being overexposed or with orange tones you might not like.

I’ll continue shooting because I loved the experience. As with regular film, you must not expect perfection. The medium is imperfect by nature, and we all must embrace it.

More cool stuff

→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.

→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers. Featuring more than 140 zines right now.

→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by sending some coffees (or film!), this is the way.

I decided it was time to start dabbling in color photography for real. At least, to get out of a rut. My true love will always be black and white. I wrote about that in this article.

However, trying out new things opens new ways to think and get creative. So far, I mostly avoided color because:

• Rolls are pricier than BW.

• Developing them is harder (for me) than BW.

• Most importantly, I don’t know what to do with color.

The last point is the one I’d like to discuss for a bit. Basically, I feel I’m learning to see in color. I’m so used to black and white that even when I view through the viewfinder, I can imagine how the frame will look in BW.

With color, something strange happens to me: it’s like I’m looking but not really seeing, because I no longer understand what’s in front of me. With black and white, you see shapes, emotions, contrast, etc. With color, you have a new layer to think about: how it fits the image. Does it add or distract?

Sometimes, I even think while composing, “This would look better in black and white” (🤡). I know I can digitally turn it to BW, but that’s not the point. I am eager to learn how to see in color, how to make color mean something rather than being distracting.

You might think that I’m a total weirdo, but those who shot mostly BW will understand.

Anyway, lately, I’ve been devouring the pictures of the classic color gods like Eggleston, Haas, or Herzog to understand how color improves a picture.

There’s plenty to learn for me.

Meanwhile, enter Lomo’s Color ‘92 Sun-kissed 400

I was looking for a cool-looking roll outside the Kodak line, something not “too vivid,” as I don’t think it fits the ambiance of Mexico City, which is normally “cloudy” and sometimes “color muted.” Bright blue skies are a rare thing here.

After some research (and taking advantage of a sale), I got some Lomography Color ‘92 Sun-kissed, which, according to internet myths, is just ORWO NC500 rebranded.

After loading it into my camera, I went to one of the coolest and most famous neighborhoods in Mexico City: La Colonia Roma. Without further ado, here are some pics I liked.

The roll lasted a lot, so I took some more pics around my house and neighborhood. Check them out. Even indoors looks good to my taste.

A roll for the city

I wouldn’t take this roll to the beach where you actually get sunny days. I don’t think the look of this roll will do justice to sand, sea, and palm trees, unless you’re shooting without people and going for an abandoned, post-apocalyptic beach look.

For me, it shines in urban environments. Most cities aren’t “that colorful,” so vivid rolls feel like too much. This one fits nicely.

Overall, it’s up to what you want to achieve. I’m happy with how this roll looks in Mexico City, and I’ll be getting some more (when on sale, obviously).

One tip I saw on Reddit and a few forums is that it behaves better shot at 200 (box speed is 400) if you want more shadow detail. Not a problem for me since I love inky blacks and deep shadows. Also, shooting 400 is way better for the constant light changes. I dislike when suddenly it gets cloudy, and 200 is barely enough if you want to avoid camera shake (most noticeable with point-and-shoots like my Olympus XA3).

Prints came out fine

I decided to see how this roll looks printed, so I sent three of my favorite frames to my Canon Selphy CP1500. I’m glad I’m able to say that they came out just fine. I don’t notice any big difference between what I see on the screen and the final look. I’m far from being an expert in printing, but for quick and easy 4×6, it’s good enough.

That’s it!

My next step is simple: keep learning color. I want color to mean something in my pictures.

Also, I got some Kodak Vision3 250D and Optik Oldschool OptiColour 200 (what a mouthful) to try out and see if I like them better than Color ‘92. I’ll be posting these in the future, when I actually shoot them, haha.

More cool stuff

→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.

→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers.

→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by sending some coffees (or film!), this is the way.

Subscribe now

I checked my film stock a couple of weeks ago and found two long-forgotten rolls of Ilford Delta 3200 that deserved better than sitting in the fridge.

I didn’t give it much thought. I loaded one and finally went to do something I’d been postponing forever: shoot Mexico City downtown at blue hour.

This was a lot of fun to shoot. I was able to handhold at 1/60, even 1/30, at f2. ISO 3200 is a lot of speed for film anyway; modern digital sensors basically see in the dark now. Easy to develop at home too: just HC-110 dilution B and done. Scanned on the Plustek 8200i with no issues at all.

That said, I’m not sure how often I’ll reach for it again. It feels like a “special projects” roll, and I don’t have many projects that happen at night.

But honestly, this was less about the film and more about forcing myself to look at the city a different way. I normally shoot in bright, hard light. That alone made it worth it.

Here are some of my favorites.

Show them pics

And of course, I did a foldable zine: NIGHT CITY

If you like it, you can download your copy right here:

→ Night City: https://library.dirtylittlezine.com/zines/night-city

See you next time!

COOL STUFF

Here are some links you might find interesting.

→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.

→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers.

→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by sending some coffees (or film!), this is the way.

I dislike phone photography. The lack of a proper viewfinder, the soulless pixel-perfect images, and any excuse I can come up with to avoid using my phone. That's why I try to carry a point-and-shoot with me, though it's not always possible.

During the weekdays it is hard for me to do “proper” shooting. Working in the tech field is demanding. After 6 pm, there’s not enough light, and I’m too tired to do “creative” things.

Before moving forward, I would just like to mention that phone photography is perfectly fine. People way more talented than me make magic with it. As they say, it’s not the camera, it’s the photographer. Not using a phone camera is just a personal preference, maybe snobby or stupid; you name it.

However, that might be about to change, but I would rather not make any promises.

Today, I was reading Substack, and this note came into my feed. Good Alex Street shared his latest article in FStoppers (you might want to check it out, as it is what made me experiment with my iPhone camera) and put my mind into motion.

It turns out that there’s a beautiful app called “Dazz Cam,” which is quite good at doing film simulations. TL;DR: I’ve tried dozens of those, and they were complex or super expensive or whatever. It turns out this one is a pretty solid candidate.

The quick walk to the grocery store that changed my perspective

Around lunchtime, I said, “Fuck it.” Let’s buy a Coke Zero and document the road with this little app to see what I can achieve with it.

After hitting the street, I found this big truck parked in front of my apartment. I know how it looks in black and white, so I made my first snap.

Hey, this isn’t that bad.

OK, moving forward. This yellow tape in the park looked good. Snap.

I kept walking. A guy was getting into his car. Snap.

Then, closer to the grocery store, I snapped this tricycle they use for quick deliveries.

While Luis was ringing me up, I snapped the liquor bottles in the back. The tungsten light looked cool.

Then, time to return home. After crossing the street, I caught a violin player heading only God knows where.

A few meters ahead, I saw this girl painting. I didn’t get the complete shot because I know some people hate when you take pictures of them without asking, so I did what I could. Moving on.

Closer to home, I found out this tree has contrasting leaves: old and new. Snap and keep walking.

I almost walked past this one. A glance back, and it looked like a little crime scene. That’s what happens when you consume too many detective stories. Snap, and let’s hurry; I’m hungry.

Then I hit home. As usual, when the weather is cloudy, I look up and take my snap. I have plenty of those.

And mission complete: here’s my Coke Zero.

Final Thoughts

I love these pictures.

Yes, they are underexposed like hell. But, unlike “regular phone pictures,” these have a soul. They look somewhat cinematic.

The look helps to tell a story, even a crappy one like a quick run to a grocery store.

So, maybe, and just maybe, this little app has saved phone photography for me.

Hey Rick, you know you can edit your soulless pictures, right?

Yes, but one of the things I dislike is having to heavily edit pictures. This is why I shoot film. I get the look I want “out of the box.” Or almost.

Now, I’m getting similar vibes with this new technique.

Let’s see how far it goes. For now, it stays.

And thank you, , for your article that triggered all this experiment.

What’s your version of phone photography? The thing you’ve been writing off without giving it a real chance?

Turns out it wasn’t that short after all. See you next time.

COOL STUFF

Here are some links you might find interesting.

→ Dirty Little Zine: A foldable 1-page zine maker that runs in your browser.

→ Dirty Little Library: The worldwide community started sharing foldable zines. You can upload or download; it’s up to you. Do not miss the work of these outstanding photographers.

→ FILM RICK Portfolio: I shoot around Mexico City. Black and white. Analog. I have several collections if you’re into this type of photography.

→ Support RICK: If anything I do is helpful and you want to support it by send some coffees (or film!), this is the way.

Last week I shared Dirty Little Zine, a small web app to make foldable zines. The response was way more than I expected. Thank you to everyone who tried it, shared it, and sent feedback. It’s the reason I’m still working on it.

It also got me thinking about the next step. A tool to make zines is only half the story. The other half is the zines themselves, and right now most of them live on people’s hard drives.

So I built a place to fix that.

→ library.dirtylittlezine.com

The idea is simple. Make a foldable zine in whatever tool you want (Jill’s, Cedric’s, DLZ, InDesign, Photoshop, you name it) as long as it’s US Letter or A4. Upload it. It goes live. Anyone, anywhere, can download and fold their copy.

There are three zines up so far (don’t miss my Holbox one if you’re in an island mood), but a library of three isn’t really a library. It becomes one with your help.

Submit a zine here whenever you have something ready. And if anything feels confusing or broken along the way, please drop a comment. I make these tools for the community, so feedback shapes where they go next.

Dirty Little Zine v1.3

A few improvements landed this week based on your feedback.

• Drag to pan. After you upload pictures and hit FIT, you can now drag to reposition them inside the frame for better composition. Suggested by Dan from .

• QR code (beta). You can now generate a QR code on the back cover pointing to any URL: your portfolio, Instagram, Substack, or wherever you want readers to find you. Idea from . Still in beta, so let me know if anything misbehaves.

• Swap pages. You can now swap spread pages around to test different orderings before exporting.

I still have a backlog of enhancements to work on, not mentioned here.

Special Thanks

• and for pushing me to build the library in the first place.

• for helping me test the upload flow. Check out his beautiful Winter zine.

• for sending some coffees my way.

• EVERYONE who has used, shared, or commented on any of this. This stuff only works because you show up.

Visit

→ library.dirtylittlezine.com

Do not miss the worldwide zines exchange!

After the success of the postcard exchange event, cool is organizing a zine exchange. Check out details in the Photography Zine Exchange Launch post and secure your spot! We’re so ready for Cycle 1!

I’ve been working on this for the past few weeks, and it’s finally ready to share: Dirty Little Zine, a one-page zine maker for the photo community.

It runs in your browser. No accounts, no uploads, no subscriptions. Your photos stay on your machine, the PDF gets generated locally, and that’s it. Nothing leaves your device.

→ dirtylittlezine.com

Why

I miss printed stuff. That’s the whole thing.

After a couple of years shooting analog and some months publishing FILM RICK, I kept wanting to put my photos in something I could hold, fold, and give to a friend. Something to leave on a café table. Something that wasn’t just another post in another feed.

I’m not a graphic designer, and I never enjoyed using professional design software. But I love clean, magazine-style layouts, the kind of thing printed media used to do so well. So I tried to build a tool I would actually use: simple, opinionated about typography, and made for photographers who want to put a zine together today, not in “some day,” as I used to say.

How it works

Desktop works better, but mobile is fine if that’s all you have.

1. Pick a cover image. Customize the title, subtitle, and author.

2. Pick photos for spreads 2–3, 4–5, and 6–7.

   1. One portrait per page, or one to two landscape/square per page.

3. Pick a back cover. Customize it.

4. Hit “Print Zine” and download a ready-to-print PDF.

5. Print, fold, cut. Instructions are in the app.

6. That’s it.

The whole thing takes around ten minutes if you already have your edit ready.

What it looks like

I put together a quick demo: Mexico City Cyberpunk. You can see how the folded zine feels in hand. Check the video.

Quality depends on your printer and paper combo. For this one I used standard 90 gsm paper from Navigator. It’s cheap, easy to find, and it works fine for quick and dirty zines. If you want something nicer, go heavier (120 gsm+) or matte. The format doesn’t really care.

If you want a copy of my Mexico City Cyberpunk zine, here it is:

→ https://library.dirtylittlezine.com/zines/cyberpunk-mexico-city

Download, print, and you have a physical zine from your friend Rick at zero cost. That’s the idea.

The bigger goal

I’d love to see more zines in the photo community. Not necessarily big, serious publications. Just something. A roll, a theme, eight pages, one folded sheet.

So if you make one with Dirty Little Zine, share the PDF in the comments section. Let’s build a small library of zines from all over the world!

NOW, the Dirty Little Library is up!

→ https://library.dirtylittlezine.com🔥

We already have more than 40 zines, available for free to you.

That’s it. Try it, break it, and tell me what’s wrong with it.

I’ll keep improving it from your feedback.

→ dirtylittlezine.com

I first saw this one-page zine format on YouTube. Thanks to whoever came up with the original idea. I tried it with several existing templates, but I got obsessed with fonts and layouts and ended up building my own. Dirty Little Zine is what came out.

Weekly Exposure is back with issue #6 after a three-month hiatus. “Real life” tends to get in the way of the fun stuff, but nevertheless, here I am to share some recent learnings.

I’m a pusher by nature

When I’m using my Olympus XA3 point-and-shoot, I tend to set the ISO to 800 or 1600 if I know the lighting conditions are going to change a lot.

In many parts of the world, natural sunlight can change in a matter of seconds, and having a low ISO during a cloudy day might be a nightmare if you don’t want camera shake to appear in your pictures.

However, pushing film like a caveman, like I sometimes do, brings some problems to the table. Especially if you develop like a caveman, as I used to do, which means using the same recipe (overall) for any roll (just changing the time of development).

The result was often blown highlights and plenty of frustration trying to recover them in Lightroom.

“There has to be a better way”

Last year I got a Pira Darkroom Helper. It is a device that helps you to automate the agitation during the complete development cycle. I use it for development, stop bath, and fixer. I truly recommend getting one if you’re sick (like I was) of manual tank inversions/agitations.

Once I got comfortable with an “inky blacks” formula, I started using it over and over, with little variations on developing time for whatever roll and ISO rating I used.

However, I started noticing recently that I was almost always fighting my highlights. Some of them, beyond recovery.

The final nail in the coffin was a roll I would rather not mess with, and I ended up doing it. I thought, I’m clearly doing something wrong.

There has to be a better way.

So, I went to Google and started visiting blogs, old forums, and whatever helpful information I could get my hands on.

After a while, the problem was clear:

• Dilution is too concentrated.

• Agitation is “too aggressive.”

I was using a 1:15 dilution of HC-110 to get my “inky blacks” and having the Pira thing doing “too much” agitation. That was killing my highlights, especially when pushing.

Now, it was time to test the theory, as I would rather not develop another roll without having a new approach to preserve my highlights.

Enter Fomapan 200 Creative shot at 1600 (+3 stops).

How to develop this thing?

OK, back online. More research led me to a new approach, which was more conservative, promising to take care of my highlights. I had never tried Dilution H before, as I felt my negs were going to get plain and boring with no character in them. However, I didn’t want to risk another roll, so this recipe is what I did:

• Dilution H (1+63)

  • 300 ml (4.7 ml HC-110 + 295 ml water)

• Temp: 23.2 °C (my room temp at that moment)

• Developing Time: 12:45 min (with current temp in mind)

• 30s initial agitation

• 4s gentle agitation per min

• no final agitation

Then,

• Stop Bath: 30s continuous agitation

• Fixer: 5 min, 5s initial and 12s every 30s

Moment of Truth

After the wetting agent, I was crossing my fingers to have at least something usable. My smile couldn’t get bigger once I pulled the roll from the tank and exposed it to the light: it was perfect!

I got super happy with the results. The pictures came up with the “dirty black and white” look I love so much (thanks to Daidō Moriyama for endless inspiration).

I left it to dry overnight. The next morning, with my Plustek ready, I started scanning them. Nodding at almost every frame.

Good stuff.

Subscribe now

Show them pics!

As usual, my playground is Mexico City Downtown. This is where I practice street photography.

Here are some of them. They might not be fascinating, but I love the fact that from now on, I can shoot a humble Foma 200 to 1600 and get usable pictures (to my liking, of course).

Closing Thoughts

All of this came up from a really blown-out highlights roll that I shot a couple of weeks ago. I was like, Man, what am I doing wrong?

It wasn’t just the developing formula.

Furthermore, I was blindly trusting the Olympus XA3’s capabilities. Then, I learned that the max shutter speed was 1/500, and I was rating my film at 1600 on bright sunny days. Even at F16, it was too muckin fuch.

In my defense, I would say that I rated my film at 1600 because it was supposed to be a cloudy day, and suddenly, the sun came up as if I were on a beach. You know, a first-world problem.

I have plenty to learn, but I believe the most important lesson is that depending on the conditions it was shot and the result you actually want, your development recipe will vary.

No more caveman laziness.

See you in the next issue: Fuji Acros + Rodinal

As part of my new development experiments, I got a small bottle of Rodinal. I was intrigued by the acutance property it is famous for (among other things). It seems like acutance is how much sharpening you get by using that developer.

I’ll talk to you soon about this, as I couldn’t believe my eyes with the results.

Hi lovely photo friends! After a short break, Weekly Exposure is back. This week: going minimal with gear, discovering Mexican-made darkroom tools, and catching up with the photo community.

I’m going minimal

I’ve never been a camera collector, so when I see my bookshelf and I see six cameras, I wonder: “what the fuck, Rick?”.

Having many cameras is unusual for me, as I was used to having only one back in my digital days. Having unused cameras bothers me and makes me feel guilty.

Some timeless advice says that you should stick with only one camera whose ins and outs you know. This way, it becomes an extension of yourself. It doesn’t demand that you get fiddly for each shot you want to make. You just do it unconsciously.

That’s how I intend to operate, so during December I decided to sell all my gear except the two cameras I used the most during 2025: the Olympus XA3 and the Leica IIIf.

However, the Leica will go as well. I no longer enjoy the separate viewfinder/rangefinder windows: they slow me down, but no longer in a good way.

After some research, I’ve decided that a Canon P rangefinder will meet my needs. It’s small, well built, quiet, and it feels good in hands.

When you (hopefully) read this, I will be in the middle of shooting my first rolls with it. I cannot be more excited. I’m happier this way, as I want to focus this year on getting better as an enthusiast photographer and I don’t want my equipment to get in the way. Having many cameras was forcing me to rotate them, but that’s not what I want. I will be almost “one camera, one lens”. My charming Olympus XA3 helped me get some of my favorite pics of last year, so it will have a place in my pockets.

Fun fact: my first digital camera was an old Canon Rebel XS. Who knew that 14 years later I would be back with Canon (with an even older camera).

Life works mysteriously.

Pira Developer is super cool

A couple of months ago I got a Pira Darkroom Helper, which is a device to help you develop rolls easier. To my surprise, it’s made in Mexico. You can consider it to be an AGO competitor. My last eight rolls were developed with it, and it was wonderful. It felt like magic.

If you’re bored by doing tank inversions, check it out as it might be what you’ve been looking for all this time. Dani ships to the USA and worldwide via FedEx.

I’m not sure how it compares to AGO, but one thing I can tell you is that it’s cheaper, well built, and it works beautifully. I can do pull/push, it has a heater, it has memory, etc.

Some goodies from last December

For some random reason, this holiday season wasn’t that great for getting out to shoot. Maybe I was burned out from real life work and I opted to rest as much as I could. However, I’ve managed to get some pictures I liked.

Catching Up with Photo Substack

I’ve been trying to consume the cool stuff the community is putting out there.

One of those is this article where good Dan from tested Japan Camera Hunter Street Pan 400. If you’ve been following my adventures (thank you), you might know that I love deep, inky blacks. Well, Dan nailed that aesthetic with photos from his recent trip to Japan. If you’re into BW photography, check it out to get some inspiration.

Stay Focused

Japan Camera Hunter Street Pan 400

While in Tokyo, I was gifted a roll of expired Japan Camera Hunter (JCH) Street Pan 400, given to me by Bellamy Hunt who showed me around Shinjuku and Nakano (in search of what would end up being a new-to-me Nikon FM2N). I was stoked to get a roll from the original run of this film - so cool! I knew I wanted to shoot it while I was still in Tokyo, becau…

Read more

9 months ago · 31 likes · 12 comments · okayfoto

After Tokyo, you can jump to France and accompany on his long commute to work. Great storytelling and pictures, obviously. This gentleman is an inspiration to document everyday life.

I may be wrong

New Year, New Job

At the end of 2025, I quit my job of 5 years and looked for a new one. I don’t change job easily. In fact only once in 23 years to start the one I just quit. But I had reached a point of no return and didn’t feel I could stay any more…

Read more

8 months ago · 48 likes · 18 comments · Cedric

Another cool thing I consumed last Friday was this movie - I mean, Negative Influence podcast - with two of the coolest dudes here: from Focus Tilt Photo and the one and only, . I enjoyed the small talk between these two and I might have learned the difference between town and village, haha.

Lastly, but not least, I’d like to give my buddy a shoutout with the release of his Apartments zine. I truly enjoyed these shots captured beautifully during the night. Check it out.

See you next week

I hope to be sharing the first rolls I’ll be shooting with my new Canon P. I’ll be using Kodak Double-X, as I love it so much. This week I had the chance to get 5 bulk-loaded rolls, and I couldn’t be happier. I got 5 of them for ~45 USD, which is “fair” considering that the branded ones like Reflx Labs or Cinestill are around 15 USD each (💀).

My last quarter of the year was difficult. Too many job responsibilities ended up creating a burnout effect, and this little project called FILM RICK took the hit.

However, after getting some rest, I’m getting some energy back and am ready with another article to finish the year properly.

I truly believe this has been my best year as a photography enthusiast (I’ve never felt comfortable with the term “photographer,” as I do this as a hobby, not in a professional or full-time manner).

I was reviewing my 62 rolls shot this year (around ~1600 images), and I’ve picked 20 of my favorite ones. I’m not sure if they are the “best”; I just pick them because I like them. I’ll be sharing a few lines for each one and why they made it into this top.

Picks of 2025

I will enumerate them, but they are in no particular order, it is just to give some progress feedback to the reader (you).

20 - Aztec Girl

I clearly remember this one. It was around March. I remember it because it was one of the few occasions where I asked if I could get a picture. It wasn’t that hard because those urban artists are there for people to ask them for pictures. However, it was a first for me, and I’m glad I did it. Fun Fact: this was my first developing and scanning ever (I got better at it later).

19 - Abandoned Car

Those close to me know I’m a sucker for apocalyptic stories, especially if they have zombies in them. As soon as I saw this car, I knew I had an end-of-world scene. I can imagine zombies roaming behind the car in a snowy ambiance.

18 - Fer & Mo

An abandoned small boat. Fer & Mo which might stand for Fernando and Monica. Are they still together? Where are they now? Did love flourish or evaporate? It’s a cute love story that will remain a mystery.

17 - Sorting things out

I took this one quick. The old man was sorting out a bunch of nails or screws. He seemed really focused, and I would rather not disturb him. I don’t think he noticed I took the picture. I love when I’m able to capture the essence of someone caring for his craft.

16 - Virgin will take care of us

There’s a small park near where I live. In it, there’s an area dedicated to the garbage collectors. This is where they keep their collection cart—a couple of drums, a twig broom, and bags for sorting trash. The area is usually closed in the afternoons. One day, I walked by and peered through the gap in the gate. It struck me as an interesting sight: the carts waiting for the next morning to get back to work. What I found even more compelling was a small altar to the Virgin Mary. Mexicans tend to venerate her almost everywhere, and here was yet another proof of that devotion.

15 - Rick shot first

I use Uber to get to work, and I normally have my small Olympus XA3 ready to grab a street scene. This time, I was around the Reforma Avenue area, and I noticed this person getting ready to shoot. As if it were the Wild West, I drew first and shot him.

14 - Mega City

Big cities have a charm that is difficult to explain. If we talk about Mexico City, make that 2X. This city is architecturally wonderful. I try to grab as many urban landscapes as I can. This is one of my favorites, as I feel it has a pretty good layering. I took this one from the very roof of my work office. Some days I feel CDMX will become Mega-City One, from Dredd’s world.

13 - Rick Wick

I was walking around the neighborhood, and I saw this doggy friend. He looked dangerous, but he’s a cute, loving one. I got closer to get a picture of him, and suddenly, he posed for me. The Audi in the back made the picture even cooler, as if he’s the guardian. When I developed this picture, I thought it had vibes from John Wick. As you can see by now, I’m such a nerd with movies, books, and photography.

12 - Life Wanderer

In one of my usual visits to Mexico City (CDMX) downtown, I was looking around, and I saw this scene. At first, I hesitated: “what if she sees me and gets mad?”. However, she was completely lost in her thoughts, so I took the frame as quickly as I could. Was she wondering about life? Choices she made? Dreams she might have?

11 - Good bye flag

In the very center of Mexico City's Zocalo, a big Mexican flag waves proudly during the day. In the afternoon, the military takes it down. I took this one in the final moments of the “event.” Does it seem a bit cinematic? Not sure, but I think it captures the moment.

10 - Dramatic Sky

It was getting dark, and I was getting out of my favorite bookstore. Wind was getting chill, and the rain was menacing. I looked up, and I noticed this scene, with the tower and a dramatic sky. No other thing left to do than get my camera and capture the mood of the scene.

9 - Lost in music

I was attending a classical music concert in the Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle). It was beautiful: piano and violin. Luckily, I had my Yashica LM with me, super quiet. I framed the best I could, as I didn’t want to disturb anyone, and I made the picture. I love the final result. The violin player is a bit blurry, but the silhouette captures the essence. However, the person in front of me improves the frame, as he seems focused and truly enjoying the spectacle.

8 - Castle Tower

I love castles so much that sometimes I think I belong to the medieval era. Sun was beautiful in the Chapultepec Castle, so taking advantage of the fact that no one was getting in my pictures, I took my time and captured the side of the tower. I’d love to live there.

7 - Call my name and save me from the dark

Sometimes, if you’re aware of your surroundings and have your camera ready, life will gift you a pretty nice scene. I was in the Basilica de Guadalupe when suddenly, I noticed that hallway. That day was packed (as usual). I was thinking, “I’m pretty sure several people will start crossing the hallway, but I need just one!”. Then, out of nowhere, this woman started walking to it, and I was like, “Yes!” I wasn’t sure it was going to turn out well, as the light was really dim; however, my Olympus XA2 managed it like a champion. One of my favorites of this year.

6 - Infinite City I

I don’t like heights. I have plenty of vertigo. However, I knew someday I had to make it. It was a Saturday when I decided to go to the observation deck of the Torre Latinoamericana, the once tallest building of Latin America. It is so high that it feels unreal. Obviously, I took my pictures as fast as I could and then got back to the ground.

5 - Infinite City II

This is another view of Mexico City from the heights. I love the river of cars. They seem to come from infinity. I’m thinking that later, I will return with a medium format camera to get more details. Not sure when.

4 - Out of nowhere

I was getting out of Café Centrina and ready to return home. As usual, before asking for an Uber, I was checking the surroundings to see if anything was worth a picture. Then I saw the chair. Honestly, it looked like a dark figure sitting there, with some sort of rotten arm. It reminded me a bit of the Dark Riders of Lord of the Rings. I got on one knee and I was about to press the shutter when out of nowhere, those two love birds jumped into the frame in a passionate kiss. I pressed the shutter, got back standing and asked for my Uber. From darkness to love in less than a second.

3 - The Tower is the center of all things

The Torre Latinoamericana provides awesome urban landscapes from almost any area of downtown. Every time I see it, it reminds me of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. I love it. This is one of the subjects I photograph the most. I like to think that all these people are doing the same as Roland: looking for the tower.

2 - The shoulders of the giants

In Reforma avenue, you can find several skyscrapers. I happened to be right next to two of them. The winter sun was beautiful and soft, so I pointed up and grabbed this one.

1 - Stairway to heaven

Would you climb this post and dance on the top of it? I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t do it even if the prize was any amount of money you asked for. Well, this is what the Voladores de Papantla (let’s translate as Papantla Flyers) do. Five of them climb the post, they tie a rope to their waist, and while one of them starts a pre-Hispanic dance on the very top, the others descend upside down while rotating. It’s a super spectacle. Google “voladores de papantla” to see what I’m talking about.

This is my favorite picture of the year, as it gives you the view they have when climbing. I am not sure if you have to be crazy or believe so much in your gods to do it. It gives me the chills just to think about it.

This is the real stairway to heaven.

Good year for FILM RICK

This year marked my return to analog photography. I believe I got some cool pictures, and I’m excited about what’s next.

Meanwhile, I’d like to thank you for being here, with me, talking photography, commenting, liking, and sharing my stuff.

I hope you have a happy new year and celebrate, because we only have one life, and we need to make the most of it every single day.

Cheers, amigos.

A few days ago, BEF (Bazar Espacio Fotográfico) #07 (NOV 25) took place in Mexico City. It’s an event where established and emerging photographers gather to showcase their work in the form of prints, zines, photobooks, talks, or even merchandise (like those cool notebooks with an original Polaroid on the cover).

This time I stayed longer. I spent around four hours speaking with photographers and getting to know their work more closely. There’s so much talent in Mexico when it comes to getting behind a camera, and I’ll be recommending them little by little.

However, as time went on, I began to notice some patterns I’d like to put up for discussion in case any of my Substack friends have experience with events like this and can help clarify or debunk my impressions.

Photography is for photographers

It’s curious. Do photography fans who aren’t photographers even exist? I don’t know a single one.

This doesn’t happen in other arts like literature, where you find voracious readers who don’t have an ounce of desire to become writers. Same with music: the most hardcore fans of any artist aren’t dying to produce their own music.

I bring this up because at events like BEF, only photographers attend (amateurs, enthusiasts, professionals) to see the work of other photographers with similar characteristics. Sure, there’s the occasional curious person, but that’s more the exception than the rule.

Does photography really only get appreciated by other photographers?

On Substack, and pretty much any social network, the people who follow my posts, curiously enough, also love photography.

Lots of curiosity, few sales

While I was there, I saw curious people asking about some high-quality images, photobooks, or even postcards. They rarely turned into monetary transactions.

100+ dollars for a photo (or many rolls)

The Mexican economy is complex. The average worker has barely enough salary to get by month to month. Expecting them to buy prints valued at 100+ USD is a pipe dream. The film shooter will say: with that money I can buy plenty of rolls. The digital shooter will say: with that money I already have a budget for a new lens, a memory card, a tripod, or anything else.

And it’s not that the work isn’t worth it. As I said before, Mexican talent is exquisite. There are truly striking photographs that make you want to take them home. However, there’s a certain gap between the cost of the works and the local economy, and until that gap closes, it’ll be tough for exhibitors to sell as much as they’d like.

In my case, I went with some budget to help my colleagues and show my support by acquiring some material. I left with a photobook, a high-quality paper print, and a really cool tote bag with a cool picture printed on it.

I would’ve wanted more images, but you can’t buy everything from everyone either.

What am I even doing?

I won’t deny it. Seeing the work of photographers with decades of experience made me wonder, “What am I even doing? These guys make real photographs.” The material I reviewed looked artistic, with impeccable light, imposing portraits, cinematic landscapes, and not just from Mexico, but from around the world. These guys have traveled, won awards, and dedicated their lives to photographing and creating their artistic signature.

Even weirder was when several of them asked me if I was a photographer. I said yes, but I didn’t quite feel it, because for me it’s a hobby I take very seriously, but I don’t make a living from it; I don’t do professional work. I go out to the street and do my thing. I’ve never set foot in a studio (though I’d like to), and I haven’t done portraits of random people (just the family members who’ll put up with it, haha).

On second thought, maybe not

However, when I took my Uber back home, I looked at my Lightroom again, went through the photos, and said, “Hey, this isn’t that bad.”

Then I reflected: my photography is personal. I take photos mainly for myself, to document what I like during the different stages of my life. I liked what I saw, yes, but my tastes are rawer, darker, more day-to-day documentary.

My thing is streets and black and white. Comparing my type of photography that’s “not so artistic” with clearly artistic proposals is nonsense.

The impostor syndrome left after a half-hour ride home. All good.

What could work better

Beyond my personal trip, there are things about the event I think could work better.

One aspect I suspect doesn’t help with sales either is the matter of supply. There’s so much! If you tried to look carefully at each of the images, you’d spend at least three straight days. There comes a point where it becomes overwhelming. It’s easy to become a victim of analysis paralysis, meaning there are so many options that choosing becomes an uphill battle.

Another key aspect would be price clarity. It’s like nobody wants to have their prices too visible so no one feels they’re “selling too cheap”. Sometimes you just want to look and do your reasoning between quality and price, and asking ends up opening conversations if you’re not careful (I confess I’m a victim of this, haha).

At the end of the day

I love BEF. It inspires me to keep photographing. I love getting to know the national talent, both established and emerging. And I love feeling there’s a community that enjoys and loves photography.

Personally, I truly enjoy this event. I’ve attended four of the seven editions, and each time I spend more time talking and exchanging opinions. Maybe I’ll try to coordinate some interviews in the coming months with the photographers who at least already know my name to share their experiences here on FILM RICK.

I don’t know how profitable it turns out economically for attendees. Since the place has limited dimensions (basically it’s a long rectangle you can walk around in one lap), I assume the cost is reasonable for exhibitors. So we’ll have to see how much longer it keeps going. It started, if I’m not mistaken, in late 2024 or even this same 2025. It happens approximately every month or two.

What I want to make clear is that, despite the impostor syndrome lapse, I left delighted. The passion with which the exhibitors speak is contagious. It makes you want to get out of there as soon as possible and make a ton of photographs.

However, I can’t stop thinking that:

1. The audience for photography is other photographers.

2. Art is subjective, yes, and what’s expensive for some isn’t as much for others. However, the Mexican economy complicates it to acquire exquisite work at prices that feel high, and it’s not because it’s not valued, but because no matter how much you want to, it’s not affordable.

Your turn

Do you attend photography events in your city?

Have you noticed any of these aspects?

Have you been an exhibitor?

Weekly Exposure is back strong after a week off.

If this is your first time here, thanks. If not, thanks too.

This is a weekly series (for now) where I share interesting topics from my analog photography adventures.

Here we go.

Infinite City

My personal muse is Mexico City and its streets that gift photographic moments at every corner. If you have quick eyes and fast hands, you take home good loot.

Since there’s no date that doesn’t arrive or deadline that isn’t met, the time came to face my fear of heights to photograph the infinite city. Because yeah, nobody knows where the city begins or ends. It’s a metropolis like no other.

So knowing that vertigo was going to wreak havoc on me, I took the elevator to the sky, and thirty-eight floors later, the glass-mirrored observation deck of the Torre Latinoamericana welcomed me.

Truth is, even though I was dying inside, after developing the images, I can say it was worth it. So without further ado, here are the photos from a perspective I’ve never posted online before.

These are the things you do for your photo friends, haha.

P.S. I hate Substack compression on images. They look awesome in my Lightroom.

Infinite City: The Gear

• Film: Rollei Paul & Reinhold 640 ISO (shot at 1250)

• Camera: Nikon F3

• Lens: Vöigtlander ƒ/2 40mm Ultron

• Developer (home): HC-110 Dilution A (inky blacks)

• Scanner (home): Plustek 8100

I really loved the photos. I’ve been printing some of them on my Canon Selphy CP1500 and I love them, they look like great postcards.

And also, thanks to everyone who encouraged me to use it instead of leaving it in a drawer or abandoning it. The Nikon F3 is a beast. Heavy, but the power flows through your hands.

Darkroom Got Handsome

This year (which actually started in March, when analog photography called me back), I’ve developed just over 60 rolls. All at home, including medium format. And while I love it and enjoy it, now that I’m doing push processing more often, the times extend, and essentially, it starts becoming tedious when you have several pending rolls. Those who develop at home surely understand me.

Enter PIRA Darkroom Helper

After developing four rolls in a single sitting, I decided to look online for options that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg (cough, AGO, cough).

To my great surprise, I found an option made in Mexico by Daniel, a Mexican mechatronics engineer. He dedicated 30 months to perfecting the product. If this isn’t passion, then tell me what is.

After some back and forth with Dani, where I expressed some doubts, I decided to take the leap and get the product. Mexico is a country whose manufacturing quality is world-class, so I’m sure this product will be a game changer in my darkroom.

If you want to check it out, go to https://darkroomhelper.pira.mx/.

Dani does international shipping. If you live in the USA, it’s really fast.

Once I test it with some rolls, I’ll do a full review.

Bobinquick Junior 35 mm Bulk Film Loader

I’m sick of the difficulty getting Double-X or Tri-X rolls. Every day more scarce and expensive. And since I don’t like complaining without proposing solutions, I decided to get a Bulk Film Loader to buy cans and have my favorite films for longer.

Now I just need to get the cans, which are equally scarce, haha.

If not, we’ll always have Fomapan 200, an underdog film that’s good, nice, and cheap.

Wish me luck, I’ve never done this before, but I know it’ll be fine. I don’t think it’s more complicated than developing, which I also learned this year.

Light the night

I love night photos that hint at what’s happening instead of showing the complete scene. However, I always felt limited by not having continuous light, so I got myself a couple of lights to see what I can do. I have some self-portraits in mind to start with, but something will come up. I’ll keep you posted on my adventures.

New WebApp by FILM RICK: Darkroom Timer

I don’t want to give too many details for now since I’m still in testing phase, but eventually, my career as a Systems Engineer was going to meet my passion for analog photography.

One of the things that frustrates me when I’m developing is having to use my iPhone timer. The problem is that the bastard starts turning off mid-countdown, and I have to be touching the screen mid-agitation so it doesn’t turn off.

Yes, I could set it to never turn off, but I know I’ll forget to reconfigure it when I finish developing.

So I told myself: how the hell do we solve this drama?

And that’s how Darkroom Timer was born.

The essence is this: you set the developing, stop bath, and fixer times, and once you start, you only have to focus on handling the chemicals.

Yes, I could’ve bought a physical timer, but that’s not all.

Do you always use the same developing formula every time?

I don’t.

Depending on the push I want and the temperature, there are always variations. On top of that, some films prefer agitation to inversion. It’s chaos if you’re not careful (unless I’m the careless one).

Therefore, one of the features it will have is the ability to save and reuse formulas, so you don’t have to be searching through your notes for “what were the times for XYZ film.”

It offers more features, but they’re still in development. I consider it to be the Swiss Army knife of the Darkroom.

I hope to launch a beta within two weeks, and I’d love it if my Substack friends felt like trying it out.

If so, drop a comment.

Inspiration of the Week: Juan Rulfo

Juan Nepomuceno Rulfo Vizcaíno (1916-1986) is my personal god. Among his works are two of the most acclaimed books in universal literature.

One of them is Pedro Páramo and the other is El Llano en Llamas. Both have translations in every language in the world.

You’ll know that when I found out he was also a prolific photographer, I was blown away. This week I was flipping through his book 100 Photographs by Juan Rulfo again, which portrays the rural atmosphere (among several topics) of Mexico in that era (1950s or so), and I loved it. His composition skills and ability to capture the essence of the scenes in front of him are incredible.

If you dare to read his books (they’re short), and pair it with his photography, your level of immersion will be absolute.

I wish more people knew about Juancito’s photographic side, because he doesn’t lack worldwide fame as a writer. This is my grain of salt so that his skills with the camera are as recognized as his skills with paper and pen.

Weekly Is Becoming Bi-Weekly Exposure

I love working on this series. However, I’m on many projects right now, and I would rather not rush it just for the sake of it, so I will be switching this series to biweekly frequency.

See you in issue #5.

Phew! This was a very long one. Hopefully, it was entertaining at least.

More on FILM RICK…

If you’d like to see more of my work, check my portfolio. I warn you that you might fall in love with Mexico City.

If you wonder why the hell someone shoots analog, check my most favorited and commented post.

Or simply subscribe.

Subscribe now

It would’ve been a sin to keep my camera stored away during one of my favorite celebrations: Día de Muertos, or in English, Day of the Dead. So, even though I’m a bit late, I went out to capture some scenes that represent this important holiday for us Mexicans.

Before we get to the fun part (the photos), I need to clarify something. Many people think Day of the Dead is the Mexican version of Halloween. They couldn’t be more different.

Day of the Dead is a Mexican tradition celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. Families build altars decorated with marigolds, candles, photos, and the favorite food and drinks of those who passed. It is a celebration where life and death meet. The belief is that spirits come back to visit during these days, and we welcome them with open arms.

It is vibrant, colorful, and full of love. Far from somber.

I feel like Halloween focuses on fear and jump scares. Day of the Dead is different. There are no monsters here. Just skeletons dancing, sugar skulls smiling, and families gathering to remember. While Halloween commercializes spookiness, Day of the Dead holds real meaning for us. It transforms death into something beautiful rather than terrifying.

I’m not saying ours is better. I’m just stating that both holidays are different. I’m not against Halloween. I just wish people understood they’re completely different celebrations.

One thing that saddens me is seeing little kids and their parents doing trick-or-treat in Mexico. Some people think I’m exaggerating, but this is exactly how traditions disappear.

Now, the pictures. I’ve tried to segment them into galleries as best as I could. I’ve added “spooky” captions to get you in the mood, haha. Enjoy!

This is Día de Muertos

Skulls everywhere

Zombies roaming

Death is watching you

Giant Catrinas roaming the city

What’s next?

For next year, if life allows it, I’ll go deeper to capture the essence of Day of the Dead. There’s so much more beyond the skulls and altars. This year I got a bit lazy (real life has been super busy), but at least I captured some of it. I like how those turned out.

MORE ON FILM RICK

Lately, I’ve started a series called Weekly Exposure where I share a couple of topics related to analog photography that I find interesting.

If you’d like to see more of my work, check my portfolio. I warn you that you might fall in love with Mexico City.

If you wonder why the hell someone shoots analog, check my most favorited and commented post.

Or simply subscribe.

Thanks for being here another week.

You can find past issues here:

• Weekly Exposure #1

• Weekly Exposure #2

Every week I pick some recent events I’d like to share with my Substack amigos, so here’s the new issue.

I don’t always shoot color, but when I do…

I go Cyberpunk mode. Or at least, it’s what I’d like to think when using Cinestill 800T or Kodak Vision 3 500T. If you’ve been here a couple of times, you know my true love is black and white, but the Cyberpunk aesthetic is something that catches my eye all the time.

I shot these images with my… “polemic” Nikon F3 (which I will discuss in the next topic).

Honestly, they don’t have enough neon to be Cyberpunk, but anyway, they are cool.

Do you like tacos?

Because I do.

I went to my closest taquería and shot scenes of taco making. Those images illustrate the “street food” version rather than the “restaurant touristy” ones.

Don’t let my maybe not so great pictures make you think otherwise. I love to eat them almost every week.

I plan to keep shooting 800T

Yes, but mostly after dark. I really like night photography. This might be the only drawback of being married to analog photography. There are only Delta or TMax 3200 if you want to play on the safe side.

ISO 800 might be enough if you have a fast lens. Fortunately, I possess a Vöigtlander Ultron 40 mm f/1.8 that makes the job easier and achievable.

Shattered Dreams: The Nikon F3 Story

When I returned to analog photography in March of 2025, I wanted to go all bells and whistles mode by purchasing my dream camera: the Nikon F3. I paid more than I’d ever paid for an old camera, but being in mint condition, I thought it was worth it.

After it arrived, I was excited to shoot the rest of my life with it. However, the honeymoon was short.

I was in a flea market like two or three months later (not sure, to be honest), when I had the chance to hold a Barnack Leica in my filthy hands (I didn’t know at the time that M models and Barnacks were different beasts).

Don’t ask me what it was that made me fall in love immediately with that Leica. It was small, ergonomic, and heavy, but just enough to feel sturdy. Damn. I wanted to take it home. Especially when the F3 is big and heavy, not to mention that lenses are massive. It feels like you’re carrying a shotgun and not a camera.

The seller asked the equivalent of 1000 USD. Too much, even pricier than what I’d paid for the Nikon F3 and Voigtlander lens combo.

I thought, Leicas are not for me.

But it was a lie. I just didn’t want to admit it.

I learned everything I could about it and looked at eBay for hours, searching for the “best” model for me.

After thinking for a day or two if I should do it, I finally pulled the trigger the night of that Sunday.

Since I've had it, I’ve only shot no more than five rolls of the fifty-seven I’ve shot (so far) this year. Not even ten percent.

Why am I sharing this story with you?

Because I’m a one-camera man. In the past, before joining the analog photography church, I just had a Fuji X-T1, and before it, a Canon Rebel XS.

Not because I couldn’t get more cameras, it’s that I just want to have the minimum gear I need to enjoy my photography.

And now, having an expensive Nikon F3, Yashica Mat LM, Agfa Billy I, Olympus XA3, and Konica C35 besides the Leica IIIF, the pressure has been increasing.

Why do you need so many cameras? I ask myself.

As usual, when in doubt, I reach out to the photography community on Substack. Many photo amigos have been feeling this, but they tend to keep their cameras anyway.

Others told me to just sell it.

Others advised me to be careful with regret, and this is the main reason I decided to keep them all for now. I think I’ve been using my Olympus XA3 too much the last few weeks, so using the manual cameras doesn’t feel as fun.

However, when they’re in my hands, I enjoy all these cameras. They all have a purpose. Unlike digital, where you can even see in the dark with 12800 ISO, each one of mine serves a purpose, so I will start using them more, rotating often, and enjoying them, because they are also part of photography history.

So thanks, amigos. I was about to sell at least the F3, but it’s staying home, where it belongs. It might not be the spoiled one anymore, but her beauty and performance cannot be denied. I’m sure it will outlast me.

Of Prints and Zines

I think it’s a natural step when you start to feel comfortable with your work and the desire to have it printed starts to grow.

This is what’s been happening to me lately (and I’m seeing this more frequently on Substack as well). However, starting is hard.

What to print? What paper? Where to print? How do I know if pictures will look the same on paper as on screen? Should I sell them? What price? You get the idea.

Hopefully, good people like Birgitte have started a blog series on zines. You might want to follow her process and pick one or two tricks for your zine.

It seems like Mixam or Blurb, or any fancy services, only work pretty well in the USA, Canada, or some European countries. No love for Mexico, so it doesn’t surprise me. We have a pretty good printing industry here; I just need to keep up my research and pick a provider.

However, I need to actually make the zine first.

For now, I’ve decided to go full DIY. I got some paper, I have a decent printer, and I have a long-arm stapler. I’ll go this mode until I’m happy, and then I’ll release my first one.

However, as I cannot wait to see some prints, I took advantage of a promo that a photo lab offered. It was 20 A4 prints on cotton paper 190 g/m² for some cash. I received them yesterday, and I’m pleased with the results.

It’s not the best paper life has to offer, but it’s good enough for now. I think I will sell some of them at a reduced price or maybe gift them to friends. We will see.

However, printing is something I’d like to explore a lot more in 2026.

Hopefully, good Rick will have his first zine soon. A dream I’ve had since I started doing photography.

Goodies of the Week

I’m trying to share some cool photography stuff I consume that helps or inspires my work. Hopefully, you might find them interesting.

Movie Inspiration: Psycho (1960)

A few weeks ago, I published “Long Live Black and White” where I described why I love black and white so much. One of my sources of inspiration is classic black and white cinema.

This week was the turn of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960).

Good old Alfred used one of my all time favorite film stocks to shoot it: Kodak Eastman Double-X 5222. I mean, take a look at these frames from the movie.

Thanks to John L. Russell, Director of Photography, for those wonderful compositions, one of the things that really stand out in this movie.

Article Inspiration

There’s a lot of talented people in this (still) lovely social network. I can’t read all I would like because life happens, but I did my best this week and these caught my attention.

For the second week in a row, the good Søren is being featured in this humble section. The man lives and breathes art. Not only sharing awesome photographers, but also his work is something to admire. Check out his article.

søren’s photography substack

The Stripes have it!

[Søren Harbel: Prado…

Read more

10 months ago · 58 likes · 44 comments · søren k. harbel

My friend Justin, from The Negative Influence podcast, hit a home run this week with “The Possession of Justin Allen”. I love when the Substack community encourages you to try new things. I can speak from experience.

Justin Allen- Photographer

The Possession of Justin Allen

I didn’t choose to be possessed…

Read more

10 months ago · 25 likes · 11 comments · Justin Allen- Photographer

That’s it.

This was a long one. I hope you enjoyed it. Don’t get used to seeing me posting color pictures, as black and white and I are bonded forever.

Just as my F3 with me…

This new section in FILM RICK got a nice reception, which I’m thankful for—and that’s the reason we have a new issue.

In this issue, I’d like to briefly discuss:

• First Time Using Leica Monopan 50

• “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”

• Learning from the GOATs

• Reads of the week

You can locate issue #1 here.

First Time Using Leica Monopan 50

I’m normally shooting high-speed rolls or pushing them. Light is rarely ideal when you’re into street photography. However, we’re starting to get some sunny days in Mexico City after a million days of rain, so I pulled the trigger and picked up an ADOX HR-50, which is the actual Leica Monopan 50 according to the internet.

The good:

• Sharp as hell. No surprise here, as low ISO film normally has this characteristic.

• Beautiful tones. The gallery pictures are straight from the scanner. I’ve just enhanced the contrast a bit, but even without it, the pictures are pleasant to see.

The “bad”:

• Shooting ISO 50 is ok while the sun is up. One or two clouds later, and you’ll need to start opening your aperture.

• Feels like a roll for special occasions: studio work or really sunny days.

Verdict:

• I don’t think I’ll reach for this one often just because of the low speed. Even if I push it, I’ll get around 200 before it gets weird.

These are some of the best pictures I got with it. I’ve tested various subjects, as you will see.

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”

What do you do with your out-of-focus shots?

Do you set them aside to discard them as soon as possible?

Do you archive them to not look at them while thinking what to do?

Do they create rage inside you for not being what you remember from the scene?

Honestly, I did all of the above. However, they’ve been slowly growing on me. It’s like I’m not used to shooting blurry pictures on purpose. They’re normally accidents:

• You forget to focus properly (more common in rangefinders)

• Your point-and-shoot picks a low shutter speed, and you get camera shake.

• You shoot even if it’s dark as a cave, hoping the ISO holds a bit more.

Then you develop, and there they are: pictures that don’t look like “our style,” but somehow, they’re moderately interesting.

This is what also happened to me. They slowly grew on me, and now, even though I don’t shoot them deliberately, I cherish them—because even though they’re not sharp, they capture what I was actually seeing: motion.

Here’s a small gallery of the ones I’ve overlooked from the last few weeks, but now they have a new album in my Lightroom. When I have some more that aren’t complete trash, I’ll create a new collection on my portfolio.

If God himself, Henri Cartier-Bresson, claims that “sharpness is a bourgeois concept,” who am I to say otherwise?

Learning from the GOATs

I don’t have formal photography education. All my findings are through trial and error. However, I enjoy reading. I read a lot, and for photography, it’s no different. Yesterday I was able to grab some interesting ones! I haven’t read them enough to do a proper review, but I took a quick glance, and I love what I see.

Also, one of many reasons I shoot (mostly) black and white is because the masters shot it. I can relate to and learn more from images without color. I know there are plenty of masters who shoot color, but black and white is my choice, and I enjoy those books even more.

Fun fact: I noticed while writing this issue that all three photographers are French!

P.S. I’m looking for Russian photographers, meaning the “Russian version” of the French ones. If you have a recommendation, please drop a comment!

Reads of the Week

My friend David of Stillness in Focus dropped a superb article about his latest road trip. It’s been a while since I’ve read such a great long-form piece of this quality. There were passages where I felt I was there with David, witnessing the same things he was seeing. Read it and give him a follow. The man delivers.

Stillness in Focus

From Silence to Sky: A Road Trip of Expectations

Note: If you’re reading this in your email, this is a very long article and it will likely be too long to display in full. To read the entire post, click the link to open it in your browser…

Read more

10 months ago · 18 likes · 18 comments · Stillness in Focus

Another great read I made as soon as I got the notification was this one by Mr. Søren K. Harbel. He’s a gem in the photography community, always sharing content about great photographers. On this occasion, we find out what it’s like to meet one of those renowned artists: Marc Riboud (another Frenchie!). I got obsessed with his photography, and now I’d like to have a small book like the ones I’ve shown.

søren’s photography substack

.... if we think too much, we miss the birdie!

The quote above is from Marc Riboud. Riboud was the first famous photographer I met in person. He was in his mid-80s. I had attended a 50th anniversary exhibition of his work at a small museum in Paris, which was really more like a mid-size house. There were photographs everywhere, not always great lighting, but the photographs… The photographs wer…

Read more

10 months ago · 48 likes · 38 comments · søren k. harbel

See you next time!

I hope you enjoyed this issue of Weekly Exposure. For the next one, I’ll be sharing some Cinestill 800T love. I love the cyberpunk genre, and when I want color, that’s my first choice. Also, I have some news regarding printing my work professionally and things I’m thinking about for the next year.

In this first issue, I’d like to tackle some topics that I’ve experienced this week (Mon 13th to Sun 19th).

Kodak Double-X 5222 is just killer

If you’ve been following some of my film adventures, you know I love black and white film so much. And because of it, I’m always trying new rolls, shooting them at box speed, or doing some pushes, as I normally need more speed, not less—I’m a crazy mofo that loves shooting in any light conditions. Even if it’s too dark for the roll.

This week I shot the legendary Kodak Double-X. The recommended ISO speed is 250 for daylight and 200 for tungsten/indoors. However, unless you live on an island, sunny days are scarcer every day as winter gets closer. Mexico City is mostly cloudy, so I did what any rational person would do.

I pushed it to 800, and I think the results speak for themselves.

Sadly, this film is challenging to find in the wild. It’s normally sold out. I’ve seen some independent companies like CineWorks or Cinestill repackage it, but they are not popular in Mexico, as people prefer Kodaks or Fujis for color.

I was able to find some on AliExpress at a good price. The box says Hitchcock. I've never heard of the brand before. Let’s see how it goes.

Lost my Olympus XA2

It’s no secret that this little beauty has been my go-to camera in recent months. It’s tiny, and the lens quality is superb. I haven’t seen a Zuiko lens doing crappy images.

Last Saturday, somehow, it dropped from my pocket when I was in the Uber. Sadly, I didn’t notice it until it was too late. At least, it wasn’t loaded with my last roll of Double-X.

Now, I ordered an Olympus XA3.

I decided to pick the next iteration because it allows me to select ISO 1600, and being a film pusher, this will come in handy.

Rest in peace, dear Olympus XA2. You brought all the joy I could ask for.

Coming Up: Rollei Paul & Reinhold 640

While waiting for my new set of Kodak Double-X, I decided to get one of these Rollei “rare” films. It’s supposed to be real 640 ISO, so it will be awesome for my style of shooting in caves.

I got this roll from my friends at Analog Store MX (they bring film from Europe to Mexico at competitive prices). They confirmed my suspicion: people in Mexico mostly seek Kodak color films or Fomapan (when it’s for black and white).

For example, I’d like to try many rolls to see how they behave, but normally, people are not that open to trying new things. I get it; film is not cheap, and you want predictable results, but I’m not sure if that’s the only reason.

AI Usage for My Analog Photography

I’ve seen too many times on Substack people threatening to block everything AI related. I get it, but I don’t share the feeling.

AI is super useful for mundane work.

For example, I use it for:

1. Asking it for developer formulas when I want more/less contrast, inky blacks, etc. Otherwise, I would never have discovered that Dilution A in Kodak HC-110 developer brings those inky blacks I love so much. The normal recommendation in my experience is Dilution B, which is softer and more neutral.

2. Asking it for the best developer for my style of photography. I was using Ilfosol until it recommended me to change to HC-110 if I wanted to push, as Ilfosol is more directed towards low ISO film. Not good for pushing.

3. Asking it to check my articles in terms of grammar and syntax. I believe I’m good enough to write in English, but it’s not my native language, so I make mistakes that are easily fixable by AI.

4. Asking for camera differences, recommendations, etc.

5. Asking for some info regarding random rolls like the Lucky SHD ones. I got intel that they might be poorly packaged sometimes, leading to some unexpected dots on the pictures.

I will never use it for:

1. Generating images that “look like mine”. Eww.

2. Generating articles just for the sake of having something to publish.

I love analog photography so much that I wouldn’t forgive myself if I faked anything related to it. However, I won’t limit myself from sending AI the tedious tasks that take time away from the fun stuff.

Published my portfolio at filmrick.com

I love to post on Substack, but I always wanted a place to share my pictures in the form of collections. This week, I finally pulled the trigger and did it. You can find it at filmrick.com.

You’ll encounter right now some collections like:

• Decay

• Darkness Rises

• Street Action

• Two Wheels

• Oldies But Goodies

• Eternal Zocalo

• One Day in Rick’s Life

• Urban Artists

I’m planning to add more, but I’m still curating them.

I love Mexico City so much, I plan to use this portfolio for the world to know how beautiful this metropolis is.

That’s it for now!

I hope you enjoyed this first issue. If I see some traction, I’ll keep posting it. My idea is to make it weekly on Sundays if there are enough interesting things to share. You know, sometimes real life gets in the way.

See you next time.

I got my Yashica Mat LM a few weeks ago, and my fascination with medium format hasn’t stopped growing. Those giant negatives are addictive, and their quality is unbeatable. My Yashica shoots 6×6, but the truth is, medium format has more to offer.

Then I remembered I was being a bit unfair to my old AGFA Billy I (which I talked about in this article) since on my final attempt, a small hole in the bellows ruined my shots.

I’m not usually the type who likes fixing things. I don’t have the patience or the hands for it. However, I thought, how hard could it be to fix a tiny little hole?

After going back and forth with Claude AI to figure out my options, I went the easy route and got some gaffer tape. I cut a small piece, carefully placed it on the bellows, and after shining a lamp on it, I saw it was perfectly sealed. A couple of extra tests pushing and pulling the bellows confirmed the trick had worked.

I took advantage of the delicious weather and went out to shoot a lot of Fomapan.

FOMAPAN 100 IN 6×9

Lately I’ve been experimenting with Fomapan. With this stock, I both shoot at box speed and push it to test the film’s limits.

This time I decided to test the film’s real capacity and shot it at ISO 80. It’s not always gloriously sunny in Mexico City, so I wanted to take advantage of it.

As always, my playground was the Centro Histórico (Historic Downtown), which was also decorated for Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations.

Without further ado, here are my favorites from the first roll.

Then I moved around a bit, tried to capture images in different conditions to see how it responds, and honestly, it didn’t disappoint at all.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

• Developer: Kodak HC-110 Dilution A | 6:30 min at 22-23 °C

• Scanning: DSLR by Mexicana Análoga LAB

STORY TIME

This year I started developing. And like a good engineer, I had to iterate.

I started with Monobath to lose the fear. Then I tried Ilfosol 3, but when I started pushing film, I realized it wasn’t the best option. Finally, I settled on Kodak HC-110 in Dilution B… or so I thought.

However, my software engineer nature made me chat with Claude AI from Anthropic (let’s say, OpenAI/ChatGPT’s rival) to explain that I couldn’t achieve those inky blacks I love so much.

To keep the story short, I should mention it recommended Dilution A, and since then I’ve been addicted to that formula (1:15 ratio).

I asked Claude for its source (because I genuinely didn’t know developers could be used in different formulas), and it told me one of its references is the book “Way Beyond Monochrome: Advanced Techniques for Traditional Black & White Photography.”

It looks fascinating, but it seems extremely technical and complex. I started reading it digitally, but I felt it was going to be pretty heavy going, and in the end, I just wanted my inky blacks, and the AI already did the work of understanding and recommending. I’m satisfied with the results; that’s the truth.

CONCLUSIONS (FOR NOW)

Although it’s simple to use, I tend to forget that I need to adjust the aperture frequently on this AGFA Billy I.

This camera doesn’t have a rangefinder. It has nothing. Everything is zone focusing. Thank goodness that despite this, since I almost always shoot at ƒ/8 or ƒ/11, the images are still usable. Anyway, sharpness is overrated.

6×9 negatives make me happy. Someday I’ll have images worth printing large, but as they say, practice makes perfect.

For now, I keep enjoying shooting medium format in both 6×6 and 6×9. 35 mm is still my everyday format (practicality rules), but every time I load up the AGFA Billy or the Yashica, I feel like I’m playing in another league, even if I’m doing the same type of pictures (mostly street).

And if you’re looking for brutally inky blacks, you know what to do: Fomapan 200 pushed to 800 with HC-110 Dilution A (post about it coming soon!).

We photographers are constantly looking for inspiration to improve in the art of image-making.

Today it is easy to jump on YouTube and see what our peers are doing around the world. Whether it is studio or street photography, there is always something for everyone.

But some of us still prefer that so-called “old and outdated” material: books. In them we can fully appreciate the great masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Juan Rulfo, Daidō Moriyama, Robert Doisneau and many others.

These books are exquisite, filled with impeccable black-and-white photographs that are always inspiring. It is impossible to leaf through them without feeling two things: a bit of impostor syndrome and, at the same time, an enormous urge to go out and shoot without fear.

That said, I will not lie: many of us also want our photos to look “cinematic” (whatever that means). That is why some of us also turn to cinema, learning from framing and composition, though it can be tricky… unless you happen to own a Hasselblad X-Pan and shoot panoramic by default.

The other day I stumbled on a new source of inspiration, and I have been making the most of it.

Enter Classic Cinema

As a film enthusiast, I am always searching for great stories. It is difficult to find them in Hollywood’s current offerings, full of weak remakes.

So a couple of weeks ago I started exploring movies from the first half of the 20th century.

I can say with confidence that I have enjoyed them like never before, for several reasons.

LOTS OF BLACK AND WHITE

I love shooting in black and white. Most of my film shots are in this style. Watching classic films shot on the emulsions we all love (many of them now gone) is pure joy. Fine grain, deep blacks, impeccable lighting... it is all there. And if the movie happens to be noir, then it is bliss. The other day I watched one set in rainy 1950s Paris. The contrast of shadows and lights felt like negatives coming alive in the darkroom.

ALMOST SQUARE FORMAT

Now that I am shooting 6×6 with my new Yashica Mat, classic cinema has become an unexpected teacher. Back then the aspect ratio was 1.33, almost square. Not the same as looking through the big ground glass of a TLR, but it gives great ideas about composing within a tighter frame.

PERFECT LENGTH

Modern life has changed my tolerance for long movies. These days I think only a masterpiece should run more than two hours. In the past, stories were usually around ninety minutes. That means you can watch a whole film and still have time to head out for a photo walk.

Conclusions (for now)

In cinema from the last century, I found everything I was looking for: good stories, solid acting, unique proportions, plenty of black and white, and the perfect length.

If you dive into this world, you will discover films and cinematographers who were pioneers and legends. Over the last few weeks I have watched films from Mexico, the United States, England, France, Italy, Russia, and Japan. Each with their character, their film stocks, and their own way of showing what the world looked like by day and by night.

If your first thought is that watching movies from a hundred years ago sounds boring, let me tell you I thought the same. But all it took was one great story, and within five minutes I was hooked.

Give it a chance. There are plenty of gems waiting not only to entertain you, but also to inspire your photography.

And if you do not work in black and white, just move forward to the 60s and 70s, when color took over. You will find plenty of Kodak and plenty of composition lessons there too.

Classic cinema does not just entertain. It is an open workshop of light, framing, and storytelling for any photographer willing to look beyond the YouTube algorithm.

Meanwhile, I’ll keep shooting black and white until the end of times.

See you next time?