Stories from Mexico City with Fuji X-Pro1 and 35mm

I’m Miguel Angel Cortes, 31 years old from Mexico city, a very croudy city.

I started in photography about 10 years ago, even when I studied something different first, but my first contact with photo was a long time ago watching a Time Life book with the iconic images of the wars, sports, people, etc. that we all have seen, and one day later I decided to “study” that thing that liked me since that time.

First I tried to do fashion, but was a lot of things to do wich involves people and a lot of free work so I left it, and started doing “street photo” wich it isn’t a new theme; at the beggining was a bit hard ‘cause I’m quite shy, so it was a problem; and the issue that people doesn’t like to be photographed, but I beat all those things and I guess I got very good shots. Right now I have been doing nature photographs wich is very different ‘cause in there you are all alone, but before this year ends I will return to do street photo.

My Fuji Xpro 1 was the second digital camera that I had, the first was a Sony A200, and I chose it ‘cause I didn’t want the traditional two brands. I like Sony’s A series, and it was a good choice. I always use A (aperture priority) program, with big appertures and I tend to underexpose the photos to correct them in Ligtroom, also I use spot mettering.

I don’t use jpg’s since 90% of my photos are in black and white so I don’t have special settings, but the jpg’s in ProNeg H I like them a lot; unlike the b&w jpg wich is to “gray” for me.

The only Fuji lens I have is the 35mm ƒ1.4 that can be used for everything.
When I’m doing nature I use some Fd lenses (50mm macro, 100-200mm) with an adaptator it’s a bit hard the manual focus at the begging, but then becomes easier with good results.

My street photo, is about a public square in Mx city, called Coyoacán wich is very busy all the time with tourists, salesmens, common people, poor people, young and old people… every one is in that place so always there’s something to see.

In my photos I try to catch a moment than can tell something else or make a little story about it for the expectator.

Miguel Cortes

“I’m 31 years old and started in this not so long ago, with a canon a-1, then I went to a bad photo school, I have won some little contests in my city ( Mexico City) I prefer black and white photos. My usual issues are street photo and nature.”

www.facebook.com/mangelcortes/