Family Photography

Growing up I spent more time with my mothers side of the family rather my dads (not by choice). The few family members I had on my moms side would often get together when I would visit them in Tijuana Mexico. My grandma would always be taking photos on her canon powershot sd 1000 or her camcorder that her palm wrapped around. Growing up me and my grandma didn't have the best relationship (later we did) but what I did like was her gadgets. She always had a sick looking device on her. A black and red flip phone that had a keyboard, her retro cameras. I always wanted some of her devices but she never gave me any even if she had them in a box for a decade. It was only after she passed that I was able to go into those boxes and use those gadgets that she withheld. The point being.... Throughout my childhood every dinner, vacation or insignificant moment my grandma was there documenting.

I remember one time Me and my mom were on vacation scuba diving in Bahia de Los Angeles (Baja California Mexico) when we were wrapping up our dive. There was a boat with my grandma waiting for us on the surface to pick us up. However when your underwater the current will take you a ways away from where you started or wherever the pickup spot is. When we surfaced the boat was a ways away and the water was very choppy. the boat didn't spot us with the conditions so we had to swim to it with all our gear. By the time we reached the boat we were out of breath and struggling to put our equipment along with ourselves on the boat. As were choking on water trying to board I hear my grandma yelling at us in Spanish holding her camcorder, "photo, photo"! In the moment I was pissed but looking back its something I find hilarious.

I think In this life I always would have found my way to photography through my interest in mechanical gadgets. However I learned the importance of documenting and the connection to capturing moments and memories from my grandma. Shout out Consuela