2025/06/16 15:13
For all hand made print lovers,
The foundation of my photography came from a powerful experience I had while traveling in Mexico in my twenties. I packed an old Leica and 28mm lens that I borrowed from my uncle, along with 50 black-and-white negatives, into my shoulder bag and set off on a long-distance bus. That time was a little more peaceful and laid back than today, but it was a time when there were no mobile phones, let alone the Internet. I traveled with all my senses sharpened across the vast country south of the border. I had a lot of troubles, including a bad case of diarrhea, but thankfully the kind Mexican people supported my journey. I still remember it like it was yesterday.
Currently, on this web page I have only one photogravure print made from a negative taken in Mexico 37 years ago. The photo was taken in the courtyard of an old house that I happened to stop by in the city of Guanajuato. In the days before the modern wave of overtourism, during the afternoon "siesta" time, everything was quiet and it felt like the whole town was asleep. I was drawn into the courtyard as I was drawn in by the sight I happened to see from the main street. The Spanish-style mansion was built around the courtyard, and the light was pouring in from the stairs leading to the second floor, inviting me. I took a deep breath and took just one photo. Looking back, it may have been a door to a world that continues into eternity. A few years ago, I visited the city again but was never able to locate it.
Yoshio Press
This is a photo book that chronicles the memories of that time, compiled into a Kindle edition in 2020.
