I would be glad to introduce myself. My name is Ivan Jose and I was born in Mexico City in 1987, I am a filmmaker and I have been seriously interested in photography since maybe 2002. I went to film school from 2005 to 2008 in order to became a film director, but for practical reasons I choose the path of cinematography, but I just could make a few low-budged short films in 16mm and 35mm. By 2009 I started a degree on philosophy in order to think better for make better films but after a few years I became very distant from the film industry in my country so I been very low profile till today.
I just don't love digital photography, for an unexplainable reason I don't find any emotional reward on digital photography. In my early days as photographer I was so in love with color and slide film but after maybe 2012 the film developing services in my country became very disappointing, so I quit color and start to make only black and white photography and developing by my self. I started to build my own dark room and it has been a little difficult because it is very difficult to find hi quality photography equipment in my country so I had to hunt for bargains and death stock from the analogue era. I still could get a wonderful Japanese enlarger in new condition (LPL 7700) and thanks to internet I could get a few wonderful lenses from B&H and Ebay (EL-Nikkor 63mm f/2.8 N, EL-Nikkor 50mm f/2.8 N, EL-Nikkor 75mm f/4 N, Apo-Rodagon N 80mm f/4, Apo-Rodagon N 50mm f/2.8 ).
At this time I use mostly 35mm and sometimes medium format. The film that I can get in optimal conditions is Ilford and I develop with D-76 and sometimes with Rodinal (I would love to try Xtol but for me has been impossible to get that powder and I think that I am going to cry when the bottle of Rodinal gets empty by two reasons 1) because Agfa don't produce it anymore, and 2) because I just can not import developers like Adonal or R09 from Europe or B&H because there is a kind of shipping restriction).
My objective is make a very hi quality prints but I am still working on it, and after several years of been a kind of lone wolf now I am very happy to be part of this International community with a lot of people with so much knowledge.
I just don't love digital photography, for an unexplainable reason I don't find any emotional reward on digital photography. In my early days as photographer I was so in love with color and slide film but after maybe 2012 the film developing services in my country became very disappointing, so I quit color and start to make only black and white photography and developing by my self. I started to build my own dark room and it has been a little difficult because it is very difficult to find hi quality photography equipment in my country so I had to hunt for bargains and death stock from the analogue era. I still could get a wonderful Japanese enlarger in new condition (LPL 7700) and thanks to internet I could get a few wonderful lenses from B&H and Ebay (EL-Nikkor 63mm f/2.8 N, EL-Nikkor 50mm f/2.8 N, EL-Nikkor 75mm f/4 N, Apo-Rodagon N 80mm f/4, Apo-Rodagon N 50mm f/2.8 ).
At this time I use mostly 35mm and sometimes medium format. The film that I can get in optimal conditions is Ilford and I develop with D-76 and sometimes with Rodinal (I would love to try Xtol but for me has been impossible to get that powder and I think that I am going to cry when the bottle of Rodinal gets empty by two reasons 1) because Agfa don't produce it anymore, and 2) because I just can not import developers like Adonal or R09 from Europe or B&H because there is a kind of shipping restriction).
My objective is make a very hi quality prints but I am still working on it, and after several years of been a kind of lone wolf now I am very happy to be part of this International community with a lot of people with so much knowledge.
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