Our one hundredth and fourth interview in this series of intimate interviews is with talented mobile photographer Jose Ramon Estrada from Mexico City, Mexico, you may know of him from his popular Instagram account @joeramone1122. Ramon is still working on this body of work in Mexico City. He explains ‘it has to do with insecurity, earthquakes and in general with the risks of living in a City. All people have daily activities but they live in a constant stress caused by these reasons. The danger is latent and I represent it with the red color that bathes the city‘. It’s an powerful and vibrant viewpoint, bursting with emotion. Enjoy!
To read the other published interviews in this series including artists, Adria Ellis, Rino Rossi, Mehmet Duyulmus, Alexis Rotella, Lou Ann Sanford Donahue, Irene Oleksiuk, Kerry Mitchell, Filiz Ak, Dale Botha, M. Cecilia Sao Thiago, Deborah McMillion, Rita Colantonio, Amy Ecenbarger, Jane Schultz, Anca Balaj, Joyce Harkin, Armineh Hovanesian, Kate Zari Roberts, Vicki Cooper, Peter Wilkin, Barbara Braman, Becky Menzies, Sukru Mehmet Omur, Sarah Bichachi, Michel Pretterklieber, Alon Goldsmith, Judy Lurie Wahlberg, Andrea Bigiarini, Sean Hayes, Oola Cristina, Kathleen Magner-Rios Linda Toki, Deb Field, Emilo Nadales, Lydia Cassatt, David Hayes, Jean Hutter, Frederic Deschênes, Mark Schnidman, Fatma Korkut, Fleur Schim, Rob Pearson-Wright, Dieter Gaebel, James Ellis, Marco P Prado, Jeronimo Sanz, Manuela Matos Monteiro, Bleu Chemiko, Manuela Basaldella, Stefania Piccioni, Luis Rodríguez, Marilisa Andriani(@mitrydate) Mayte Balcells (@artofmayte), Nicole Christophe, Jennifer Graham, Cathrine HalsørPaul Toussaint, Carol Wiebe, Julie Denning, Kim Clayton (@berleyart), Karen Messick, Serap Utaş, MaryJane Rosenfeld, Paul Suciu, Susan Latty (@pause.and.breathe),John Nieto, Phyllis Shenny, Joy Barry, Max Lies Derdonk, Rita Tipunina, Violet Martins, Nizzar Ben Chekroune, Lynette Sheppard, Paul-Andre Hamel, Rejane Rubino, Susan Detroy, Rosalie Heller, Wayman Stairs, Cintia Malhotra, Anita Elle, Juta Jazz, Cheryl Tarrant, Hanni König Kaoru Shintaku David Gilbert Jana Curcio, Mary Lorincz Amado Ergana, Francesco Sambati, Philip Parsons, Kathryn Garkut Massimo Bortolini Camilla Crescini Francesca Malagoli Sidonie Petit Dirk Fleischmann, Fiona Christian, Alastair Hooley Juliet Morris Lisa Cirenza Nayeem Siddiquee (Jabaz) Efrat Sela and myself, go here.
What was your first childhood ambition?
I had many brothers to look after then I was sick to my heart, so I didn’t have a great desire to meet as a child. The strongest wish was as a teenager and it was to play football, which I fulfilled.
First recognition?
It was in the sixth grade, representing my school in the knowledge contest.
First job?
As a child, I did several activities for which I was paid, but my first formal job was at the age of 18 where I had social security. In a warehouse, he sorted metals and he filled purchase orders.
Private or state school?
All my education was in state schools. Photography studies were in private schools.
University or work?
It was a difficult time in my student days, so I worked before I finished college.
Who was or is your mentor?
When I was studying experimental biology, I had a teacher in organic chemistry, with whom I got the highest score in laboratory practices. He allowed me to imagine through the review of articles on the evolution of life.
How physically fit are you?
I am in good shape, however I am above my weight, and I had a cardiac problem from which I am already recovered.
Ambition or talent? What matters more to success?
I would change the word ambition by constancy, and I would say that talent can be had, and with constancy, you can develop the necessary skills, the vast majority of us are able.
How politically committed are you?
Lately not so engaged.
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
A study, to work.
What is your biggest extravagance?
I am actually more low profile.
In which places are you happiest?
In places with many plants and water in a temperate climate.
What ambitions do you still have?
Sell my photos, Expose in Arles France, have a large format camera, Have a Range Rover… Travel to Peru…
What you drive you on?
Knowledge, curiosity, justice, solidarity, dreams and believing that things can be better every day.
What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
Participate in a collective exhibition in the center of the image in Mexico.
What do you find most irritating in other people?
The lack of respect for others, the unconsciousness about pollution.
If your twenty-‐year’s old self could see you now, what would you think?
Come on boy, there is still a long way to go.
What object that you have lost do you wish you still had?
A Nikon 35-70 mm lens that fell into a lake.
What is the greatest challenge of our time?
It is that the human being is aware of himself and his relationship with the environment.
Do you believe in the afterlife?
I believe more in parallel universes in string theory.
If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far, what would you score?
8
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