When people think of photography, they often imagine someone looking in from the outside with a lens. They think of the photographer as an observer rather than the subject. However, Jacob Romero redefines this concept by placing himself and his viewers as participants in his work.
“I always try to manipulate the least amount of things surrounding me in order to take photos that are natural and feel real. I guess, in a way, my creative process is to submerge myself into the environment and become a part of what I am photographing rather than observing as an outsider. Photos become more than photos. They become a physical manifestation of the artist, and there is nothing more beautiful than that.”
Jacob Romero
Romero’s interest in photography first sparked around eight years ago. He states:
“My family never had a lot of money, so I saved up every dollar I could in order to buy myself a camera. It took me about two years and one bad skateboarding accident to finally buy myself a cheap camera at the age of 16. I started taking photos of my friends doing tricks with their skateboards while slowly opening my mind to all the other wonderful aspects of photography. From then on, I told myself I would do whatever it took to turn this passion into my career, and I owe it all to my love for skateboarding.”
When asked about the inspiration behind his work, Romero explained:
“There are a lot of things that inspire me. For example, one of my strongest inspirations is the variety of music I listen to. It plays a significant role in the way I go about creating art. Other things that inspire me are literary magazines about photography, movies, tv shows, fashion, pop culture, and most importantly, my family.”
In this particular project, Romero captures everyday photos of life in Mexico. As a result of his close attention to detail, Romero enables his viewers to feel as if they are immersed in the moment – a part of the culture. He says:
“In the past couple of years, I’ve begun to grow strongly attached to my Mexican roots. I grew up in the United States and was never able to experience the rich culture my motherland had to offer until now. My mother moved back to Mexico about a year ago, and I was finally able to go down to visit her this past summer. It was the second time I had ever been to Mexico, and it was the first time I truly experienced the rich and beautiful culture. I am truly grateful to be one of the first from my mother’s hometown to document their way of life. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience that I will always cherish, and I look forward to the day I get to visit my homeland once more.”
Romero’s work shows that a photographer’s method is often just as important as the photo’s content. He continues:
“I used to practice both digital and film photography, but in my early years, I preferred the digital medium more. I was a little naive and believed that there was no future with film and the analog process, but that has all changed. For two years now, I have chosen to abandon digital equipment entirely and photograph solely on film. The biggest reason for this is that it allows me to be more physical with my work. Holding a negative means more to me than transferring files from an sd card to a computer. I struggled a lot with the digital medium because I would post it on social media and never look back at it. Now, I’ve learned to appreciate my work outside of a like count and allow it to become a physical entity that I and others can enjoy.”
In the end, Romero hopes that his work will positively impact his viewers in several ways. He explains:
“I hope to encourage others to become more present with themselves the way I was encouraged. I want my work to represent joy, happiness, courage, and strength. We live in difficult times, but there is hope. My photographs will be living proof of that hope. When someone views my artwork, I want them to feel invincible in this world that does nothing but tear people down. I want people to know that somewhere out there, there is a place for them, and in reality, there is a place for all of us.”