Juan David Estrada: Analog Photography as a way of life

When I want to show happiness and positive feelings in general, I like color film and B&W when the subject is the total opposite.

Tell us about yourself.

I'm a 30 year old guy from Bogota, Colombia, South America. I trade and sell film photography equipment and accessories as a hobby and for a living too.

When and how did the film journey begin for you?

Ever Since I was a little kid I've been involved with photography, my mom gave me an Olympus trip 35 and I used her Minolta 7000i too. Then, when I was 15, I studied photography for six months and about 3 years later stopped and didn't do any photography for a while. Sometime later a friend of mine started his photography class in college and he bought a Pentax K1000 and it was like waking up again. I've been working strictly on film for the past 4 years now.

What type of film do you usually shoot and what made you choose it?

I have a lot of favorites but it depends on the occasion.. I love the color punch of Ektar for landscapes and travel, The skin tones of Portra for portraits, Tmax and HP5+ for the contrast on the street and gotta love the blacks Velvia throw.

What camera makes you click?

I love gear and a lot of cameras makes me click... the Pentax LX, The olympus OM3, The Mamiya 7 II etc...

Between black and white and colour film which would you choose?

It depends on the occasion.. As I explained in the previous question. When I want to show happiness and positive feelings in general, I like color film and B&W when the subject is the total opposite.

What lenses do you use?

I mostly use a Zuiko 21mm f2, a Zuiko 35mm f2 and a Pentax F 28mm f2.8, I like shooting wide because I like to show more of the black rim surrounding the viewfinder, I like to play with curves and harmonic forms and things like that.

Do you perform any experiments on film?

I am starting a project with my wife where I take the pictures and she paints the negatives with liquid colors and then see the results when the pictures are enlarged.

Do you have any ongoing projects?

I'm currently working on a collection of people sleeping on the streets and I am planing another one which involves a group of homeless LGBT who sleep under a bridge near home.

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