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¿Cuantas personas en el mundo pueden permitirse el lujo de acreditarse un verbo? camography¿Cuántas personas en el mundo pueden permitirse el lujo de acreditarse un verbo? creo que no muchas, y CAMO es una de ellas…Además no sólo se inventó el verbo “camografiar” sinó que además se inventó un sustantivo: Camografía.

No es muy complicado distinguir una Camografía, generalmente se trata de imágenes levemente sobreexpuestas, de personas o lugares hermosos (o que se vuelven hermosos al hacerse parte de la Camografía), con algún concepto muy bien plantado por detrás, y con un no se qué que lo transporta a uno a un mundo en donde todo es más luminoso, y las personas viven en

un eterno viaje de diversión, como el que alguna vez hizo Jack K e r o u a c c o n s u i n f a m e compañero Ne i l Cas sady, mientras en el fondo suena “Road to nowhere” de  Talking Heads.

Lo cierto es que todas estas fotos están indeleblemente marcadas por la forma de ser y de pensar de su autor, todas tienen ese sello ind i scut ible que la s hace Camografías y me gustaría ver a algún ratón de biblioteca de la Real Academia de la Lengua tratando de argumentar que Camografía no es una palabra…¿puede dudarse después de ver una ev idenc ia v i sua l t an contundentemente hermosa?

CAMO dice que sus fotos son: “...fenómenos etnográficos y cotidianos, son moda y estilo de vida, son amigos y modelos, son intimidad universalizada. S o n b e l l e z a y a n a rq u í a ” y precisamente eso es lo que las hace tan increíbles: hay cabida para todo aquí: cotidiano, amigos, modelos, etc. y de algún forma que sólo él conoce, todo se ve tan bien…lo elementos parecen fundieres de alguna manera extraña para formar composiciiones armónicas que simplemente…funcionan.

Véanlo por ustedes mismos!!!

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“...fenómenos etnográficos y cotidianos, son moda y estilo de vida, son amigos y modelos, son intimidad universalizada. Son belleza y anarquía”

Camo

“South America isn't just about Brazilian soccer or Livin' la Vida Loca” says Camo Aguilera, the Bogota-based fashion photographer.

Camo's amongst the first in the country to have a photography blog — one that unveils South America’s potential as a generator of trends (and Colombia as a land of hipsters).  The “ Yo u t h - c e n t r i c & f r e e s t y l e photographer” juggles local ideals of beauty, and globalized aesthetics (that he's discovered all online; he's never left the country). His work reflects a hybrid look of proud, bold, elegant femininity, at the crossroads of Bogota and Dazed and Confused.

He freelances, but also regularly contributes to magazines such as the local hip Neon magazine, or indie publication, such as the British ‘Stimulus Respond’.

We met him in Medellin, Colombia to talk about South American clichés, globalization and finding inspiration at home.

ELLE: Your style's something like Pop meets traditional Colombia beauty ideals. Why is that? CA: I still don't have a very clear view of what's considered South American aesthetics, but if there's a European I

guess there's a South American as well. You must also understand that there are many differences among the countries in our region, the same way a Parisian has a different character and taste than a Swede, a German or a Spaniard.This said, I believe the tendency towards the Europeanization of style is due to globalization and the easiness and immediacy of being able to watch mags from all around the world through flipbooks and PDF's. What's true is the fact that mainstream magazines are not very good, independent publications are the ones that shine, like Regia Magazine from Argentina or Neon here in Colombia. Europe is a place that's open to new ideas, while everything

Camo Aguilera’s photo reveal Colombia’s new face“Elle Magazine”

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coming out of South America is always framed by the

same kind of look. This is unfortunate because our colorful continent has the potential to come up with a

very influential and diverse look. South America isn't

just about Brazilian soccer or Livin' la Vida Loca.

ELLE:  So where do you see Colombia in your work?

CA: In my friends! We all share that warmth that identifies

us and I think my photographs are fresh, joyful,

spontaneous and natural because that's the way my friends are —like most Colombians— so my friends

become my models. I felt I just gave you a beauty queen kind of answer, but it's true. Technically, I like

to take my pictures as much as possible using natural

light or mixing it with the flashlight in order to achieve a feeling that's more natural and spontaneous

while keeping it sophisticated. In Colombia everything looks brighter, hence the overexposure of my photos.

Perhaps they could be more colorful, but this

characteristic is what sets me apart from the Latin American influence.

ELLE:  Why are there so few bloggers there? What gave you

the idea to start a blog?

CA: Photography is my medium for artistic expression,

besides blogging them I also expose them in galleries.I'm a blogger because I like to make my photos more

accessible to more people, so they can be inspired by them. The internet has made this a much simpler

task. I simply like to share my point of view, especially

with other Colombians, so I can offer them a different outlook than the one that's being produced massively.

If I would have waited for Colombian magazines to get interested in my work this process would have

taken longer.  Eighty percent of my work never gets

published in print media.Of course, there's no feeling like opening a physical

magazine, feeling the paper in your fingertips and seeing your picture there. That's why I enjoy taking

pictures for magazines. No matter the media through

which they're exposed, my photographs are gifts for my friends and for people who I may or may not

know, so they can be inspired, enchanted, and hopefully, influenced by them. 

—ALICE PFEIFFER

Camography (Cartel Urbano. 2011)Modelo: Danielle Ordóñez.P e i n a d o y Maquillaje: Bertha Ruiz.P r o d u c c i ó n : Incomoda

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“I think my photographs are fresh, joyful, spontaneous and natural because that's the way my friends are” Camo, Elle Magazine