Dona Mercedes boarding bus in central Managua.

I travel during 6 months in my mid 20’s i went to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Costa Rica, el Salvador and Nicaragua. In Nicaragua i use 35mm with color films in 78 i live with a family there. There was at that time a revolution against the Somoza dictatorship. I did understand how different each countries is emotionally, economically psychologically. Each one is unique so i enjoyed that part of learning process. In California you have this huge emigration of people coming from central america. 

When i first came back from central America i move to south of market in San Francisco. I started to photographing my own neighbourhood i try to use medium format but i realize that it was industrial, warehouses, very spread out so i decided to use a view camera (Large Format 4X5) not only for the quality of it but also because it gave me a sense of presence. When i was walking in the streets with my camera on my shoulder people asking me what i am doing. It was my ticket to get in. The view camera was essential for that project.