Photographing Mexico's Cholombiano Street Culture
Photographer Stephen Gill (implied) documents the "Cholombiano" subculture of Monterrey, Mexico — working-class youth who adopt Colombian cumbia and vallenato fashion aesthetics despite being Mexican. The video traces his background, philosophy, and methods for documentary portrait work using large-format film cameras. ---
Key Concepts
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cholombiano | Mexican youth subculture (primarily Monterrey) that adopts Colombian cumbia/vallenato music, fashion, and imagery; they self-identify as "Colombians" but are Mexican |
| Participatory portraiture | A shooting philosophy where subjects actively pose and present themselves rather than being captured candidly — framed as negotiation, not extraction |
| 4x5 large-format photography | Slow, deliberate film-based shooting process; associated with painterly composition rather than rapid documentary shooting |
| Polaroid as trust-building tool | Showing subjects instant prints to build rapport, attract bystanders, and clarify creative intent without paying subjects |
Notes
Photographer Background
- Based between San Francisco/UK; studied drawing and painting at UC Santa Cruz
- Got into photography by accident on a trip to Ivory Coast with a professor
- Early breakthrough: photographed inmates in drawing/painting classes at San Quentin Prison
- Used a physical portfolio box (pre-laptop) to get jobs — showed work at pub meetings in London while drunk
- First commercial work: Caterpillar campaign modeled on the prison photos
- Six campaigns for Camper shoes, then became creative director at *Colors* magazine
Shooting Philosophy
- Interested in contrast between rich and poor, and the shared humanity across different ways of life
- Resists being categorized: does celebrity portraits, travel/landscape, documentary, and advertising
- Influenced heavily by Renaissance and Flemish portraiture (developed appreciation while copying paintings in Florence at 16)
- Prefers **set-up, composed shots** over run-and-gun 35mm style — painting background informs this
- Wants work to operate on multiple levels: visually interesting, technically sound, and politically or intellectually resonant — "not just eye candy"
The *Colors* Magazine / Telenovela Work
- Pitched a *Colors* issue on Mexican telenovelas; drawn to the subject because of family ties (Mexican relatives who crossed the border illegally)
- Telenovelas interest him for layered social content: race, class, Cinderella narratives, unattainable dreams
- Approach: bring professional lighting and equipment regardless of subject — refugee or celebrity treated the same technically
The Cholombiano Project (Monterrey)
- Traveled to Monterrey specifically to document Cholombiano fashion and hairstyles
- Subjects gather at markets selling bootleg Colombian music, videos, shirts, and memorabilia
- Did not want to shoot in the gritty market environment — preferred clean, neutral backgrounds so style speaks for itself
- Avoided making a social statement about poverty or environment; focus was purely on aesthetic self-presentation
- Nightclub access denied by owners due to narco presence; shifted to suburban club "Lonar"
- Set up a portable studio (backdrop wall) outside clubs and near a 7-Eleven below a radio station
Technical Approach
- Shoots almost exclusively on **4x5 large-format film** (Linhof camera, made in Germany)
- Brings full studio lighting setup even on documentary trips
- Polaroids used on-site: gives subjects the one they like most, keeps a few to plan final compositions
- Subjects allowed to pose themselves within his composition — agency retained by the sitter
Ethical/Relational Approach
- Does not pay subjects for photos — believes money creates a "weird dynamic"
- Polaroid exchange substitutes as a mutual benefit
- Showing subjects the Polaroid creates trust and organic word-of-mouth: friends want to participate
Personal / Collector Side
- Self-described hoarder; collects portrait-based objects: mugs, hand-colored Egyptian photos from the 70s, carved photographs from Mexico and South Africa, Pablo Escobar portraits made in Medellín, record albums (e.g., Gal Costa, salsa records)
- Collecting informs aesthetic sensibility around portraiture
Actionable Takeaways
- **Use instant prints as a trust-building tool** when photographing strangers — it removes the transactional feeling of payment while still offering something of value
- **Isolate subjects from distracting environments** when the subject themselves is the story — a clean background lets style and personality dominate
- **Let subjects present themselves** within your composition rather than directing every element; participation produces more authentic results
- **Bring professional-grade equipment to documentary work** — the same technical rigor applied to celebrity shoots signals respect and raises image quality regardless of subject
- **Go to where subjects naturally gather** (markets, concerts, local hangouts) before attempting formal shoots — earn presence before asking for access
Quotes Worth Keeping
I still shoot mostly with the 4x5... I'm like this dinosaur.
I've never really been into the idea of trying to convince someone to do a photo by giving them money. I think it creates a kind of weird dynamic.
I didn't want to shoot them necessarily with all the grime... I wanted to keep the image clean because they're interesting enough on their own.
At the end of the day I think the work should work on a lot of different levels — it should be interesting to look at, it should be technically well done... maybe the photo makes you think about something. It's not just eye candy.