Ricardo Delgado L\u00F3pez

Photographer

Where do you live, and what are three words to describe your city?

I live in Cali, Colombia. There are a lot of words I could use to describe my city, but because of its sunsets, music, and people I’ll say Cali is warm, cheerful, and diverse.

What are your favorite activities?

I ride my bicycle daily around the city and look for stories to tell. I design and make backpacks. I listen to music and write poetry.

When and why did you start taking photographs?

I started to take photographs in 2011 when I visited Bogotá, Colombia’s capital city. I walked daily through the center of the city with a borrowed camera, and that is when I began to understand that photography has the power to immortalize stories.

That is when I began to understand that photography has the power to immortalize stories.

Why is your series titled "Raíz de Árbol"?

"Raíz de Árbol" (Tree Root) was born on a trip to Nariño-Colombia where I sought my identity as a photographer – to understand and recognize where I come from and what I want to preserve. I come from a farming family in Nariño and have another project looking to preserve recipes and family memories. "Tree root" is a metaphor for my photographs. I feel that I am a root, hidden and perceiving, and my feelings are the sprouting branches and leaves. Those are my photographs.

Who or what inspires your style of photography?

Once I discovered Vivian Maier’s work, she was a great inspiration. Her practical choice to work as a nanny – as well as her city scenes and portraits – constantly inspire me as I photograph the city streets in Colombia. The main difference is that I choose to share my work.

Which is your favorite street, and can you describe it for us?

I often visit a block in downtown Cali called "Carrera 10" where there is some destruction and a visible lack of equality, yet it is filled with simply beautiful scenes. I visit this street every week to buy materials for the backpacks I make, and it is full of humble people and contrasts.

What are your hopes for the future?

My hope is to complement my European studies and expand my "Raíz de Árbol" project by exploring different countries via bicycle. I want to tell stories about the cities and rural places I visit. I hope to exhibit a project about my family memories. I also hope to be a part of directing photography for cinema.

Follow Ricardo on Instagram @raizdearbol