Edition Sixty

An interview with Rick Vega from @filmrick

When I first discovered Rick’s Substack I was drawn to his writing immediately. His article Why I Still Shoot Film is one of the articles I read which changed my mind on many things around photography and how I approach it. Then I had a look at his photos and it was an easy decision to subscribe to his newsletter.

While working on the questions for our interview I realized at the end of the day we’re all trying to take photos. Professional or hobby, doesn’t matter. It’s about doing something we enjoy.

With that said, onto the meat and potatoes…

Hello Rick. First, a big thank you for agreeing to the interview, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. Please tell us about yourself, your photography and where your love for photography started.

Hey Richard, thanks for giving me this space in your Substack publication. I’m very happy to be part of it.

My name is Ricardo, but online I go by Rick. I’m from Mexico and currently living in one of the most exciting cities in the world: Mexico City. If you’re looking for friendly people, endless culture, and amazing food, this is the place to be!

My love for photography goes back to my college days. I remember visiting a classmate around 2005 because we had some homework to do. I was 18 or 19, and I had just gotten my first phone with a (very crappy) camera. I was proud to be one of the first to have one. I showed it to my classmate and he said: “I admire and respect photography too much to take anything but proper pictures.” Yes, he sounded snobby, but he planted a seed in my head. Until then I thought photography wasn’t something “serious” — to me, it was just family snapshots, I didn’t even know about “professional” photography.

A few years later, I met a coworker who was into photography. He had a Nikon D5200 (if I’m not mistaken). The first thing I did when I earned enough money was buy a “proper” camera: a Canon Rebel XS.

I was the happiest man alive.

That was my introduction to digital photography. My switch to film (in 2022) came mostly because of Matt Day (a well-known photographer on YouTube) who was shooting with a Leica. At first, I thought shooting film in the digital era was a waste of time, but another seed was planted in my head.

Who knew film would become one of the best things to ever happen to me?

My recent years as a photographer have been funny, especially this year with my return to film (TL;DR I quit the first time, but never stopped thinking about it, and now I’m fully back, all-in). It’s been experimental — I shoot whatever grabs my attention.

I’m trying to develop my own style (whatever that means), but it’s hard. I like too many things in too many ways to carry a label.

Maybe the only “label” I like is film photographer. I’m fully invested in film because I can’t stop loving it. Pressing the shutter each time feels like magic. Maybe I’m too romantic about it, but I don’t care. I truly enjoy it. If I were to add a second label, it would be street photographer. I’m usually out on the streets with my camera, recording memories of my adventures in the city.

Street photography is different for each part of the world. You can take a photo of someone in New York, Johannesburg and Mexico City and each person will react differently. What is it like doing street photography in Mexico City? Have you had any interesting experiences while taking photos in the city?

Good question. I believe that, as in any big city, if you stick to the touristy areas, you’ll be fine. But in less popular or rougher neighborhoods, you have to be careful, as people get suspicious when they see a random person taking pictures.

I usually stick to places where I feel safe, because photography shouldn’t create drama. Sometimes, if I’m not quick enough and people “catch me,” they give me suspicious looks, but so far, no one has caused me trouble.

The moments I enjoy the most are when people ask me about my camera — old cameras have a charm that’s impossible to ignore.

One cool thing about shooting in Mexico City is that the landscape changes in every direction you go. Some areas feel like small towns, others seem futuristic, some look European, and many are a mix of everything. I’ll never run out of places to shoot in this city. Hopefully, it’s clear by now just how much I love it.

In your newsletter titled Why I Still Shoot Film you have the following byline: A quiet rebellion against disposable everything. Please give us more insight on this and the article.

Yes, sometimes I feel like I belong to an older era, when things felt genuine. Nowadays, everything feels easy, cheap, and disposable. I’m fully against that. The things we admire today are, curiously, mostly from the past: paintings, architecture, art, music. Things created with sweat and sacrifice.

In photography, you can take hundreds of shots in burst mode. Where’s the challenge in that? Do you think the most renowned photographers worked that way? (Sure, the tech didn’t exist then, but you get the point, haha).

To create things that endure, you have to care. You need to put love into what you do; otherwise, it’s worthless. For example: how often do I revisit the pictures on my phone? Almost never. They’re too easy to make, and when I take three versions to “pick the best,” I never actually go back and delete the others.

Now, how often do I revisit my film photos? Dozens of times.

It’s not just because of the medium; it’s because I took my time — choosing the roll, the right camera, loading it, going out, shooting intentionally, coming home, developing, scanning, printing.

Film makes me care. Maybe my photos won’t win awards, but I treasure them because I know the effort behind each one.

And no, I don’t hate digital. In the end, gear doesn’t matter. But for me, the process truly matters.

Maybe my work influences this too. I work in tech, in startups. Days are fast and chaotic. I don’t want the things I love most to feel like that, where everything must be done yesterday.

One of Substacks’ strong points is the communities which establish around certain topics. What are some of the positives & negatives which you have seen in the photography community here on Substack?

Oh, man, I love Substack. It feels like I’ve found my place on the Internet. People here are more thoughtful and friendly. I was talking with a friend recently and she said Substack feels like living inside John Lennon’s Imagine, haha. I think those of us who love this platform would agree.

The community has welcomed me warmly, but what matters most is that people actually read what I share and offer advice, tips, and encouragement.

For example, I was nervous about developing my own rolls, but everyone told me it was simple if you’re careful. I took the plunge, and now I love it.

Also, being surrounded by friends who shoot color creatively has pushed me out of my comfort zone. I usually shoot black and white, but last vacation I shot 10 rolls of color — and man, I got some good pictures.

So far, continuing the Imagine analogy, I haven’t found negatives. I’m picky with who I follow, so I keep it to writers and photographers I enjoy, even if I don’t always agree with them. I honestly think Substack might be the only platform that’s mostly free of toxic people.

The process truly matters. This is something I think has gone away due to the quickness of social media - click, edit, post, sit back for likes. It feels like more and more photographers (of all ranges of experiences) are starting to understand this. With this in mind does social media have a place (or purpose) for modern photographers?

I think photography — and art in general — is a small niche both in real life and on social media. I know quite a lot of people, but I’d say maybe 5% (being optimistic) truly enjoy photography or any form of art.

I believe only photographers who also happen to be content creators can build a big audience. And even then, the most famous ones don’t have the reach of creators in other niches.

To really enjoy art, I think you need to be a highly sensitive person — and most people simply aren’t.

So, if we agree that photography is a niche, then let’s embrace that. Let’s enjoy the process and share it with the people who actually care, the ones who understand this isn’t meant to be rushed. Analog processes take time, but the results are far less disposable.

What does a day of photography look like for you? Do you plan ahead or is it a spur of the moment decision on where to go and what to photograph?

Interesting question. I usually shoot on weekends, but I start planning during the week. By Friday night, I already know where I’ll be going, what camera I’ll take, and depending on the weather, what film I’ll load.

Sometimes, though, the itch is too strong and I just head out around my neighborhood for some street photography. I usually go around 6 p.m., which is rush hour — perfect timing for plenty of action on the streets.

On your Substack you write about different types of film stock - do you have an all time favorite, is there one you tried and just said never again?

My all-time favorite is Kodak Tri-X. Many people lean toward color film, so I happily take more B&W for myself. I love Tri-X because it’s so versatile and forgiving. I’ve shot it at 400, 800, and 1600, and it always delivers. I absolutely love it.

A close second would be Ilford HP5+ for the same reasons: great latitude and very forgiving. In general, I enjoy most B&W films, but I save the special ones (like Delta 3200 or Rollei Blackbird 64) for special occasions.

Now, a confession.

I have never, ever shot a roll of Porta. Every time I consider buying one, I think: “This equals 2–3 rolls of B&W,” so it might never happen — especially since B&W is really my thing.

So far, none of the rolls I’ve shot have ended up on a blacklist. Each one has its own charm, even the expired ones.

That said, I don’t feel particularly drawn to experimental films like Lomo Purple or those that tint your images in red or other colors — but who knows, maybe one day.

Final question - without thinking too far ahead, what can subscribers look forward to for the next few issues of your newsletter?

Thanks, man! This has been a great set of questions.

I’ll keep sharing my film adventures — that’s the essence of what I do with Film Rick. I’ll continue writing about the rolls I’m shooting and sharing more photos of my beloved Mexico City.

At the same time, the Substack community is inspiring me to write more essays. I’ve noticed that my posts like “Inspired by Daidō Moriyama” and “Why I Still Shoot Film” are the most read, so I want to explore that path further.

I’m not posting as often as I’d like (because real life happens), but you can definitely expect plenty of stories, photos, and reflections from your Mexican friend, Rick.

In closing

Interviews.

It was never something I thought I would do. And it’s not something I do for views or likes — those are just side-effects that don’t matter to me. I do it for two simple reasons. First, I enjoy talking to people. Everyone has interesting stories if you take the time to listen.

Second, it’s a way to break down barriers in the mind — to move past stereotypes, labels, and divisions we convince ourselves are real. To see that, beneath it all, we’re the same. Facing the same problems and the same troubles. Same story, different place.

Thanks for reading : )