Through My Lens: Sam Pérez, Love At First Print

By Bill Wilson with photos by Sam Pérez

"For me the printing process is part of the magic of photography. It's that magic that can be exciting, disappointing, rewarding and frustrating all in the same few moments in the darkroom." - John Sexton, noted Irish photographer.

For Sam Pérez, Guadalajara-born photographer the magic of the photo darkroom made the art of photography for him a “love at first print.”

The alchemy of photography to some observers must seem like magic. The darkroom, the chemicals, the smells, the process of developing film from a roll or canister, the placing of the film in the enlarger and the work to produce a physical print –the photograph—all yielded a piece of art. Add to the process the anticipation of how the print will finally look—it surely can be rewarding and disappointing.

But those times of that magic have been supplanted.

And although the art of photography has moved from the darkroom to the computer keyboard, the magic is still there, especially in the hands of classically and technically trained photographers like Pérez. “I took my first photos when I was 11 years old, and until I was 25 years old photography was just a hobby for me. But then I took a photography class at a college in California and when I did my first print my love for photography was permanent,” explains Pérez.

He is best known in San Miguel de Allende for his stunning landscapes, nighttime vistas and especially his spectacular captures of our town’s lightning storms. His prints truly make him an artist of light. You can see his work at his gallery on Ancha de San Antonio No. 28.

Pérez came to San Miguel about eight years ago via a circuitous route. He explains, "My cousin and I opened a store here in San Miguel de Allende and on my way from California to Guadalajara I stopped in San Miguel to take care of the store for 2 months, never went back to Guadalajara I stayed here forever." Pérez, who holds a Bachelor degree in fine arts in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute, says he likes everything about our historic town but one of the things he likes about San Miguel is the artistic community.

Photo Tip: Sam Perez says, “Don’t overthink when taking a photo, the best ones are those that come naturally.”

Bill Wilson, 20-year San Miguel resident has a journalism career spanning 50 years covering everything the UN to Cub Scout news. He’s also a weather buff and shas been a first responder.