Even though I'm in Mexico, the land of amigos, I'm still measuring the distance between myself and others

Hello, I'm Saru, living in Oaxaca.

Mexico is the land of amigos!!
I think everyone feels that way.

I feel like there's an atmosphere where just by saying hello, you're already like an amigo/amiga (friend).

And I'm someone who came to such a country.

Of course, I like people.

When I'm in a circle of people, my excitement goes up.
I've been like that since I was a child.

Of course, during events and festivals, I smile and greet people just by making eye contact.

Even if they are strangers.

…Yeah, that's a bit creepy, isn't it? Haha.

And, of course, to people who look like they want their photo taken.
I even call out to those who don't, asking, "Is it okay to take your photo?"

Click.

After pressing the shutter and saying "Gracias!" to thank them, I've already moved to another spot.

While shooting, I'm moving here and there, trying not to miss a split-second photo opportunity.

And once the shooting is over, I quickly exit the scene (even if the festival isn't over yet),
and I try to upload the 700 to 1200 photos I took, aiming for 3 hours later,
or within the same day.

That's impossible.

Recently, perhaps due to my age, my "editing workflow efficiency" is very poor. Haha.

This is just my personal opinion.
I have the impression that in Mexico, LGBT people live relatively openly.
There are many opportunities to get to know them naturally through festivals and work.

I often receive DMs from them with information about festivals and events.

They tell me to come and take photos at the festival.

Because I want to take photos, I follow them easily.

I'm such a pushover. Haha.

The other day, a singer acquaintance who saw my (boastful) story about getting tickets to the Guelaguetza venue sent me a message,

"Can you meet before 9 AM that day? I'm singing at the venue again this year, so I'd like you to take some photos!"

I received this DM.

I'm also acquainted with this singer (male) and his partner (male), and since all three of us love festivals, we naturally became friends after running into each other in various places.

Honestly, I'm happy to be asked to take photos.
(...Come to think of it, I've been doing this for free the whole time.)

Last year, I was also asked to take photos at the Guelaguetza venue.
I've somehow become their personal photographer. Haha.

Also, when I'm taking photos at a festival,

"Hola! Saru!"
"Wow! It's Saru!!"

Children talk to me and come up to me like it's normal. Haha.
I think it's partly because I'm an Asian and that's rare.

Even the mothers say to me,

"Can you take a picture of my child? Look, over there, over there!" and give me instructions. Haha.

Click.

When they say, "My child is always looking for you, they say they like your photos," well... I have no choice but to take the photos.

I really am a pushover. Haha.

I somehow thought that having so many interactions with such people and children was just a coincidence.

But I've never seen children get attached to other Mexican photographers, and I've never seen moms asking them to take photos. (Or maybe I just don't see it?)

Up to this point,
I'm sure you're full of my bragging.

Sorry. Haha.

I tried talking about that to Chappy (AI).

Why is it that even gay couples feel comfortable approaching me? And why do children often talk to me, too?

You can't really talk about things like this with friends, even if you're curious, right?

It feels like

people might think, "What kind of humblebrag is that?" or "Are you trying to act like you understand?"

Right? Haha.

That's why, for questions like these, it's best to ask Chappy.

Chappy said, "Maybe it's because you don't treat them as special?" Minority groups are often looked at with curiosity. Many are sensitive to that. It's the same with children; they are wary of adults who seem to be preaching or trying to make them obey. So, maybe they find it easy to talk to you, Saru-san, because you don't have that pressure, since you treat everyone normally? Come to think of it, I'm a minority in Mexico too, but I've never felt the stress of being stared at, which I hear about so often. Haha. Maybe they are staring at me, but I don't notice at all. I must be a master of being oblivious. Haha. Now that I think about it, I don't judge people by their gender or age. Are they a good person to me? Are they trustworthy? Are they a bit shady? Are they someone I shouldn't trust? My criteria for judgment are always like this. Of course, when I'm taking photos, I treat everyone the same. In the past, there was a group of gay men at the Guelaguetza venue who were dressed to the nines and looked incredibly cool.

Even the local social media people were standing back, thinking, "I want to take a picture, but..."

So, I stepped in.

I acted as the point person and asked, "Excuse me, may I take your photo?" They said, "Of course!" and posed for me. Their beauty and presence were stunning. I got a great shot.

Needless to say, the local photographers behind me all clicked their shutters at once. Haha. This has become a legendary tale of my own. (What is that?)

Sometimes I get personal DMs from people I've met while shooting at festivals.

Birthday parties. Baptisms. Weddings. Even graduations. I get invited, but I rarely go. Actually, sometimes I feel like, "Maybe they just want me to take photos while I'm there?" Recently, my self-esteem has been so low that I sometimes think, "Maybe what everyone needs isn't me, but the photos?" Where did my usual gung-ho, super-strong mentality go? Haha.

But even if I decline the invitations,

I still greet them when we meet, and I support them if they have an event.

But I don't step any further than that.

That's because I feel comfortable with that appropriate sense of distance. Whether it's photography or work, I interact with many people. I believe that being seen as "only close to that person" or "treating that person as special" is a cause for complicated human relationships. I want to avoid that. I really want to avoid that. I've never liked forming cliques anyway.

On the way back from a shoot, a singer couple who treated me to a tlayuda asked me,

"Saru, who are you close with?"

"Hmm. No one in particular, I think I'm the same with everyone." I genuinely meant it when I answered that.

But thinking about it now,

The fact that I'm casually taking photos and eating with a singer couple probably means that, by society's standards, I'm already considered "close friends" with them.

According to Chappy,

My standards for what constitutes being "close friends" seem to be stricter than most people's. That's probably why I say things like I have many acquaintances but few friends.

Maybe I'm just not that attached to human relationships themselves. If the time we share in the same space is pleasant, that's enough for me.

"I don't want to possess people. But I want to have a good time when we're together."

I think that's how I feel.

But! In front of my favorite luchador, I'm just a total fanboy/fangirl. My reason just flies out the window.

I want an autograph, and I want to take a two-shot photo too.

I become a different person, someone with no sense of personal space. Yeah. It seems my favorite is the exception. lol

▼Check out this article, which was born from a chat with an AI.

▼I've also started a photography service in Oaxaca.

▼What kind of festival is the Guelaguetza that I'm photographing?

▼The person who spent half their savings on their obsession.