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emilio mesa - dfw photographer

@_emiliomesa

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🎞️✨film, like it felt…
email is the best place for bookings
🧑‍💻 at @pictime_us
🏡 denton, tx
i also play music over at @emilio_mesa 🎷🎹

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range of light
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(self-portrait)
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Olympus OM-4t
Cinestill 800T +2
Processing: @indiefilmlab
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#indiefilmlab #film #selfportrait #selfportraitphotography #analogphotography #analogwaves #analoguefeatures #filmisnotdead #filmcommunity #filmwave #35mm #cinestill800t #cinestill #cinestill800 #pushedfilm #shadow #light taken in Denton, Texas by @_emiliomesa

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7 years ago

Marisa on @cinestillfilm 400D, developed and scanned by @indiefilmlab
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#cinestill400d #cinestill #120film #indiefilmlab #longlivefilm #mediumformatfilm #pentax6x7 taken in Texas by @_emiliomesa

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2 years ago

Ava 🕊️
(trigger warning: DV)
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A couple weeks ago, I saw some horrific news on local headlines and immediately recognized the area of the crime scene as being near Ava’s home. Not much information was public but my first thought was “please don’t be Ava.”

It was Ava. Murdered by her ex-boyfriend, who then took his own life.

Ava originally reached out to me on a whim in 2023, eager to learn more about film photography. We decided to meet up and make a session out of it. She modeled and I kinda talked through what I was doing on my side of the camera. What considerations I was thinking about for light, camera settings, film stock… We also just talked about life. How she made her way to Denton. What art and photography meant to us. What we imagined for our futures. We hung out for a few hours and decided we’d ought to do it again sometime.

The next year, we finally made it happen again. We organized another photo hang one morning. Ava seemed noticeably different. There was much more confidence in her presence. She seemed to have found her stride a bit more, and she had big plans for herself. She also told me she (re)found god, and asked me how I felt about that (knowing after our first time hanging out that I had my own thoughts on that topic).

We made some more photos together on our walk, finally winding up at her home, which she was excited to show me. Something that stood out to me was that she insisted I also take some photos of her on *her* point and shoot film camera. I asked if she had any ideas for what she wanted those photos to be. She stood in front of her window and just said “how about here?” I was a little confused, “just…standing there?” “Yup. This is who I am today and I want to remember it.” She wasn’t afraid to be seen as she was, and I really respected that.

We had a small falling out after this, but made amends down the line. Unfortunately, that was the last time I ever spoke with her. In retrospect, I could have handled that falling out better and could have shown a little more grace, but it was Ava who worked up the courage to reach out to clear the air. And I’m sure glad she did.

Dear Ava, I hope you rest easy 🖤 taken in Denton, Texas by @_emiliomesa

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2 months ago

it’s no secret that i love working with and collaborating with other passionate individuals. i’ve loved having the opportunity to craft branding photos with @alexismcphersonlmt over the years. every session feels like a continuation of the last, and we become more and more in tune with each other’s process as we go. i really cherish these longstanding relationships — they build comfort and trust, which are foundational for the kind of photographs i aim to create.
i would love to do more work like this. and i would love to continue cultivating these kinds of relationships… i’ve thought about offering sessions that are spread out across a year, where we get together every few months to build rapport, experiment with different vibes, and document growth, not just a single moment in time. if any of this resonates with you, i’d love to hear from you.
here are a few frames from our most recent session a few months ago that i adore (yes, i know i’m terrible about posting new work lol)
first frame was on Cinestill 400D, second on Kodak Tri-X, and third frame… might be 400D, might be Portra 800 lol.
#cinestill400d #kodak #indiefilmlab #35mm taken in Alexis McPherson LMT by @_emiliomesa

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2 months ago

This is my buddy, Slam. Musician, artist, man of mystery, friend.

Documenting his hair before the chemo did its thing. He texted me one morning saying he was cutting it all that evening so he could donate it, so I dropped everything and we made some photos together before a storm rolled in.

Positive thoughts are welcomed -- stage four cancer is no joke, but Slam is somehow still able to make every moment light-hearted.

This was shot on Portra 800 with my Pentax 67. I particularly like it converted to monochrome, but the color is gorgeous in its own way, so you get both. Developed and scanned by the folks at @indiefilmlab / archived by @try.filmhound

#indiefilmlab #longlivefilm #120film #kodak #kodakportra800 #portra800 #pentax67 taken in Denton, Texas by @_emiliomesa

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6 months ago

tried out a new film stock and am rather pleased with this painterly photo i made last month on Kaua’i 🏝️ @harmanphoto Phoenix II 🎞️ + @leicacamerausa M4 & Summilux 35 📷 + @indiefilmlab 🧪 ✨
#35mm #leica #leicasummilux35mm #summilux35mm #leicaworld #indiefilmlab #longlivefilm #phoenixii #harmanphoto #harmanphoenix200 #film #filmstagram #filmworld by @_emiliomesa

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a year ago

Matthew 🎷 • squeezed in some photos with this guy before he flew back to NYC to start his master’s at Julliard (😱). here are some of the b&w’s i really dig from our session together

Matt is another former student of mine. I’m so proud of him and honored to take his portraits. We first met when he was in high school — the kid needed guidance, but man oh man, was he ready and willing to put in the work. I’ve met very few folks as dedicated to the craft and the grind as this guy. Between his laser beam mental focus and a tenor sound that’ll leave your jaw on the floor, I’m not at all surprised that this fellow is headed off to study jazz at probably the highest revered institution of music on the planet.

Talent and dedication aside, Matt is one of the most thoughtful guys I know. Lessons together were oftentimes interlaced with moments of pondering and contemplation — the “why” always meant just as much if not more than “how” — after all, if you can’t answer the “why,” is the “how” even relevant? Matt always kept me on my toes in that way, and he continues to ask all of the right questions, constantly seeking different perspectives and collecting the wisdom of those around him.

I look forward to seeing and hearing everything Matt is going to accomplish. I can’t wait to see how far the music takes him, and how far he takes the music. So proud of you, Matthew!!
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@kodakprofessional Tri-X 400
@indiefilmlab dev/scan
@try.filmhound archiving
@thelumenroom studio
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#julliard #musicianportrait #dfwphotographers #dentonphotographer #filmportrait #bnwfilm #120film #35mm #indiefilmlab #longlivefilm #kodak #kodaktrix400 by @_emiliomesa

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a year ago

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a year ago

I had the honor of photographing my former student, Eric, earlier this month. I’m so proud of this guy, and I’m so excited to see what he is gonna go off to accomplish as he prepares to release his debut album as a leader, and as he presses to head off to California to pursue his master’s

Eric first found his way to me when he was in high school, and I was a pretty fresh educator at the time. Eric was one of the first students I encountered that kept me on my toes, week after week, as he always came to his lessons so prepared that I had to expect him to be three steps ahead of me at all times.

He also worked his butt off to pay for his lessons — we had a deal that he’d keep my yard looking sharp all summer long in exchange for weekly lessons. If you know what Texas summers are like, you know how much work this can be! Not once did I have to check in to see when he’d be swinging by to mow, and not once did he show up to a lesson unprepared.

I share this story because it describes his character in a nutshell. Dependable to boot, laser beam focused on his goals, and one of the most kind, most gentle guys I’ve ever met.

Our lessons together were always a deep dive into the good stuff, a chance to really dig into music and LIFE, and after being a music educator for 10+ years now, I can safely say that this mentality is a rarity. But what Eric may not know is that his lessons were probably just as important to me as they were for him. I grew from each and every lesson together, and I wouldn’t be the person or educator I am today without that weekly time together.

Eric’s successes would not have been possible without his hard work and dedication to the craft, and I’m grateful to have been able to guide him in the right directions. He’s got big ambitions, and I have full confidence he’s going to achieve even more.

If you’ve made it this far, I encourage you to consider pitching in monetarily to help him release his debut album — you can check out the link in his bio to donate. You can rest assured it’s going into the best of hands, and will be put to great use as he prepares to release his music into the world! 🙏🏼
#indiefilmlab #kodak #trix400 #gofundme taken in Denton, Texas by @_emiliomesa

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a year ago

dear universe: i’d really love to work with more boudoir clients 🫶🏼 if you’re interested in a luxury / fine art boudoir experience, let’s chat!

slides featuring @stephanieoustalet @shotxevex @_addicat_ @halie.cournand @maya.koch — all on @kodakprofessional Tri-X 400 🎞️

#dfwboudoir #dfwbrides #dfwboudoirphotography #boudoirdfw #dentonphotographer #dallasphotographer #luxuryphotoshoot #fineartphotograghy #dfwfineartphotographer #film #120film #bnwfilm #blackandwhitefilm #kodak #kodakprofessional #kodaktrix400 #trix400 taken in Dallas, Texas by @_emiliomesa

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a year ago

“two-faced” • can you find the face?? • still in my b&w kick • still going through the archives. • with @l0releik circa 2019 • @kodakprofessional Tri-x 400 • scanned and developed by @indiefilmlab
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#indiefilmlab #longlivefilm #bnwfilm #trix400 #kodak #kodakprofessional #kodaktrix400 #motionblur #35mm taken in Denton, Texas by @_emiliomesa

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a year ago

been knocked out with a nasty cold all weekend that just won’t let up, but that gave me a chance to dig into the archives a bit. can you tell i’m on a serious b&w kick lately?
here are some frames of @morgan_le_faye from 2021 (wild), made with my Pentax 6x7 and @kodakprofessional Tri-X, developed by @indiefilmlab ✨
i’m so grateful for the friends they’ve been along for the ride since the very beginning of my photography journey, especially those like Morgan who have been longtime collaborators over the years.
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#indiefilmlab #longlivefilm #120film #kodakprofessional #kodak #kodaktrix400 #trix400 #mediumformatfilm #pentax67 #pentax6x7 #filmstagram #bnwfilm #blackandwhitefilm taken in Dallas, Texas by @_emiliomesa

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a year ago