a white elephant gift

Photographs By Jaime Jimenez

Los Angeles photographer Jaime Jimenez talks about trippy film stock, the excitement of waiting for results, and learning how to gain self-confidence

Los Angeles, USA

How did you begin your journey as a photographer?

My journey as a photographer started when I got a disposable camera off of a White Elephant gift back in 2022. I didn’t even know what film was at the time or how to use a disposable camera which is odd to even say. As soon as I got those results back from the lab I was hooked onto a hobby that will forever leave me in debt. Thank you Cris.

How have you grown along the way?

I think I’ve grown not only in knowledge but also in confidence over the few years I’ve done photography. I took one film developing class last summer and that alone taught me a lot of fundamentals and most importantly it taught me how develop and print film. Super fun class. Also just talking to other photographers helped me gain more knowledge and confidence. Confidence has been a huge growth in this journey. I remember when I started venturing out of my comfort zone and would shoot music events, such as Los Frills, I would see other photographers and I’d honestly get intimidated thinking I don’t belong. Why? Self confidence. But how I started gaining confidence was just asking myself why I’m doing this. Then my answer would simply be because I love doing it. Till this day I’m still growing as a photographer and there is much still to learn

What are 3 words that would describe your style?

If I had to choose 3 words to describe my style it’d have to be vibrant, fun, and timeless

Why do you choose film photography over digital?

I choose film over digital simply because I’m better at it. I have a digital camera and I never really like my results. So most times I stick with the camera I know best which is my film camera. Although I feel like I need to put it down and try and get good at digital photography. But I’m still shooting on film.

What are some of the highs and lows of shooting film?

The highs of shooting film is that it simply looks good. Can never go wrong with film in my opinion. There’s more excitement to film because you don’t even know the results until you develop and scan them. It takes time, effort, and love for film and the pay off is satisfying. The lows I’d say is money/expenses and within that category comes issues like buying film, developing whether that be on your own or at a shop, fixing camera issues, buying cameras. In other words It can get expensive. I don’t ever view it as a low because I enjoy shooting film but it definitely can be to someone who isn’t willing to accept it.

What is your favorite type of film?

CineStill 400 is my personal favorite film stock. I love how much the colors pop out it’s such a fun solid film stock and is my go to for music events. I have been loving the Lomography film stocks as of late such as LomoChrome Purple. I just love how trippy it looks. It can completely change someone’s perspective on how they view a place. I don’t understand the hate it gets but I’d love to hear people’s opinions about why they don’t like it. I love it though.

Tell the story behind one of your photographs

All of the pictures I’ve taken mean a lot to me do to the effort I put into them but there are only a few exposures that stand out from the rest. Those would be ones that hold sentimental value to me. Usually ones that started the journey that I am in today. This one in specific is one of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken. It defines the whole reason as to why I do photography in the first place which is to capture a moment, a memory in time that I will never get back. It’s only been 3 years since I captured this frame but so much has changed and evolved around us. Fall of 2023. Me, my little sister, brother and dad went out to the middle of the desert to go shoot guns. At the time I shot this on my disposable camera. I remember I asked my sister if I could take a picture of her and she suggested she’d do the El gesture which is from Stranger Things. And without ever thinking about framing or how good it will look I just took the picture. This is why this picture means so much to me. It was a moment in time where I wasn’t fixated on how a picture would look or worry about framing. I genuinely took it out of excitement and happiness I had at that moment spending time with my family. I love the excitement she expresses in the frame it captures everything about her at that moment with the beautiful overcast and the work truck we still have. It is a moment I’m glad I captured and I yearn to do so for as long as I can.

Your subject matter consists of live music, landscapes, portraits, and more. What is your favorite subject matter and why?

I love traveling with my friends because it’s when I get to shoot my favorite subject which is landscapes of nature or cities. Don’t get me wrong I love shooting other things but the fact that we venture out 2 to 3 times a year makes these moments special.

Is there subject matter that you want to photograph?

I’ve been wanting to do more photoshoot work with bands. I usually shoot wherever I go that’s my style. But I’d like to set up shoots with bands like Los Frills and actually give more thought into what goes into my frame. This is a way I can exercise my creativity and hopefully master it.

What has been inspiring you lately?

Other people’s work usually inspires me to go out and do my own thing as well. Just appreciating the time, effort, and love that goes into a project is inspiring to me and it’s something that keeps me going.