THE OTHER SIDE OF SAN DIEGO MIGUEL 'CHROMATIC' VALENCIA

"THIS PROJECT WAS PHOTOGRAPHED TO PRESERVE THE CULTURE AND COMMUNITY. IT COULD ONLY BE CREATED WITH FULL COLLABORATION WITH THESE PEOPLE, AND I THANK THEM FOR TRUSTING ME. THE PROJECT WAS CREATED WITH THE JOINED MISSION OF NOT LETTING THE COMMUNITY BE FORGOTTEN AND PRESENTING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS' REAL, AUTHENTIC LIVES." - MIGUEL 'CHROMATIC' VALENCIA

This series of pictures that I shot are about the avenues, streets, and sidewalks of the Southeast, South Bay, and north county areas of San Diego.

When I was a little kid, I would be in the alleys, kick in it, drink, get into trouble, and fight with other kids; it was common for me to walk across the park and watch people smoking crack or shooting heroin.

I would always 'fuck' around and hang out in the most gutter parts of the south bay because that's where I was raised. When we would visit my family in the South East, I would watch people on Ocean View Blvd doped out, yelling at each other.

I would hear homies getting jumped into the hood in the middle of the night, among other things.

While walking home, I had to know certain people as I walked through certain areas; otherwise, they would rob me or worse. These are experiences that would inspire me later in my life on how to shoot this type of photography and express the reality here.

When I take pictures of these people, I'll ask them to pose a certain way or what they are comfortable showing; I make it a point to shoot in grimy areas based on their neighborhood.

I met them, I felt them, and I identified with them. I was there for many infamous moments. Conversations I had with them about life, war, or whatever, the hood and how they feel made me closer to their situation.