These cinematic Charro photos will transport you to a bygone Mexico.

Press Release

JP Stones has been photographing Mexico’s culture for close to a decade now. His latest series features two Mexican icons: the Charro and the Charra.

“I knew very little about Charro culture before I arrived in Compostela, a picturesque Mexican town nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains. In my mind, the Charro was this romanticized historical character. A mythical figure, not dissimilar to the way the American gunslinger gets portrayed. But as I kept returning to Compostela, I became close with the Charro community. They were incredibly welcoming, letting me into their houses, their stables, and world that is both traditional and modern. It’s also a world that’s changing rapidly: there are fewer and fewer Charro’s every year. This shrinking community is why I had to travel all the way to Compostela in the first place. There are no Charro’s where I live anymore, just an abandoned, weed-strewn Charro lienzo (arena).”

“As much as this situation saddens me, this project isn’t about that. It’s a celebration of the wonderful community that exists in Compostela (and in countless other Mexican towns). A celebration of people upholding traditions that are hundreds of years old. Of skilled horse riders that blew my mind with their tricks.”

“I’ve spent the last ten years sharing aspects of Mexican culture that inspire me, hoping the photos might also inspire others. And this town and its people have certainly done that. I intend to photograph every Charro and Charra in the Compostela community to create a photographic time capsule of sorts. Because, in a very real sense, it’s still Charro country here. As you drive here, the roads narrow and eventually turn to dirt, then the horses start replacing cars. It’s not just the speed you travel at that slows down here, the pace of life does too. Coming here always feels like a step back in time and a welcome break from reality.“

Photos

Team: JP Stones, Daniel Spencer, Alondra, Javier Hernández.

JP Stones is English, but he’s lived in Mexico for close to a decade now. He takes cinematic portraits of the people and traditions that shaped modern Mexico’s fascinating culture.

He also teaches cultural workshops for photographers that focus on the essence of Mexico: its people & traditions (so that means we won’t be visiting a series of Insta-famous landmarks on this workshop!).

Thanks for your consideration.