David Peinado
(Mexico)

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David Peinado Romero, born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico in 1986, found his early photography career in a local studio covering weddings and special events. This initially served as a means to fund his education but soon evolved into a deep-seated vocation. His unique educational background intertwines sociology and the arts, and he identifies as a documentarian of reality rather than an artist.
Peinado's initial interest in preserving personal moments gradually transformed into a compelling need to capture everyday life and often-overlooked details—a quest that flourished when he started documenting the tumultuous events in Ciudad Juárez. His journey began as an intern at the local newspaper, "El Norte," where he worked alongside experienced journalists and photographers during a period when violence in Ciudad Juárez reached unprecedented levels.
His organic transition led him to a staff photojournalist position at "La Polaka," a prominent alternative media outlet known for its unfiltered, raw reporting on crime and the narco conflict. These experiences significantly shaped Peinado's journalistic ethics, becoming the guiding principles of his career—a perspective that encapsulates the complex realities of various forms of conflict.
Subsequently, he worked for El Diario de Juárez, the city's most influential newspaper, where he gained insights into the communication dynamics of mainstream media. This experience drove him towards independent journalism.