For longer than some high schooler’s parents have been alive Guillermo Martínez has been documenting the first communions, graduations, fairs, and many other events at The Columbus School.

Most people know him as FotoGuimar, or simply as the man carrying around a camera seemingly at every event the School has. What most people don’t know is that he’s been taking photos at TCS for over 50 years and has seen students become parents and enroll their children at the school.

Martínez began his lasting career at school during the late 60’s and early 70’s. Starting as a freelancer and then transitioning to become an on-call regular to most events at school. Martínez recalls to this day the moment he first became acquainted with the TCS Community: the school’s Halloween tradition of dressing up on a school day hails from way back, and during one of the celebrations the colorful dresses and masks sparked Martínez’s interest.

“There were some very nice children who were dressed up. That was 53 years ago. They were still in [the school of] Robledo and there was a hole in the fence of the school, and I crossed through there. I went in and started taking pictures of the children in costumes and asking for their parents’ phone numbers to then deliver them,” Martínez said.

When the superintendent at the time saw him taking the photos, he asked who he was and what he was doing with his camera. 18-year-old Martínez explained that he crawled through a fence and showed it to the superintendent when he asked where it was. Impressed by his honesty, Martínez claims, the superintendent helped him get in contact with the parents to sell them their children’s photographs, worth two pesos back then.

It has been over five decades since Martínez was welcomed into our community. He is grateful for what the school has done for him, especially as he was able to see his children graduate from it. Long-time staff members that have spent much of their adult lives working at TCS have not been here as long as he has, but they remember him very fondly.

“When the seniors have their Halloween parade, he is always there to take their pictures. He comes and gives everyone their photos—he’s very kind-hearted, very caring—if he does not like a photo he takes the time to edit it. He’s a very special person,” Diana Escobar, TCS’s administrative assistant, said.

Beyond being a near-colleague to staff members, his efforts and dedication to his craft have made Martínez someone to look up to for teachers.

“[Martínez] has been with us all the time here at the school with his spectacular photography work. I’ve known him since the school in Robledo. I have been here for 36 years and he has always been at the forefront of everything; all the projects, all the work that the students have done, the First Communions of everyone at the school, and all the events,” Urbano Mesa, HS PE teacher, said.

Martínez’s journey began with black and white photography, as color rolls had yet to be invented. He recalls knocking door to door asking the people of El Poblado if they wanted any photography work done.

“So people asked me ‘young man, at what time can you come tomorrow?’ ‘I can be here at 7 in the morning’ I told them. ‘Well, before that time I’ll give my kids a shower and you can come take the photos,” Martínez said.

His first cameras were Rolleiflex or Rollys, as he calls them, and Nikons. Owning as many as 15 cameras throughout his life, Martínez transitioned from B&W, to color, to digital photography throughout his career.

Martínez says his relationship with each superintendent of the school has maintained through all these years. He claims staff members and teachers treat him with respect and appreciate his work, which is one of the main reasons he has stayed with us for so long. His relationship with the administration is one he highlights constantly.

“I’ve had the fortune of all the superintendents there were—Mister Schober, Mister Cooper, Susan Jaramillo—all the superintendents of the school have appreciated me very much and I feel very proud of these years doing work for them. I feel very happy, people treat me with care, to this day I feel very happy,” Martínez said.

While Martínez is technically still an independent photographer, he speaks highly of students at the school and mentioned during the interview he is proud to be part of the TCS Community.

“The best photographs are undoubtedly those I take of kids from kindergarten to 12th grade. They are all very grateful and easygoing people that I really like taking photos of. The moms are very grateful, very dear to me, and the school is a great company. I feel welcome and the youth of today are very educated, very uncomplicated, very simple, and when they see my photographs they seem wonderful to them,” Martínez said.

He mentions his appreciation for parents and students repeatedly.

“This is a caring and loving school, and to be here is a fortune—because it is a fortune to be in the Columbus School—so I would like to tell this new youth: kids, your parents sacrifice a lot to give you this education. Do sports, do plenty of sports. Your parents always carry you in their hearts, take advantage of [being part of] the Columbus,” Martínez said.