Kike Arnaíz, "I would like to cross an entire continent by road"

Q. What does it mean to you to collect this award in such an emblematic setting as the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid?

A. I am very happy and very grateful to IATI for giving me this award and for organizing these events. To be recognized in this way in such a magnificent place and to have your work valued is very satisfying. I have never taken to entering contests or anything like that but they looked at my account on Instagram and it seems that they liked it and that is why they rewarded me for the photos I have on the network. Many thanks to the jury who voted for me. It will help me to continue working with more enthusiasm if possible.

Q. Did you expect to win?

A. What's up? Not at all. I had no plans to go on stage or have to speak in public, or anything like that. In fact I was joking with my friends before the gala and they really believed that I could win and prepare a speech for me. Then I loosened up a bit and above all I dedicated the award to the crew and the family, who are always there when they are needed, and are the most valuable of all.

P. You also had a very supportive gesture donating the amount of the prize

R. In the end it is 1,500 euros that I think other people who need it need more. We donated it to an orphanage in Uganda as my girlfriend and I had a bad time with malaria when we were in that country. My partner caught the disease and it was quite hard. Fortunately, we met some wonderful people who helped us a lot to get ahead. We are not interested in this project that not only treats children but also takes care of malaria patients. With that money they can get medicines and something else to continue curing people and I think it can be used to help them.

P. Always camera ready. Do you shoot everything or do you ever leave her charging at the hotel?

A. There is a trick, because the camera often stays in the hotel, but the cell phone always goes in my pocket, and I also have a small camera that goes in a bag that I usually always carry with me. So even though the “more pro” camera sometimes has vacations, I'm always ready for whatever happens.

P. Any place where you have been and that has marked you especially?

R. A few years ago I made a trip to Palestine and we discovered incredible places. It is a fantastic site that I highly recommend. China and its urban and rural contracts also caught my attention. I discovered fantastic people and we also learned a lot about cooking. And the area of ​​Lapland and the North of Scandinavia. By the way, we will be back there soon. If anyone wants to join us, they can sign up through my Instagram account.

Q. Since you mention Instagram, how do you get more than 300,000 followers?

R. I started dedicating myself to YouTube, where I have more than half a million followers, and then little by little we have opened this other account. In both we upload content and photos every day. It is a luxury that so many people follow you and that they like what you publish. Outside the networks I also sell photographs because my true profession is that of a photographer.

P. It is common to have a camera but only use it in a very small percentage of its possibilities, even always having it on automatic. What advice do you give to not waste the camera?

A. The more you know about photography, the more uses you give to the camera and the more creative possibilities you find, so my advice is to always try to train better. But above all, look for activities that encourage taking photos. For example, for me traveling is one of them. On every trip I find something I want to photograph. If I stayed home all the time, my camera would get pretty bored.

P. Where in the world are you going to drop next?

R. Well, right now I'm flying to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. We will be there for a while until we start a trip to Lapland. We have a camperized car, a 4X4 where we are building a house in it, and the most long-term idea is to cross a continent by land, but we have not yet chosen. Perhaps Africa, America, or Asia. I don't like to make very long-term plans. I like to live more day to day.

P. Do you have time to see the family here in Aranda?

A. Sure. The truth is that in recent years with this issue of the pandemic and the quarantines I have been in Aranda for a long time.

Q. Pros and cons of traveling the world alone?

R. I really haven't traveled alone for a long time, now I travel a lot with my partner, but when I traveled alone I have been able to meet many people and someone always joins the adventures. But I still enjoy it a lot and I would tell you that the cons are that you can feel lonely if you don't manage it well emotionally and don't look for some social activity, although in my case that has hardly happened and it's all pros. You travel at your own pace, you visit exactly what you want, with the hours you want, you eat what you want, you don't argue with anyone, you have more time to think, it's easier to make friends and venture to do new things, you break limits and Everything helps you mature as a person.