Exclusive Salva Fonolla Interview

Interview

Salva Fonolla interview

BIKE Magazine is dedicated to show diverse artworks, articles, pictures, reviews and stories for the readers and cycling community.

This concept was organised the previous photography contest too. Words can not describe how grateful the team is, the readers and especially the photographers.

To emphasise our involvement, we have started the next photography contest with a wider concept and more categories.

Salva Fonolla Interview
Salva Fonolla

 

In the previous contest Salva Fonolla won the Special Award with his breathtaking pictures.

Let’s find more about him!

Firstly, can you tell me a couple of things about you?

My name is Salva. I’m a freelance Photographer from Majorca. I love travel with my bike and with my old VW van.

Can you tell me about your achievements? 

I consider that my best achievements are:

As a person, travel during a year in my van, around the whole Europe and part of Asia, just for taking pictures.

As a mountain biker, ride Dirt Merchant in Whistler.

As a professional, work as a photographer.

You won the Special Award at the BIKE Magazine Photography Contest 2021. Please tell me the story about these pictures. 

Well, all the photos have a very different story behind the lens, but the best story was in dolomites, when I took that I consider one of the best photos of my life.

I was with my colleague Mendi, trying to take any breathtaking photo in “Tre Cime di Lavaredo” with no success. We found a natural jump but the photos wasn’t cool. At the end of the evening, I took a look to the sun to check how many time we have, and then I saw all the silhouettes of the mountains, and I decided change the composition of the photo to the backlighting. Mendi jumped around 20 times on these natural jumps, until I got the sun to pass through her body.

Why did you choose this contest?

Because I read this magazine since 2019, and It looked like a very interesting and serious photography contest.

How would you describe your lifestyle?

Wow! That’s hard, because now with the corona we cannot travel too much. Now it’s a quiet life, I live with my gf and animals in a small house in the countryside, near to the sea and I combine work with ride BMX or MTB.

What is the best advice you received?

Don’t give up!

What or who inspires you?

Sebastiao Salgado and Jimmy Chin, they are professional photographers. Their works are big inspirational sources for me.

Talent or practice? and why?

Talent doesn’t work without practice.

What is your favourite book? and why?

My favourite book is Manual: creuse, riding et autres dèlices by Julien Beuvignon, Marc Dioni and Franck Duflo. This book explains the essence perfectly of BMX trails and the whole culture about it. This book has something special what is captured my interest.

What is your favourite movie, series, music? and why?

I love Guy Ritchie movies and my favourite is Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

My favourite band is Tame Impala.

My favourite song is Where Is My Mind by Pixies.

What is your favourite sport?

Freeride Mountain Bike.

What is the secret to a perfect picture?

Patience and perseverance.

What is the craziest thing what you did in your life?

I did a lot. But one time in Turkey I was sleeping in my van and I was awakened by military personnel with kalashnikovs. It was scary.

What is the best thing what you have seen in the past 5 years?

That’s difficult, maybe a sunrise in Kapadokya, Mount Ararat, or that sunset in Dolomites.

What is your most rewarding experience?

Travel for taking photos.

What did you learn from your biggest mistake?

To speak clear.

What is your goal with this art form?

Travel, know other cultures, and show the world to the world.

Please let me know your thoughts about the current virus situation. 

I think that the global immunisation is far already. We need to suffer almost one year more, in Europe, to recover our old life. But I think that never will be as before.

Do you have a project what would like to share?

As I told before, I was traveling around Eurasia during a year, taking photos and writing about my journey, I took very nice photos and I had cool stories. When the pandemic arrived, I got stuck in Turkey during three months until the borders were opened. Then I had to finish my travel and got back home.

Please give an advice for the readers. 

Do what you have to do!

More stories and information about Salva: https://hazloquetengasquehacer.com/ 

salvafonolla@gmail.com

@alterkombi

For more information about on  BIKE Magazine Photography Contest 2022 visit: https://www.bike-mag.com/photography-contest-2022

Excerpt from BIKE Magazine, click here to continue reading the full article

June 2021

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