By Juanra Alvarez | My professional journey and personal experiences connected to contemplative photography have allowed me to recognise the true significance of bees as industrious pollinators of fruits and crops.
Pollination holds immense importance for flowering plants, enabling them to produce various seeds and fruits. The transfer of pollen among flowers serves a reproductive function and is a vital process for sustaining life on our planet.
Over the past three years, I have been honoured with several photography accolades from Apiten (Tenerife Beekeepers Association) focused on honey in the 2022 editions (finalist and second place), 2023 (finalist and winner), and 2024 (finalist and winner). These recognitions have heightened my awareness of the vulnerability of our island, Tenerife, and the Canary Islands more broadly, particularly concerning environmental issues, sustainability, and the impending future associated with bees and the beekeeping industry.
The titles of my award-winning images, Garden Island, Days of Glory, and World of Color, reflect this intimate connection. These photographs draw attention to the daily endeavours of bees as pollinators and guardians of nature. These descriptors align with the essence of this exceptional archipelago, which is enveloped by natural splendour and boasts a rich ecosystem, albeit with limited resources.
Mindfulness of the Wonderful World of Beekeeping
One of my aspirations is to leverage photography to create a visual and educational impact that highlights the benefits that bees and honey from Tenerife provide. While it is a challenging endeavour, it is also filled with optimism. By immersing myself in this enchanting world of beekeeping, I have come to experience the emotions of beekeepers, the value of nectar, and the generosity of our bees.
In a similar vein, I encourage everyone to indulge in these sensations brimming with enjoyable emotions in pursuit of higher levels of awareness, enabling them to appreciate bees, their multifloral environments, and their role in preserving our landscapes.
APITEN: Commitment, Excellence, and Sensitivity
In this context, Apiten spearheads the “DOP Miel de Tenerife” as a driving force behind the natural evolution of the quality mark that Tenerife honey has boasted for many years. The protected designation of origin Miel de Tenerife guarantees the freshness of these honeys and their diverse nature, showcased through multifloral products and thirteen varieties of monofloral honeys, which have contributed to their widespread appeal.
Founded in 1998 by a small consortium of beekeepers aiming to enhance comprehensive development within the beekeeping sector, Apiten continues to flourish. Today, its president, Pablo Pestano, alongside the commendable team behind the DOP Miel de Tenerife, works diligently to nurture and advance this field through enhanced training initiatives, environmental advocacy, product quality assurance, consumer education, targeted marketing strategies, research promotion, and health programmes to combat apicultural diseases, among various other management undertakings.
