On the 14th of June at 23:30, Bruno Díaz González submitted his two entries for the photography contest held within the framework of the Taganana Festival, which will take place on the 5th and 6th of July. A friend had informed him about the contest and the date stuck with him, although he took it easy.
Bruno’s proposals, “Anaga, volcano cemetery,” a photo taken from Taborno, and another one from the rural park, this time from Punta del Hidalgo. His passion for photography was discovered almost by chance during his student days at Instituto Cabrera Pinto, which offered photography as an elective subject. He admits that he took the course not so much for the technique, but to learn how to develop photos, something common back then but now considered a luxury due to technology taking over.
A resident of the San Benito neighbourhood in La Laguna, at 33 years old he already has two photography awards. He previously participated in a contest in Arucas, where he won the second prize in the Series category with a theme focused on water.
The winning proposal, “Anaga, volcano cemetery,” was taken one afternoon in February during one of his frequent visits to Anaga. It’s no surprise as Taborno is one of Bruno Díaz’s favourite spots, along with Montaña Guajara or Montaña Samara in the National Park of Teide, not forgetting La Punta del Hidalgo.
With a heavy backpack carrying four or five lenses, although he admits he always ends up using only one or two, Bruno embarks on his Anaga adventure by bike to reach Taborno, a balcony that seems to levitate over the cliff.
This is why the winning photograph seems as if it was taken by a drone; however, nothing could be further from the truth. It simply conveys the depth of the rural park through Bruno Díaz’s lens. The author also confirms that the image is not edited beyond the usual colour and light adjustments.
This 33-year-old sociologist works as a salesperson in the Cycling section of Decathlon, a sport he combines with his photography passion.
The 16 finalist photos and the winner will be exhibited on the 5th and 6th of July in San Andrés and Taganana
The discussion with the winner of the Taganana Festival photography contest reveals his philosophical view of images and his love for nature. The title of the winning image, “Anaga, volcano cemetery,” represents a mental journey back over seven million years, allowing Bruno Díaz to imagine the geological origins of the Biosphere Reserve, “imagining the site’s history, with volcanoes giving way to dykes and chimneys,” a process similar to Cumbre Vieja, which is a perfectly symmetrical double-pitched roof – as defined by the winning photographer – summarizing in minutes the erosion that paradise endured to give way to ravines where the laurisilva is cradled.
Bruno takes a break from his workday to enjoy reminiscing about the paradise of Anaga and return to real life, his job, with the hope that one day he will return by bike, with his camera, to wander around Taborno… an idyllic place.
Along with the winning photograph, sixteen other images were selected among the 55 proposals submitted. The images chosen by the Taganana Festival jury include the winning “Anaga, volcano cemetery” by Bruno Díaz González, “Spirits of the past” and “Calima” by Jesús Nicolás Martín Luis; “The dragon tree and the lookout” and “Among cotton clouds” by César Afonso Afonso; “Lion’s head, mouse tail” by José Domingo Rodriguez Tejera; “Roca de Anaga” by Kike Balenzategui Arbizu; “Dreams of Anaga” by José Carlos González Expósito; “Punta de Tamadite” by Antonio Javier Padrón Mas; “Celestial lights” and “The magic of the path” by Juan Gregorio Oliva González; “Machu Picchu” by Iván Juan Molina; “Back home” by Guillermo Pozuelo Gil; “Brushstroke of light” by Juan David Martín Marrero; and three untitled images by Eduardo González Álvarez, Carme Ballarin Serra, and Gariraygua Samblás Molina.
The festival kicks off on the 5th of July at the old cinema in San Andrés, where at 6:00 pm, the exhibition of the photos from the Discover Anaga Contest and the family show “The Magical Seamstress” by the company Contando Ando will be inaugurated. At 9:00 pm, the Tenerife comedian and actress Jéssika Rojano will present her new show “Your Ex’s Ghosts,” accessible to the hearing impaired thanks to a sign language interpreter (tickets are available for €12 on the Tickety platform).
The programme moves to the Plaza de Nuestra Señora de Las Nieves in Taganana, where musical performances will begin at 6:00 pm, featuring DJ Kali with his Anaga session, the Cameroonian singer and composer Lornoar, and Lichis & Due Country Cavalieri.
There’s also the opportunity to listen to the Tenerife musician Dactah Chando, presenting his album “Camino” at the Taganana Festival, offering a well-crafted and powerful reggae sound. The night will be closed by DJ Valenciano Fonki Cheff with a specially curated mix for his Taganana session.
