Interview with Jesús Manzaneque | 2024 Amateur European Photographer of the Year

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Jesús Manzaneque | European Photography Awards

Jesús Manzaneque

Jesús Manzaneque is a photographer who despite his age decided that he still had time to enjoy his wonderful hobby of photography. Living in the small town of Campo de Criptana, located in the region of La Mancha, famously the location for the novel Don Quixote, he has taken this opportunity to improve his photography skills while promoting Campo de Criptana to the world.

1Can you introduce yourself and talk about how you got into photography?

My name is Jesús Manzaneque, I am 55 years old and I live in a small town called Campo de Criptana, located in the region of La Mancha, which is famous for the novel Don Quixote.

I started more seriously in the world of photography in 2013 and although I was already 44 years old, I think I still had time to enjoy this wonderful hobby.

2Where did you study photography?
I didn't really take any photography courses, either online or at any academy. I trained through photography blogs and YouTube tutorials, in my time after work and on weekends, little by little and without rushing.
3Do you remember your first shot? What was it?
I don't remember my first photo as such because I've been taking photos for years with old film cameras that my family had and then with mobile phones that already had the camera built in. But my first photos when I learned to take photos seriously were of the classic windmills in my town.
4What equipment do you use?
I currently have mirrorless cameras, a Nikon Z6II, and a Nikon Z7. The lenses I mainly use are the Z 180-600, the Z 24-120, and the Z 14-30, although I have several more. I also use an iPhone 15 Pro Max that I always carry with me, allowing me to capture those moments that arise unexpectedly.
5What do you hope to achieve?
I hope to continue improving my photography level and continue enjoying taking photos. If I receive any more awards in the coming years, it will give me even more motivation to continue improving.
6What compliment inspired/touched you the most?
When people from my town tell me that I am the best ambassador for Campo de Criptana because my photos make it known throughout the world, it makes me very happy, because my land and my people are very important to me.
7What inspires your unique storytelling?
Sunrises and sunsets inspire me a lot, and of course moonrises and moonsets. That's what I like to photograph the most.
8What THREE (3) words describe your photography style?
Windmills, full moon, and landscapes.
9Congratulations! As the winner of the European Photography Awards, what does it mean for you and your team to receive this distinction?
Winning the 2024 Amateur Photographer of the Year award at the European Photography Awards is a boost to my photography career and makes me better known internationally.
10Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2024 European Photography Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?

The photograph with which I won this award was taken in the castle of Almonacid in Toledo. It is a photograph that requires a lot of planning and execution work, which thanks to applications such as PhotoPills and Planit Pro allows us photographers to take them with total precision in time and location.

When I published it on my social networks it was very well received and I decided to submit it to this contest because I could have a chance of winning some prizes with it.

11How has winning an award developed your career?
Winning a prize at this level encourages you to continue improving your photography level and to make your work known to more people.
12Name 1-3 photographers who have inspired you.
At an international level, I have been inspired mainly by Mads Peter Iversen and Albert Dros, two amazing photographers from whom you can learn a lot. In my country, Spain, the person who has inspired me the most and from whom I have learned the most through his tutorials has been Antonio Prado.
13What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out, by a mentor or your role model?
The best advice I was given was to enjoy taking photos and not think about whether people liked them or not. If I liked them, then over time other people would like them too.
14What advice would you give someone who would like to become a photographer today?
I would tell him to enjoy photography above all and not to obsess over making it his job. If one day it becomes his job, even better.
15What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
The key is to enjoy taking photos and always keep learning. In the end, with patience and perseverance in your learning, success will come.
16How do you stay in that space of being receptive to new information and knowledge?
I never stop learning new techniques and how to execute them both on the camera and in photo editing programs. You should never think that what you know is enough and of course, I try to update my photography equipment to stay up to date.
17Anything else you would like to add to the interview?

I want to say goodbye by saying that this award is something I never imagined I would get and that it has made me really happy. I hope to continue improving my photography level so that the people who follow me can enjoy the photos that I usually share on my social networks. I look forward to seeing you at Manzafotos on Facebook and @forilmanza on Instagram.

Thank you very much for this interview. Greetings to everyone.


Winning Entry

The moon emerging from the castle. | European Photography Awards

The photo is taken at the moment when the full moon appears to rise from inside the Almonacid Castle in Toledo, a historic castle in ruins. The distance from which I took the photo is appropriate so that the moon has the same apparent size... (read more here.)


Jesús Manzaneque

Jesús Manzaneque is a photographer who despite his age decided that he still had time to enjoy his wonderful hobby of photography. Living in the small town of Campo de Criptana, located in the region of La Mancha, famously the location for the novel Don Quixote, he has taken this opportunity to improve his photography skills while promoting Campo de Criptana to the world.

  


Read about the interview with Saskia Harmann, a dog photographer here.

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