Adventure photographer and winter nomad Txema Trull wins NYA-EVOs first Instagram Photo Competition - An interview with the winner
Living six months of the year in the Pyrenees during the northern winter and six months of the year in the Argentinian Andes during the southern winter, Txema has worked out the perfect balance for himself and what it means to live and work as an adventure photographer or as he calls himself a ''winter nomad''.
Where and when was this picture taken?
The peak is called "Cerro los dedos del fraile" (this roughly translates to the Fingers of the Friar) which is located in Las Leñas ski resort in the southern Andes, Argentina. Las Leñas is well known for its powder snow, good climate and excellent opportunities for extreme and off-piste skiing.
The picture was taken during a new filming project called South Lines for which Txema is following two Aranese riders on an adventure that will take them to explore the Andes in search of the best lines of pure free-ride.
What did you want to capture with this picture? What did you want to communicate to your audience?
This photo is about the fluidity between the silhouette of the three skiers hiking through the icy mountain shade. The day was an epic journey with good friends high up the peaks and a couple of surreal skiing descents in super-light powder.
Who were you following and why?
In the picture you can see Adrià Millan, Aymar Navarro and Cristian Boiria in the middle. We were there looking for some good decsents with great powder that had fallen a couple of days ago.
So you follow the exact same route as your friends, meaning hiking up with all your gear and than skiing down?
Yes, I was hiking with all my photo gear and following the same route but in some areas I was some hundred meters further away to shoot images like this one. I carried my gear to the top and skied the same descents as my friends and meantime filming and capturing their ride downhill.
I'd wonder from a material perspective how you look at the gear that you use in the mountains? Are these only functional tools for you or affectionate personal belongings?
I'm trying to get light photography gear. But when you start to add more lenses, extra camera body and more batteries, then the bag becomes very heavy and that makes it difficult to ski and it is of course tiring climbing up the mountain.
Why do you head out into the mountains? What is your driving force?
Passion, motivation, and the love for skiing amazing mountains covered with snow.
What is the most fun part about your job as a professional action
photographer?
That I can keep doing sports and being able to live an outdoor lifestyle. But most important for me is to be outside in nature and share these experiences with good friends.
What is the most difficult thing about your job as a professional adventure photographer?
Selling the pictures, finding the clients, sending emails and all administration that comes with it. The easiest part is being outside and shooting.
How do you combine your personal and family life with living half a year in Spain and half a year in Argentina?
Hahahahaha.... having good friends around who become your family.... and it's kind of difficult keeping a relationship with that lifestyle.
At what age did you start photographing and what was your first camera?
It started as a hobby when I was 16 years old.
Nikon F.E. Analog and 100% mechanic
What do you do when you are not photographing or in the mountains?
Dreaming about skiing !!! Biking, running, editing pictures, chilling with the crew... and a bit of climbing.
What is your favorite mountain / free ride run?
Hard to say.... val d'Aran is an amazing place in the Pyrenees. There are also great runs in the Andes and Japan. I will keep travelling around the globe in search for new amazing places to ski. There is so much to see and do out there!
Is there a difference between skiing in Argentina and skiing in the Pyrenees?
The Andes mountains are really huge! There are some parts very different to the Pyrenees, while others are more similar to Europe. The Andes mountains feel more wild and unexplored. Accessing them is more difficult than the mountains in Europe.
Txema is from Girona, Spain and works as a professional photographer. He has just completed his project South Lines which will be released by Red Bull TV in the middle of December. Stay tuned for that as it will be amazing! You can already see the trailer HERE.
More of his work can be seen here:
- https://www.instagram.com/txematrull/
- https://www.facebook.com/txema.trull/
NYA-EVO will provide Txema with his price which consists of a customized FJORD 36 Action pack with complete RCI set.
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Eduardo Cichero
November 25, 2017
This guy is amazing!!Not only shoting pics,he is a great rider and best person!! I live with him in europe winter and he is one of my bigest motivación!!