Local cameraman honoured

I like the feeling of knowing that I am the eyes of the people

CAMERAMAN Fernando Caminero was awarded the ‘Compañero del año’, or 'Partner of the Year' award by his fellow Spanish and International Torrevieja based Press colleagues during a special dinner last month. If you have been to any local event recently, such as the Three Kings parade, Floral Procession or a FC Torrevieja football game, you will probably have seen him at work although because he produces video for TV Torrevieja, chances are you have never seen the finished product.

Fernando Caminero has spent the past four years covering all manner of events in the City of Salt for TVT.  At a dinner for the local press last month, his comrades decided to award him, along with Manuel Pamies, the recognition of the symbolic prize. He said “At fifteen I started working in Valdepeñas local television. A friend of my father spotted an opportunity there for both my brother and I. Of course, at fifteen, we had not touched a camera in our lives. I started like everyone else; a waiter of cameras; my job was carrying the tripod and camera. It taught me everything and when I was finally ready, we both worked together covering a lot of different projects.”

Known to his friends simply as ‘Fer’ he continued, “In the beginning, what I liked learning was the realization that people could see what had happened, through my eyes. The camera was the voice of what was happening. In a park you can focus on dirt or in the beautiful surroundings; the image speaks a lot and I realized that what I chose to video was indeed, very serious. I worked as a freelancer for EFE, etc. I have family here in Torrevieja and I wanted a change of scenery so asked my sister to see if I could work in local television. I came to TVT and I have now been here for four years. I like the feeling of knowing that I am the eyes of the people"

Over the last two years Fernando has also been on another mission, to lose weight and get himself fit. While many of us are looking to start our New Year Resolutions, he is one of the few who started his resolutions and has keep them up, walking for exercise everyday, eating the right things and taking care of himself. Now twenty or more kilos lighter he feels better in himself and encourages anyone thinking of the same thing, to make the effort. If you are out and about in Torrevieja, watch out for Fer, as he documents life in the City of Salt, which he now calls home too.

Keith Nicol