“Sauna guests just sit on an icy street”: Manuel Vazquez ‘s best phone image Photography
In 2019, The UN named Finland the happiest country the Spanish magazine sent Manuel Vazquez and journalist Ana Alfageme to find out why. Saunas are a big part of life there; the country has more than 2 million inhabitants and is public. The couple agreed that they would be good places to find locals to interview.
This photo was taken on a frosty day in November, when light is only expected for six hours. The couple had already tried the magnificent beach sauna. “I didn’t think I could do it,” Vazquez laughs. “But it really releases endorphins. It’s refreshing.” Next, Vazquez wanted to look for a more authentic, more traditional version that used wood, and he had heard a particular recommendation in Helsinki’s Kallio district. just sit on an icy street. “
Vazquez attracted a retro neon sign, the way the red light tinted wet land, and countless details. “They create a narrative, tell a story. The empty chairs next to the men seem to invite you to sit with them.
“I was going to shoot properly with my digital camera, but first I quickly took this for Pixel 3, almost like a test shot. Then we went to break the ice.”