Kiko Ricote - Photographer
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1956 to Spanish parents, Kiko has always loved adventure. At 17, he and a friend traveled throughout Latin America in a VW van with two surfboards and a guitar. After a year, he returned to Venezuela and landed work as a model, eventually making it to Europe. He found work in Milan’s fashion world, then in Zurich he picked up a camera for the first time. When a Swiss talent agency hired him to photograph emerging models, his second career was born. For 20 years, he worked as both model and photographer, spending time in Amsterdam, Zurich, Munich, Sydney, Los Angeles and Mexico City. In Los Angeles, he hosted the Hispanic TV version of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, called Fama & Fortuna, and traveled the world for three more years before making Miami his family’s home in 1995.
How long have you been living on Key Biscayne?
16 years.
Why did you choose to live on the island?
In my first trip to Miami 30+ years ago, a friend invited me to go to the beach and we went to Key Biscayne. When I walked on the beach, I thought that this place would be perfect to live with my family. I met my wife in Mexico and in the first hour we spoke I told her that I wanted to live in Key Biscayne - she agreed.
What's your prefered spot here?
Definitely the beach. I go every Saturday and Sunday and swim, play paddle ball, and walk or run.
Can you tell us about your book on Key Biscayne?
I have three daughters and since I'm a photographer I thought that a book would be the best souvenir from the place they lived their childhood. So for almost two years I shot the whole island on the best moments - 4th of July, Christmas, Halloween, etc, from boats, helicopters, underwater, roofs, etc.
How long have you been living on Key Biscayne?
16 years.
Why did you choose to live on the island?
In my first trip to Miami 30+ years ago, a friend invited me to go to the beach and we went to Key Biscayne. When I walked on the beach, I thought that this place would be perfect to live with my family. I met my wife in Mexico and in the first hour we spoke I told her that I wanted to live in Key Biscayne - she agreed.
What's your prefered spot here?
Definitely the beach. I go every Saturday and Sunday and swim, play paddle ball, and walk or run.
Can you tell us about your book on Key Biscayne?
I have three daughters and since I'm a photographer I thought that a book would be the best souvenir from the place they lived their childhood. So for almost two years I shot the whole island on the best moments - 4th of July, Christmas, Halloween, etc, from boats, helicopters, underwater, roofs, etc.
You've also published a magnificent book on Miami. Please tell us more about it.
Since Key Biscayne is a small market and I sold the 2,000 books I had printed in a year, I thought Miami would be a great second book. I printed 4,000 last year and so far I have already sold almost 3,000. I've learned from the Key Biscayne book that the panoramic shots look beautiful and so I decided to shoot a lot of them for this book.
As I say in the book, this is my love letter to the city. You can see it at www.officialmiamibook.com.
What kind of work apart from the books you normally do?
I'm a commercial photographer. I work mostly with advertising agencies. I have a big, fully equipped studio in the Coconut Grove area that I also rent for video productions and to other photographers. If you would like to see my commercial work, you can go to www.kikor.com.
What are you future projects?
I'm working on a book about the Spanish Monastery and I'm studying the possibility of doing one book about Florida, but this one is so big that I will need financial aid to produce it. I'm in the process of looking for a sponsor.
(Interview date: June 2013)
Note: KeyBiscayne.org will be launching a photo contest soon where the judge will be Kiko. Stay tuned!
Since Key Biscayne is a small market and I sold the 2,000 books I had printed in a year, I thought Miami would be a great second book. I printed 4,000 last year and so far I have already sold almost 3,000. I've learned from the Key Biscayne book that the panoramic shots look beautiful and so I decided to shoot a lot of them for this book.
As I say in the book, this is my love letter to the city. You can see it at www.officialmiamibook.com.
What kind of work apart from the books you normally do?
I'm a commercial photographer. I work mostly with advertising agencies. I have a big, fully equipped studio in the Coconut Grove area that I also rent for video productions and to other photographers. If you would like to see my commercial work, you can go to www.kikor.com.
What are you future projects?
I'm working on a book about the Spanish Monastery and I'm studying the possibility of doing one book about Florida, but this one is so big that I will need financial aid to produce it. I'm in the process of looking for a sponsor.
(Interview date: June 2013)
Note: KeyBiscayne.org will be launching a photo contest soon where the judge will be Kiko. Stay tuned!