The master photographer koitz (spelled with a lower-case “k”) is well-known on Fire Island as the author of Gay Fire Island. He also collaborated with documentarian Parker Sargent on the production of In the Meat Rack, which has earned acclaim at multiple LGBTQ+ film festivals. Upon sight of him in New York City, with a news correspondent’s microphone in his hand, reporting for a Spanish-speaking television news program, we were intrigued, so we sat down with him to find out more.
Fire Island News (FIN): I know you as the photographer, the author of Gay Fire Island, and the collaborator in producing films that have been featured in some prestigious festivals. How did this transition to news correspondent come about?
koitz: That’s very funny. Journalism has always been my passion. I began my career at a radio station, where I spent 13 years. I worked for radio stations in the Basque region where I grew up. So, it really is not a transition. I also worked as a post-production producer for MTV and Paramount. It’s funny that people know me as the photographer, the reporter, or the person who used to work for Viacom. Yeah. However, I’m all of those, and I’m very comfortable doing them all. It’s more like going back to my origins and to what I always wanted to do anyway. I was laid off from Paramount in September, but that allowed me to become a substitute news correspondent when the position became available.
FIN: So, you are a substitute, but it seems like a relatively long-term one.
koitz: I was needed for three weeks, from December to January, then again in April, and now I’m working the whole month of August, and probably a few days in July. This is turning out to be a great gig for me, and I’ve always wanted to return to television. When I was young, I appeared on a TV program for the regional TV station in my hometown, but that was many years ago. Things happen when they are supposed to happen in life, so I’m happy about it.
FIN: What is the name of the network that you work for?
koitz: It’s called Antena 3. It’s a commercial channel in Spain. In the U.S., you have to pay a streaming fee to watch, but if you’re in Spain, it’s free. It’s everywhere. It is the most-watched newscast in Spain.
FIN: Around Fire Island, you go simply by the name “koitz.” Do you go by that name on television, or do you use another?
koitz: So, this is the thing. On the radio or TV, I do not use koitz. I tend to compartmentalize, as you say.
FIN: If you started in broadcasting, how did you get into photography?
koitz: While I was working in radio, I was studying photography. I’m primarily self-taught, but I have taken several courses at the International Center of Photography and the School of Visual Arts. I took several workshops in Palm Springs. I had the privilege of learning from some of the best photographers. I developed an interest in photography at an early age. I remember when I got my first camera. I asked my parents for it, just an old Kodak Instamatic, but I became a professional photographer here in the U.S.
FIN: During your recent stints at Antena 3, what assignments particularly resonated with you?
koitz: One of the most painful ones was that Spanish family who came to New York for vacation and took that helicopter ride, and the helicopter that crashed in the Hudson River. That was big news, obviously in Spain, and I had to cover that. I was terrified that I was going to start crying on live TV. The emotion was overwhelming. It was painful for everybody at the station. Then, the death of Pope Francis. I covered it from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I was raised Catholic, but I am agnostic today. I respected Francis. I thought that he tried to do a lot of good. He was an older man, but he still made an effort to understand and implement changes in various areas.
FIN: I’ve got to ask, on the TV screen, you are very dashing. Do you get a lot of fan mail?
koitz: I have to tell you, yes, but it’s more than just fan mail. It was people who had known me from a long time ago and who hadn’t been in touch, my friends. Everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, you look great. You’re so good.’ And I’m like, ‘well, this is what I want to do. I feel like I’ve been preparing my entire life to do this.’
FIN: So, no creepy marriage proposals, none of that?
Koitz: (laughs) No, nothing like that.
FIN: Are you a U.S. citizen or a national living in the United States?
koitz: I’m a U.S. citizen, and I’m very proud of it. My American friends tease me because they tell me that I photograph the American flag all the time. I suppose that’s true, but it’s a beautiful flag. It’s beautifully designed. Yeah. I like the American flag.
FIN: Is there anything you’d like to discuss in this interview that my questions haven’t touched on so far?
koitz: I am sorry that my mom is no longer here to witness my success as a photographer and journalist. She would have been so proud of me when the book came out, and she would have loved seeing me on TV. She was always supportive in every way possible. My sister, too. My sister took her own life many years ago, and I feel the same way about her. I miss them both so much, and I wish they could have seen my success.
