Looking at St. Maarten Through an Artful Lens
Interview with Richard Santaga
From Kodak to Contests
In a series of interviews with island visitors, VisitStMaarten.com today has the pleasure of highlighting Richard Santaga, two-time winner of the SHTA Event Calendar Photo Contest.
Something you would not directly expect from an avid photographer, Santaga is a retired teacher of reading and adjunct professor of writing. “I loved my career of 33 years until I retired, and then I realized that it’s fun not working!”
His love for photography had already started at an early age. “When I was young, my family and I traveled throughout the United States by car. I have been to 44 states. It was during that time that I started taking pictures with an old Kodak camera. Around age 16, I found an old camera in a drawer, and it was fully mechanical. There were no batteries, and all the controls had to be set by visually looking around at the lighting and making adjustments on the camera. It was a lot of fun, and it was where I learned to love photography.”
Next to literature, the art of photography also became an educational discipline he became well versed in. “Somewhere during my time teaching, I managed to teach photography to adults, using film cameras, and developing and printing pictures. Those were the good old days when you didn’t know what your photograph looked like until you got it back from the store or printed it yourself.”
Friendly Favorites
Having been a St. Maarten visitor for decades, Mr. Santaga has difficulty choosing a favorite spot. He loves the island as a whole: “If I am on the island, that’s it. I see the people as the core island quality. It is called the ‘Friendly Island,’ and it lives up to its name. Additionally, everyone speaks English or tries to, and they take the US dollar everywhere—well, not everywhere on the French side. Many people don’t know that two countries share the island: the Dutch and the French.”
When it comes to “Friendly Islanders” he has gotten to know over time, they are too numerous to mention. “After more than 50 visits to the island, it would be impossible for me to pick a person. There are restaurateurs, shop owners, workers at the resort, and a host of other friends who come to mind. There are two people who are at the top of my list: Raju & Jenny, the owners of Oro Diamanté Jewelers, and Cathy Harris, manager at Aquamania Adventures Excursions.”
Expert Excursions
As an island expert with an eye for detail, what are Mr. Santaga’s favorites when the camera is off duty? Simpson Bay Resort and Marina is his favorite hotel. You might find him enjoying a well-deserved retirement drink. “Depending on the day, wine would be my first choice. On a really hot day, it would be a frozen drink—probably a mango something. Usually, before dinner, I’ll have a Prosecco.”
Regarding restaurants of choice, it is a tough question once again. “Roma in Maho Beach comes to mind. I also recommend excursions from Aquamania, which is located on the property of Simpson Bay Resort and Marina. They offer a variety of excursions to different islands and locally. Fort Amsterdam on the Dutch side and Fort Louis on the French side open up perspectives on history.”
The March Heineken Regatta, resulting in one contest-winning picture, is his favorite St. Maarten time of year. “I’ve been going every year since 2008 after I retired. I missed one year during Covid. It is truly a sight to behold, especially up close on the party boats, Tango and Lambada.”
Island Inspiration
As it has been proven that Mr. Santaga looks at the island from a different viewpoint, what are the photo spots he prefers on the island? “It has to be Mullet Bay when there are no cruise ships in port. Just listening to the waves and looking out at the sea is a wonderful experience, and I can’t get enough of it. I have an enlarged photograph, 36 x 48, on canvas over my fireplace of Mullet Bay, and you can actually see the curvature of the Earth. Mullet Bay and Baie Longue are my favorite spots: beauty and serenity all at once.”
If anyone inspired Santaga in creating the “lens” of values with which he looks at life, it was his mother. “She rests in peace now, but two really fond island memories are spending time with my mother, my partner Susan, and grandchildren on various beaches.”
