As a follow up to my recent Images in Greece article, this piece features some examples of street photography done while in Greece. This style of photography by its very nature is a very personal thing. What appeals to one person may leave others scratching their heads. So if you’re wearing a hat…take it off and be prepared to scratch.
Rather than simply show Photography Life readers some images with very little comment, I thought I would share some of the thoughts behind the photographs. Be forewarned that you will be getting a glimpse into a rather twisted mind.
As regular Photography Life readers know my client business focuses on video work and industrial photography. Unlike many photographers I don’t do any weddings, family shots, or portrait work. Photographing others of my species is just not of any interest to me. As a result most of my street photography tends to be devoid of people. I like the feeling of quiet and solitude that this can bring to an image. Sometimes it is like capturing a surreal moment of what would be left behind if all of us suddenly disappeared from the planet.
I look for interesting leading lines like the centre paving stones in the following image. A good leading line brings viewers into the image and also makes it feel deeper. This is especially true when shooting with a wide angle lens.
Sometimes I discover a pair of leading lines that can add drama from both sides of an image and significantly accentuate the feeling of depth. In situations like this I look for a unifying element to tie both leading lines together. In this case it is the alternating, coloured paving stones at the bottom of the image. I use perspective control software extensively when working on street photography images to try to achieve the exact look I want. To pre-empt the obvious question, I use DxO ViewPoint 2.
I will often shoot from unusual positions or down on one knee to change the viewing angle in my photos. Given sufficient time and appropriate clothing (and perhaps a small crane to help me get back up) I can sometimes be found on my belly lying in the street.
There are times when it can’t be avoided and on occasion other humans do get captured in my photos….grrrrr. To help support a leading line or to create one, I will often crop a building or some other element in the corner.
I am drawn to strong colours like the red on the stool in the following image. I loved how the coloured floor tiles formed a leading line that also connected the red elements on both sides of the image creating some visual flow. The red watering can touching the partially hidden red element adds to that flow. You’ll also notice a small touch of red towards the top of the photo. This forms the third point of a color triangle that we often like to build into our compositions when possible.
Strong colours can be found in a range of different places. In a display of artwork…
On the doors and trim of houses.
In whimsical street art…
…or on a promotional statue.
Unusual light and shadows get my attention in the evenings. Whether on menus…
On a gate leading to an upstairs apartment.
Or from a candle glowing in an ornate holder. As I mentioned earlier, I use perspective control software extensively when doing street photography, and I changed a distracting angle on the left hand edge of the candle holder in this image to give it better balance.
Sometimes the lighting in a scene will compel me to try to take a hand-held image at a stupidly slow shutter speed…even when I should know better. For some reason I don’t mind the slight blur in this photo. Maybe that’s just an attempt to justify to myself that trying to take an image at 1/4 second hand-held was a good idea.
Some colour against a monochrome background always grabs my attention.
Two of the things I love about doing industrial photography is finding beauty in angles and symmetry in objects. This finds its way into my street photography by capturing perspectives of buildings.
Or re-positioning myself, and framing an image so I can make contrasting colours and angles intersect and form an image more akin to an abstract painting than a photo of a wall outside of a home’s courtyard.
Repeating patterns intrigue me.
Especially when a repeating pattern also includes angles.
Being a guitarist, albeit a very bad one, I couldn’t help but notice this railing and take a picture. Tight cropping and the strong contrast in the image helps to focus attention.
Sometimes I simply take an image because I’m hungry.
If I’m very lucky I can find repeating patterns accompanied by strong colours like this flag assortment.
Or in a display of souvenir flip-flops.
I love discovering some whimsy.
Or the intrigue that comes from wondering what’s at the top of the stairs…
Or around the next corner.
I love finding multiple flowing lines that radiate from the centre or side of an image…
Taking some images is so obvious to me that I wonder why everyone on the island of Mykonos doesn’t have the following one.
Finding a Scottish bar on Santorini in Greece earned a smile and a photo, especially given the bright colours. Plus, a flag waving in the breeze.
Some subjects have great depth of character, like this pair of doors with a broken mail slot.
A locked wrought iron gate.
Or a courtyard protected by railings and a gate.
Other images help capture the history and culture of a country. Like this statue which is a reminder of the Ottoman Empire’s control of Greece for over 400 years.
Or the fact that the town of Mykonos was subjected to so many pirate attacks over the centuries that its streets were purposely built very narrow and twisted, making defense of the town more effective. This is a photo of the narrowest street in Mykonos. If I had a time machine and dialed it back to 1974 I think I could make it up to the other end… just barely.
Greece has a very strong connection to the Orthodox church.
And its people are extremely proud of the country’s rich culture and history. Patriotic displays can be creative like this Greek flag window treatment.
Scooters are so plentiful in Athens and on the islands that I swear that they must make them in both male and female versions, and that they propagate in the evenings when tourists are sleeping. More often than not they serve as delivery vehicles on the islands.
Examples of pottery are widely found in doorways and on window sills and can make for some interesting photos. This is a bit of a technical deviation but have a good look at the following image. It was taken hand-held during an evening walk in Mykonos town at f/5.6, +0.3, 1/13th of a second, at ISO-1600. I used a Nikon 1 V2 and its much maligned 1” sensor, coupled with the 10-30mm non-PD zoom lens. Noise reduction was done using the PRIME function in DxO OpticsPro 9. Take a close look at the detail that is visible in the gold ring on the vase and in the fine weaving in the curtain.
Visitors to Santorini from cruise ships can take a cable car up to the town of Fira or ride up the steep stone covered trails on the backs of donkeys. I used the edges of a window to create some added depth in the following photo, and positioned the dark shadow of the window to anchor the bottom left hand corner of the image, and add more overall contrast.
Some scenes reminded me of the economic turmoil that Greece has been experiencing.
And the challenges it still faces.
And, the final image that I want to share with you captures the essence of Greece. It is a country with a long and rich history…its citizens somehow remaining vibrant and growing in the face of difficult circumstances.
If you would like details on the Nikon 1 camera gear used to shoot all of the pictures in this article, it is detailed at the end of my earlier Images of Greece article.
Article and all images Copyright 2014, Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, reproduction or duplication including electronic is allowed without written consent.
Hi Mike,
OpticsPro 9 and ViewPoint 2 are different pieces of software both published by DxOMark. Although I do not use Lightroom I believe that you can export files from OpticsPro 9 into it. Files can be exported into CS6. You can use ViewPoint 2 as a self standing program if desired.
I do all of my RAW processing in OpticsPro 9 then export files in DNG format for further work in CS6 and Nik Suite and sometimes Topaz if I’m doing some photo art type of work.
I store all of my photo files in Windows Explorer along with all of the other files that I may have for a particular client so I have never tried to use photo cataloguing functions in photo-related software. This is due to the fact that my business includes a lot of video work as well as non photo related work that I do for clients such as executive coaching and different types of business consulting. It is much more efficient for me to store all types of files in one central place for each client.
Tom
Tom,
So far I use Lightroom, Topaz, some of the Nik suite, and Portrait Pro 9. I don’t use CS6 which I probably should get and learn. I’m going to look at the OpticsPro9 to see what benefit it will be to me. Thanks for the info.
Hi Mike,
DxO usually has free 30-day trials with OpticsPro 9. It’s a good way to try it out to see if you like it or not. If you do decide to give it a try make sure to use the lens softness and PRIME noise reduction tools. Some folks like me like it, others not. When it comes to software it really is a matter of personal choice.
Tom
Tom,
This is good to know. An easy way to see if I like the program or how easy it will be to learn a new software.
Hi Mike,
A very simple test to do with OpticsPro 9 is to pick an image you’ve taken at high ISO and open it up in the program. You’ll have to open up the ‘customize’ menu by clicking on it. Then make one click and choose PRIME noise reduction. If your lens is covered by the lens softness function that box will show up at the very bottom of the right hand column after you click “customize”. Move the first two sliders up maybe 2-3 bars, then click ‘Export to disc” which is found under the file tab.
OpticsPro 9 is designed so that as soon as you open up an image in it the software makes a range of standard adjustments based on testing the DxOMark has done with the specific camera body and lens used for to make your image.
Or, once you have loaded up the trial software, just give me a call and I can walk you through the above-noted test.
Tom
Thanks for the tour and for fine photography.
What software do you use for perspective control?
Hi Didaskalos,
I used DxO ViewPoint 2 for all perspective adjustments.
Tom
Tom,
Question. I’m not familiar with the DxO software. You mentioned that you use DxO9 something for processing and now ViewPoint2. Are these the same software or additional plug in?
Is the DxO9 you use like Lightroom where it also stores and can arrange files or do you first load files into Lightroom or on your computer than move them into the DxO software?
Thomas,
Very nice pictures and interesting comments.
I confess that I’m frustrated with my 1 V 1. Not able to achieve the quality I was hoping. More often I use my Lumix FZ200 with better results.
Now I don’t have the muscles to carry my D700 with long and heavy lenses and I was considering to try 1 V 2 or this will be a case of acute GAS syndrome ?
I had a chance to read all your reviews about Nikon 1 system and your experiences with the system.
Best regards
Walter
Hi Walter,
Thanks for your comment…I’m glad you enjoyed the images!
I am intrigued to learn more about what has been frustrating you when using the V1 and what aspects of the Lumix FZ200 make it a more effective tool for you.
I have some experience with Panasonic super zoom bridge cameras and they are great cameras to use.
Tom
Hello again Tom and Mike and thanks for your messages,
I apologize to both of you, I wasn’t clear at all in my first comment, your reactions helped me to be more specific.
We should just drink a greek coffee together and share our point of views, which are very close.
That would be the greek way, coffee and talks…retsina and ouzo maybe later.
I agree with Mike, the world does need to act to save Greece, but not more that it should act to save the world itself:-)
I agree with Tom, tourism does help the situation in Greece because it gives work to some people.
Best regards.
Alex
Alex and Tom,
I think we are all ok with our conversation here. As for the Greek coffee, definitely and the retsina with lunch and no maybe about it…ouzo later. Opah!!!
Hi Alex,
There is no need to apologize for anything!
You are obviously a man of great compassion and all of us who have read your posts here have a much better understanding of the emotions you must be feeling when you witness what has been happening to Greece and its wonderful people. This has helped all of us appreciate what is truly important in the human experience.
Tom
The photographs must be good in at least one way as they are provoking thought, emotion, opinion and discussion. Isn’t that the aim of all photography and, or art?
Robert Morgans,
Yes, that is what art, whether photography or otherwise needs to do and it is what is happening here. In my post 52, I acknowledge Alex’s explained point of view. I use my photography as a journalist. Thomas, is more the artist. Perhaps were we on this trip together, I would have enjoyed walking and photographing with Thomas in his street scenes but then I would have has my turn to pick locations depicting shuttered stores or folks just sitting around trying to figure out what to do next with their lives. That is more my style. Both would provoke conversation and Alex, I gather, would rather see more of the plight of the people of Greece so that the world continued to know help is needed. This is also art and thought provoking.
Robert, you are correct, all points of view are necessary to discuss art in any form.
Hi
Looking back I can see the point of view that the ‘photo’s lack soul’. I just enjoyed the colour and vibrancy, etc. Oddly enough, when I visit a foreign country, I try and take photo’s of the people, especially if they look interesting. I try and include market and restaurant scenes, etc.
I agree that Thom’s photo’s just show the ‘nice’ side of Greece, but then I suppose he was taking photo’s as a tourist rather than documenting the
Greek problems.
Going a bit off track, Greece and Turkey are my favourite holiday destinations (and I travel extensively). I love the food and the friendly people, the
interesting places, etc. I think a lot of these countries problems are from being in the European Union. Thank God, Britain never joined the Euro currency, and I hope we get the vote to get out. I believe Greece would be better out. I sincerely hope Turkey doesn’t get in and get dragged down like Greece has been.
What is nicer than a country retains it’s independence, customs, traditions, laws, and currency. Greece was cheap to visit and thriving before being in European Union. Now it’s not cheap, and countries like Bulgaria are benefitting as a result.
Just my penny worth. And, yes, some photo’s with locals in would have been nice to see, but I still love the photo’s for what they are.
Robert,
Interesting you mention that tourism and European people looking to Bulgaria as it “was” cheaper than Greece in its heyday.
I had a client, a physician, in England who I worked for a number of times in the UK and here in the US. he was a neurosurgeon doning experimental work on a certain type neuro behavior modification with criminals. (BTW as an aside, his work was successful). When he retired he moved to Bulgaria. He and his wife were going to retire to Greece but found he could buy more house and property in Bulgaria. After settling in he invited me to come visit him and since I hadn’t been to that country in many years I took him up on his invitation. Although I didn’t need a hotel room, I found restaurants to be very reasonable for meals and gift shops very inexpensive for quality goods. I enjoyed my visit and we did both the city and countryside tours where he and his wife and their son and daughter in law waited patiently for me to make some photographs.
Three years later, he and his wife moved back to England because all costs in Bulgaria had gone up so high it was cheaper for them to return to GB and live in country side where I have visited them several time. Sure their new home is smaller than the home in Bulgaria but the taxes on property are less and food and entertainment is now cheaper in England than it is in Bulgaria. At least that is what he tells me.
Oh, that’s very interesting.
I always took it to be fairly reasonable. My wife works with a woman who has a holiday home in Bulgaria, and regularly flys out
there. I will have to ask the wife to ask her colleague about the cost of living, etc.
Incidentally, I’m retired and the wife will be within the next couple of years. She’s on about living abroad and mentions Cyprus or
Crete as the place to live for several months of the year. We’ve both agreed we wouldn’t buy abroad as it’s loads cheaper to rent
and a whole lot less hassle!
Thanks for the info.
Bob
Bob,
I only have the one trip to judge. As I was a guest in his house, anytime we went out for dinner, (which was frequent since his wife was not a good cook), I paid for the tab. I found quality dining to be very inexpensive for five people. Also, I always paid for gas in his car with we went driving around. I don’t have any other experience but that one time. Really, I don’t know what he considered expensive or maybe they just got home sick and wanted to return to the UK. Personally, I would pick Greece over Bulgaria. Even the language has a nicer sound in Greece.
Oh, we love Greece, the people, the way of life and the food. We even have Greek food at home and thrive of tomatoes, olives, feta, etc.
Two former colleagues now live in Greece. One in Cyprus and the other in Kefalonia. Never had a bad holiday in Greece or it’s Islands and we’ve been to a few.
Turkey is very similar but, Greece is marginally ahead in our liking. I can see us renting for a few months over the British winter period!
We’ve yet to go to Bulgaria. Just thought it was cheap as that’s what I’ve been told. I expect it’s still reasonable whatever.
Yes, a Greek Island it will almost definitely be!
Bob,
Two years ago I dragged my wife to Micronesia for a weeks stay. I could live there but not my wife. She has a very active busy life and the pace in Micronesia was just too slow for her.
This year hopefully we will make a trip to Greece. She is anxious as a sociologist to see what is going on there and speak with academics and the local folks. Me…I just want to eat and drink and make pictures. Friends of ours spend a months vacation between Corfu and Mykonos. (Frankly, you wouldn’t have to sell me on either location, I’ve been there several times in my life and I could move there permanently in a heart beat). They were touting the two vacation hotels to us but after our trip to Micronesia…well…I don’t know. I’m sure she would be comfortable in Athens but I don’t think I would want to live there.
I’ve been to Mykonos a couple of times and hired a car and been around the Island. There isn’t an awful lot to see outside of Mykonos town – which is a photographers paradise. I don’t think I’d want to live there but as a holiday it’s excellent.
Now Crete or Cyprus have lots of variety and something for everyone. I could easily live there 6 months of the year.
Athens – Mmmm – bit to much like Cairo – Not for me!! The places are crumbling, hot, and not relaxing at all. The people are different, probably as they haven’t the time due to the bustle of the places.
As a Greek Island, and something for both of you, you’d be hard pushed to beat Crete, followed by Cyprus.
I loved Venice (as a photographer) but I wouldn’t want to live there. My wife hated it! You will just have to find something that suits
you both. My advice is not to buy but rent. You aren’t cutting your bridges then.
Let me know if you have a divorce party! LOL
Bob,
Actually, Corfu was my favorite island. If I’m not taking pictures then I’ll be fishing and the fishing boats were great, cheap and we always caught fish. On my last visit I could bring the fish into the kitchen of the hotel and the chef would prepare a meal from them. What ever was left over could be served as a special to other guests.
I agree about Cypress but when I was there last it was on government business and didn’t have a chance to see much except back alleys and the dirtiest parts of the city. A long story. Crete, on the other hand, was very nice and yes, economical for an extended vacation. I would not consider moving anywhere outside the US permanently since my step children with my grandchildren are here and I want to be involved at least with the grandchildren.
Naw, no divorce party. My wife is phi beta kappa, mensa and a full professor of sociology and criminology and still she married me. I’m safe. (What could she be thinking)?
Hi
Very often, there’s nothing like your home country. I’m happy just to go abroad for a few months of the year.
We’ve 5 kids between us, all have fled the nest. One is married and living in Malaysia who now has my grand-daughter
who is one year old. I haven’t met her yet but hope to do so within next 12 months.
You must be very proud of your wife and her achievements. The ‘problem’ with hi-fliers is they very often have trouble
relaxing, always wanting to achieve. I hope she gets a good life balance (if she hasn’t already) and enjoys more time
for herself.
With your fishing and photography, I have no worries about you! LOL
Good luck.
Robert,
Proud, yes but we don’t get much time together. That is why I haven’t retired either. I keep working because at least I’m as busy as she so its a push.
She has three grown children. One still lives at home with our 4yo granddaughter. The other two are out of state and everyone except the one at home is pregnant. More Christmas presents under the tree or out via UPS. LOL
For my work I do a lot of travel. I have clients all up and down the east coast and in Texas, Ohio, and California. Plus, in my criminalist forensic photography I can be sent anywhere a municipality needs help. It’s good money even though the work is mostly ghastly.
I suppose one day we will call it quits and I know she want’s to travel so then we will get to spend a lot of time together.
I was a UK Police Officer and retired 10 years ago this month.
Don’t miss it at all. My wife still works for the Police as a crime investigator/recorder. Her daughter is in
intelligence and anti terrorism and dept supervisor.
I’m waiting for my wife to pack up. So many I know, many younger, dying. I think she’ll be retired within 2
years……….but at least we spend loads of time together…….and have loads of good holidays.
Don’t wait too long. Sometimes that day doesn’t come!
Bob
Robert,
I know I would like to retire now but then I am also afraid that being idol will make me old before my time. I expect both my wife and I will continue working well into our 70’s as I enjoy what I do, it keeps me fit, and I’m good at it.
I’m sure I can relate to all of you in the Morgans family as I am retired military with 38 years of service. First 19 years in Special Forces, Delta and the last bit for one of our government agencies that no one likes any longer. Through my work in the intelligence community is how I got into medical and criminal forensic photography. It’s been a good vocation and very lucrative which serves my wife and I well. My wife, who is younger than I, has at least four more years working before she will decide to retire. However, I know she will continue doing her research in her specialty of Juvenile Recidivism Rates and delinquency. I’m thinking a text book is in the offing.
Reply to: Robert
I know I would like to retire now but then I am also afraid that being idol will make me old before my time. I expect both my wife and I will continue working well into our 70’s as I enjoy what I do, it keeps me fit, and I’m good at it.
I’m sure I can relate to all of you in the Morgans family as I am retired military with 38 years of service. First 19 years in Special Forces, Delta and the last bit for one of our government agencies that no one likes any longer. Through my work in the intelligence community is how I got into medical and criminal forensic photography. It’s been a good vocation and very lucrative which serves my wife and I well. My wife, who is younger than I, has at least four more years working before she will decide to retire. However, I know she will continue doing her research in her specialty of Juvenile Recidivism Rates and delinquency. I’m thinking a text book is in the offing.
Hi
Sorry for the delay replying but we’ve been away on a two day break. Just got home this afternoon and then had a football match to go to this evening.
WoW! You have had a full and interesting life. I was in The Royal Marines Reserves and it was either sign on for 3, 9 or 21 years but I decided I didn’t want to go to Northern Ireland, and joined the Police at the same time my brother graduated from the police cadets – so we were at The Police Training School together, in 1978.
I just do an emergency call out job now delivering urgent blood, platelets and samples, which I’ll carry on doing until the wife retires. She’s put in for flexible retirement and is waiting to hear. If she’s successful that’ll give her more time off and we can fit in more hotel breaks on top of the holidays.
I love the freedom of retirement. Beholden to no one!
To Robert Morgans:
Re Re reply:
Beholden to no one.! Yes that sounds very good to me. (Except as it relates to my wife of course; that attitude could be very dangerous!).
At least you keep busy with your part time work and your photography. I have several friends here in Virginia who are retired law enforcement officers that I’ve been able to get interested in photography since they don’t golf. A couple of them stuck with it and we go out together to different areas and I help them with their photography education and technique. It’s a good diversion for me and we have a great time together.
Beholden to no one.! Yes that sounds very good to me. (Except as it relates to my wife of course; that attitude could be very dangerous!).
Mike
I forgot about the wife! LOL
In fairness, she’s good as gold and doesn’t bat an eyelid when cameras or lenses arrive………or that it’s all scattered around the dining room.
Bob
Bob,
Mine takes a different view that confuses me all the time. When something new arrives she always asks me if I needed it? I sit there thinking…what did need have to do with anything?
Never ceases to amaze me she never questions the amount of money I spend on her kids for birthdays or Christmas. Let’s not even talk about the grandkids. I really like spoiling them.
Ha ha!
A man can never have enough cameras or gear! For about 6 months I have had a DJI Phantom drone I use for photographing (from a different angle) and that was expensive. She never minded that. Even that is in it’s case on the dining room table.I didn’t need it but just fancied it. Boys Toys. I can’t take my money with me so I have what I fancy – within reason!
We’ve 5 kids between us (all fled the nest and working) but only one grandchild. She’s just over a year old and my son and his wife live and work in Malaysia (they just moved there after 2 years in Saudi Arabia). I haven’t met the grandchild yet, and if they can’t get here for Christmas (my son has just opened a restaurant in Kurching) he wants us to fly out in May 2015. Now that’s going to be expensive.
Grandkids, and even our own children, aren’t cheap!
Hi Robert and Mike,
A good friend of mine once put all of this into perspective for me when he said, “We’re all going to leave the same money behind as J. Paul Getty did…all of it!”
Tom
Once again, lovely pictures. Thanks for showing our country to other people.
Hi Konstantinos,
A beautiful county filled with warm and accommodating people is a pleasure to share.
Tom
Hi Alex,
As I mentioned at the beginning of the article street photography is a very personal interpretation of what a photographer sees around them. Obviously you did not like the images nor the commentary. What one person likes, another may hate. Such is the subjective nature of photography.
Thanks for sharing your honest opinion.
Tom
Hello, as a reader of photographylife, which I find to be, usually, a great source of photography reviews, I don’t get this review!
As a greek I can believe this is what you show about Greece. It’s fine that you see Greece like that, but why should you give us to see these boring pictures with no soul.
What is this review about? A camera? A country? Street phtography or empty street photography?
Sorry to be tough with you, but I was quite shocked to discover your review.
Alex
You are entitled to your opinion but mine can’t be more different to yours.
I think the photos are fabulous and really enjoyed them.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole article and thank Tom for his efforts.
Hi Robert,
Thank you very much for your positive comment, I’m glad you enjoyed the article!
I’d also like to thank you for your respectful expression of difference of opinion with Alex and by doing so supporting the culture of openness and sharing that readers and the team here at Photography Life value.
Tom
Alex Simha,
As Robert Morgans, stated I respect your opinion as well. However, I think you are missing some elements to the photographs and commentary Thomas Stirr, offers us to contemplate.
True, these street scenes are empty of the human element…but are they really? Thomas’ composition demonstrates the use of leading lines to direct our eye through the entire picture. What you saw was an empty street. What I saw was rows of doorways, some brightly painted some not. Motor scooters and motor bikes parked along these streets which speak to a basic mode of transportation used by those behind the doors. Now I have to wonder who lives behind those doors? When will they come out and what will they do once they enter this empty street? Take children to school, rush to catch a bus to go to work, or just walk to the empty café to sit with friends to discuss their lives and situations and philosophies about life? This is the soul of the photographs the artist makes for us to decide what is going on. Our interpretation is the “soul” of the picture.
Alex, please go back and look again at the intricate information present in each of Thomas’ photographs. If you feel the same after a second look deeper into the image and come to the same conclusion you did the first time. Then that is what you saw and I would not disagree with your assessment. Just trying to be a friend here.
Hello Mike,
I red the review again as you have been suggesting.
My opinion did not change, still I have the same feeling, it’s boring.
There is no hatred or any bad intentions in my comments, but just the freedom of speech.
As a late student in photography, I like to read, to learn or just to open my mind by looking at pictures.
This review is like a postcard of Greece. It nice but it does not exist anymore, this is for tourists.
Of course the country is still beautiful, I love Greece so much. I love the people even more.
As a greek, living in another country, going back to Greece every year made me very sad and very angry the last couple of times.
Where is beauty if most people have nothing to eat, no shelter, no job, etc…?
Greece has been destroy by politics, european community, economical worldwide greed, etc…
I believe that except if we do something about it, it will hapen everywhere.
It is not a fatality, it’s just a matter of choice, choices that we people should do or fight for.
What I see in Greece, the only thing that could make a difference is the people.
The people are doing something, they fight, as they can, bravo.
Finally, my reaction is probably due to the fact there is no people in these pictures, again there was no bad intentions in my comment.
Best regards.
Alex
Hi Alex,
After reading your most recent posting I understand your perspective much better that this article does not capture the significant human toll that is, and has been occurring, in Greece for many years. While the situation in Greece has not received much media exposure in many countries in recent years the everyday living conditions for many of your fellow Greeks is indeed very dire.
While in Greece we learned that the official unemployment rate is 28% and that the real rate is much higher. Unemployment for those 25 and under is over 60%. Many families have exhausted their unemployment benefits and are no longer counted in those statistics. Some, due to economic hardship, are having to move back in with their parents so that three generations now share the same, cramped living accommodations. Athens is covered in graphiti and crime is rampant in the city. Pickpockets abound at all of the major tourist sites. Wages are depressed as some less-than-ethical employers are taking advantage of the situation and squeezing desperate people to take increasingly smaller pay cheques for the work they do. Many tour guides have been working since March and have yet to receive any pay for their work and they are desperately hoping to be paid at the end of the tourist season. Whether they will receive anything at all is unclear. Some newly constructed hospitals remain closed because the government has no money to hire doctors and nurses to staff them.
Do the photos in my article capture any of this human tragedy? No they don’t. A photo journalism piece on the hardships faced by the people of Greece would have been much different and the images in such a piece would have showed these aspects.
You are absolutely right that the images in my article are the ‘tourist’ Greece. Your country is still one of history and beauty in spite of all of the hardships and challenges faced by its people. It is a place that many others from around the world would like to visit. Hopefully as tourism recovers in Greece it will help relieve the desperate situation that many of its people live through each and every day.
Tom
Alex,
First I will say I find no bad intention in your comments. But with this last post I see clearly your perspective regarding Thomas’ photographs. You are correct from your point of view and Thomas in his response confirms that indeed what photographs he made were picture postcards of the beautiful Greece I’ve visited many times. (My two favorite places are Mykonos and Corfu). Thomas in his post 51 also confirms you pathos and regard for Greece’s current economic and political situation. However, this was not his intent to record on his vacation.
It would appear the world has ignored the plight of the Greek country and its people and that is a pure shame. In Thomas’ post 51 he covers all the problems occurring in Greece at this time so I won’t belabor the thought with going into that again. We all know these things are true and heart wrenching.
I will offer a confirmation to you, as a Greek person that indeed from your point of view perhaps Thomas should have made a more journalistic approach to his photography but that was not his artistic goal. His endeavor was purely street photography in his style. Art photography. My approach, as I’m sure yours would have been different.
I apologize to you Alex, I did not understand your mind set regarding these photographs and your position regarding Greece in total. However, I still find Thomas’ photographs intriguing and thought provoking. That is what art is supposed to be and do for the viewer. However, I respect your point of view and concern for this beautiful country and its people. The world does need to act to save Greece.
Thomas, thank you for this article and the wonderful photos! They are the type of images that I would try for when photographing in a city setting. Some reminded me of New Orleans. Have you visited there yet?
You photos also inspire me to try getting better images from my Nikon 1 V1 camera.
Hi Joni,
Thanks for the positive words…much appreciated! I did have the chance to visit New Orleans many years ago…back in 1994 if my old brain remembers correctly. The French Quarter would be amazing locale in which to do some street photography!
Tom
Wow!
The images are great as well as the commentary on your thought process while taking them!
Now I can see why composition is such an important part of photography! (What can I say, I’m a slow learner!).,
Please don’t take this the wrong way, but the subject matter seems rather “mundane” – stairways, and doors, and walkways and such…..but the wow is in the “telling” (both visual and anecdotal) which you’ve accomplished very well!
With the much maligned 1 inch sensor in the Nikon 1 to boot….
I’ll be a month on this post alone learning to what watch for as far as angles, colors, etc.
Well done!
I’m glad you are still posting after the ridiculousness that took place about one month ago or so!
Thanks a lot for the beautiful images and the great story telling!
KC
Hi Keith,
Thanks for the positive comments. I’m glad you enjoyed the article and images, and the musings that come out of my strange brain.
Tom
No problem Thomas….I can recognize genius when I see it…
If your’s is strange….I WANT SOME OF THAT!
Best,
KC