It is often needed to take a ride on the wild side and blow some steam of. Forget rules, deadlines, etch and just get “serious” Experiment, try crazy shit, make huge fails but don’t give a damn, get embarrased.

It’s all part of the plan and it’s a great creative selfboost if you ask me.

So grab your cameras and do something crazy. Today!

Angle.
One of the most importand yet underrated element of photography.Most people worry about the technical ascpects of photography and their equipment, while they forget that they can make memorable photographs just by using a dramatic angle, no matter what camera they hold at the moment ( call it a High End DSLR or your iPhone ).

I really enjoy the effect that this photograph has on people from my hometown. This is a well known statue but most people don’t realize or recognize it due to the dramatic angle. I have to show them some “normal” shots to realize what is going on

The cloudy sky adds another wow layer  to the overall dramatic feeling of this photograph but remember that this would not the case if the angle was not right.

So bend those knees, get to the ground, try to get 50 shots and I promice you that 49 will be crap but one will stand out of the crowd. Once you have this one shot thet you can worry about explaining what the hell you where doing down there

The title says it all I believe verbally and visually. We all have been in a point of our lives emotionally “outside of the stream”  until someone layed a hand and pulled us inside again. Let stay within the stream and pull with us as many as we can.

Usually I not a sunset guy. Unless there is something else in the frame that causes emotion and not just the sun going down the horizon. And thunders. No more thunder shots please.

I would like to believe that this shot maybe has something “emotional” so this is why I am posting this. I bet that people who know me are thinking right now “OMFG You posted a sunset!” or ” Dear have you been sitting in the sun too much these days?”.

Laugh all you want

But I actually like this one because it’s not your typical cheezy sunset shot. It has something that motivates me. All because of that guy walking away towards the end of the frame. Maybe it’s the fact that I have to get back to work again after my vacation. Maybe I have been in the sun too much. Who knows ! But I actually like this shot. So enjoy it while it lasts people. There will be no more shot’s like these for quite some time in the future!

And I will close this post with the lyrics from Shinedown’s Diamond Eyes track that spin in my head the last few days:

I’m on the front line
don’t worry I’ll be fine
the story is just beginning
I say goodbye to my weakness
so long to the regret
and now I know that I’m alive

Don’t ask me how I got this photograph. Just Don’t. I have no way of telling you. There is no techique, no speciall settings I used, no nothing.

It was just sitting there, among a bunch of crappy and good shots from a live performance of Liebe, a Greek emergin band with an amazing sound that I had the pleasure to watch live in Kavala.

Does the fact that it was taken by accident makes this photo “less” photo? I don’t think so. Yet there are so many people out there who are afraid to admiit that the super-duper shot they took was not a product of carefull thinking and planning, but it was the product of a moment that everything just … clicked.

I believe this is so very wrong. As long as you have your camera and passion with you at all times, as long as you keep chasing your photographic dream, happy accidents will happen.

And I hope that one day all will understand that the procedure is not important, but the end result is.

Keep shooting. The next happy accident is just a click away.

P.s. for those who have been wondering: This is not photoshop work. It’s pure photography

I know that some might say “Oh… another abstract” ? Again ? And they might probably be right But I absolutely love them what can I say. I have a thing for it. And I suggest when the muse visits you and give you a rush on a certain subject, go ahead and take it to the limits, push the envelope, go for it until you dry this thing out. Because the fuel that we call inspiration does not always come when we need it but rather when it wants to come. And these moments are not to be left for “tommorow”.

This shot was taken during a panning / abstract frenzy I was in for a while. I was there next to a busy street, waitting for the next meeting of the Photography Club of Kavala to start so I thought it would be fun to slap in my Tokina 11-16mm and try some panning action along with some intentional shake in order to get a “ghosty” effect of a large vehicle. So there you have it: The Mighty Bus To Elsewhere.

I love this image as much for the content but also for it’s function as a reminder that photo opportunities can be found everywhere / anytime. As long as you remember to bring that camera with you that ism in order to get the best of the inspirational rush and the moment.

Do you have these moments? DO you know what I am tlaking about ?

Let me know your two cents.

Happy photographer !

That’s what I become when I manage to grab a photo that combines abstract, reflections and vivid colors.

This photo was shot during a Vespa owners gathering in my hometown with my 55-200mm and Nikon D80. Those machines have endless possibilities for shots like these. Combine a Vespa and a photographer and you will probably never run out of abstract subjects again

Ok I am probably going over the top here but you know that there is some truth in the above statement.

Now I have got to hit the publish button before I melt on my keyboard. Its 35 Celsius here and it will rise even more!  Hot stuff, just like this photograph!

Well I must admit it: I am a sucker when it comes to abstract art. Event from my early days in graphic design. I remember I was drooling when I used to see digital abstract art from the fine masters suck as Chapter3.net and Magictorch from UK.

So it;s only natural to experiment when I am photoshooting for fun or for a client as well. The good thing is that experimentation pays off. The bad thing is that you have somehow to give a logical and solid explenation to the client, regarding you, lying on the floor and moving the camera like crazy while you should be photographing his night club.

Fun stuff…

When we are starting to explore of photography we often bump into rules: Do that ,don’t do this, user the rule of thirds, keep your subject within the frame etch.

I am a rebel. Never liked photography rules and most of the time I usually break them. I am not suggestion that this is the correct thing to do. I am just saying what I prefer to do.

In this case I decided to cut the main subject which is the lead singer of this band in half and focus on his feet only. Why? Well for starters it creates a sense of mystery. When you see the whole well…., you see the whole! Not much to imagine about.

Another thing is that I believe this frame allows the eye to better travel within the photograph and capture details that it would not if the main subject was fully visible.

Finally, photography should be fun. And what could me more fun that breaking some photography rules along the way ?

Few days ago ( yesterday that is ? ) I poasted a photo saying that stormy weather is full of photo opportunities. What do you know ! I was in one today ( storm that is ) and after about 15 mins I am standing infront of this amazing scenery where clouds are rushing above my head and dance with a double rainbow.

Thank god I had my camera with me and I captured around 15 shots of this great scenery with my Nikon 18-55. This is one of them whoch had some cross proccess treatment. Unfortunatelly I forgot the ISO on my Nikon D80 at 800 so there is some noticable noise but on the other hand this actually gives the photo a “retro” quality so lets just call it a happy accident

I really likes the outcome so I wanted to share it with you people right away. Let me know what you think

And now that I did off to grab some beers and enjoy a cool summer night!