About me
You don't take a photograph. You ask, quietly, to borrow it...
My name is Nikos Pavlakis and I was born in Mitilini of Lesvos
Island in Greece. I now live and work in Athens as a computer
operator. When I find some free time I get lost in the
countryside searching for strange flowers and butterflies (not that I
have met strange species, but I am still trying). Because of the nature
of my work, sometimes I return to home early in the morning, just before
the sun comes out. And I can tell you that even in the city, this
spectacle looks weirdly beautiful and always takes my breath away...
Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art
My passion started some years ago (I was really about 15!!)
when I first took into my hands an analog SLR Minolta camera, which was
brutally used, I must say. Not having the slightest clue of what I could
do with that f1.4 macro lens I had, I spoiled every centimeter of film
learning about the world rather than about the camera. This was weirdly
a real help after some years passed!
You don't take a photograph, you make it...
Soon, digital age made things easier and more controllable
with instant trial and error previews and corrections. This was the most
important period for me, because I learned how to "see" things rather
than just watch. My "weapons" included Photoshop, Lightroom some digital
and analog (lens) filters, but my free time became even less at that
time as I got a job as a computer operator for Business systems.
Currently, I am experimenting on some old manual lens (including this
f1.4 Minolta lens from my old camera!). I found the first tests very
appealing and I intend to continue my experiments... indefinitely!
"The photographs make themselves, with my help..."
Taking photographs is not about the equipment you
use, it's all about the photographer. And quality is not an issue if you
know how to handle your equipment. I had to buy and test several gear,
to learn this. Of course, expensive gear can produce valuable photos,
but in the hands of the ignorants "golden hour" can turn every
opportunity into dust. Photography is not only about catching the
moment, you see. At that specific moment, you are creating a vision and a
path from your heart out to the world. Don't expect to find here
faithful copies of our world , but under a certain perspective, I have
aimed for a different approach (and I am always open to new ideas).
There are no rules for good photographs, only good photographs...
This site came into life after suggestions of my
colleagues and friends about projecting my work. I'll try to keep it
constantly updated with new additions, themes and categories. There is a
lot of work involving the design and processing of photos, so if you
made a suggestion about a new category, bear me some time to design an
approach and I will complete your request.
links and promotions...
Please respect my work and don't use the images here for commercial use. You can drop me an e-mail if you want to license my work for commercial use or use the links here for microstock licensing.
Thank you for watching...
Nikos Pavlakis
