NOMADICT

Search
Close this search box.

NOMADICT

Konstantinos Vasilakis

@konstantinos_vasilakis

Landscape photographer based in Greece

I started photography at an early age, being the kid with the camera at school capturing snapshots of my friends and learning how that little box was working. Never thought much of it back then but when I was studying engineering in England, in the coastal town of Brighton, the sea and the surrounding rural areas appealed to my senses and I found myself more out there than actually attending University, always having a small pocket film camera in hand.

"At the turn of the millennium, with technology influencing photography, my interest was amplified mostly due to the technological advancement that fascinated me."

Though I loved going around in England, actual travelling came later on when I was discharged from the army, a period in my life in which I have travelled a lot around Greece and met some beautiful remote places, although in the form of army barracks. After leaving I wanted to see more outside the confines of the Hellenic army so I took my car and started driving. From north to south, in mountain ranges and islands; I wanted to see a Greece that not a lot of people had seen, a land that is reserved only for the locals living in it and not found in tourist brochures.

"Greece is a small country by world standards but is very diverse when it comes to landscapes."

Sure, the islands are a famous summer destination, but there are also mountains with peaks exceeding two thousand meters high, virgin forests up north with flora and fauna unique to the world, deep gorges and jagged peaks in a mountain range that consists the spine of central Greece.

"Exploring Greece through photography helped me develop a profound love for my country."

As a result, I decided to leave my birthplace Athens and move to a small village of ten people up in the mountains of northwestern Greece to practice photography and try to express myself through this medium. I have been practicing landscape photography for more than fifteen years now with my style going through all the phases that I believe landscape photographers experience. From snapshots to visually appealing shots and where I currently am now, in the search for a more profound meaning for my images that exceed the aesthetic and visual pleasing part.

This search for profoundness dictates my philosophy in photography as stated on my website where I talk about the “inner landscape” and the need for a photographer to shed the layers that society and culture have added on us in order to find the clear view we had as a child – essentially saying that meaningful images come from within. The landscape only provides the stimuli in order for us to pick up the camera and create the image when we actually feel a connection with it and not because the conditions are epic. I am not interested in showing the landscape as it is, but rather in showing my personality through the landscape. I believe this is the key aspect of being unique and not just a copycat of trends and well-worn compositions because there is only one me.

"Thus, the primary way to find our true self is to reacquire that pure view of the world we had as a child before society, anxiety, ego and social interactions imposed on us creating a completely different person."
"Through this process, I have found immense satisfaction because I have started to create what I believe to be meaningful images; images that are irrelevant of weather conditions, epic light and wow moments."
Konstantinos Vasilakis
"This is something that I am trying to convey to all my workshop participants. They are lengthy workshops - usually more than a week, especially the ones run in Greece - but time is needed in order to convey the mindset one needs to adopt if he or she wants to evolve photographically."
Get to know Konstantinos' workshops

There is the opportunity for that great ‘trophy’ shot, but we don’t hunt for it. If it happens, it happens and we achieved it because of ‘our routine and techniques we learned’, but this isn’t something I am interested in anymore. I would be dishonest to my clients if I was to teach them just that which frankly is a very easy thing to do. You just have to follow some guidelines when you are composing. Constructed images are simple to achieve both in the field and in post processing and this is not something I want my participants to remember me for.

"What I strive for when giving advice is to redirect the whole mindset about landscape photography to something more rewarding."

I want my workshops to be more than how to crop, stitch, blend, and compose with super wide angle lenses. I want the people who attend my workshops to return home and have a rekindled interest in photography, to be ready to do their soul-searching that will make them unique. And I want them not be disappointed because after investing time and money the weather just didn’t cooperate and they didn’t get that trophy shot. The same goes for the editing procedure too. The better you capture that fleeting emotion you felt and which made you take the shot, the less you will need to do in the post production because the image is already there. Advanced editing, multiple shots and too much thinking is not something I practice anymore…

"You will be surprised how much you can do with a marquee selection, a curves adjustment and the blur tool if the image and the feeling is already there."

Would you like content like this sent to your inbox?

"As a conclusion, I have left a very interesting question that you were so kind to ask me. What do I think my photos say about me?"

Even though I could write a lengthy paragraph on that subject, but I just reverse the question and ask the viewer at the gallery or a workshop participant who asked me this question what they think my photographs say about me. It isn’t that I don’t want to answer, despite my natural shyness. I want the viewer to stop and think, to look deep in the picture and try to feel it, and spend some time on it. This is very beneficial because in turn, they will do the same with all the images they see – especially their own, hoping to understand which ones are actually connected to their hearts.

"In the fast paced world that we live in today where all is weighted based on popularity, it’s sometimes good to just stop and really look."
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Be inspired by:

@joshua.mallett_Fishtail Mountain

Joshua Mallett (@joshua.mallett): Best of the week 38 at #nomadict 2024

November 13, 2024 No Comments

Joshua’s passion for travel and photography has always been intertwined, each inspiring the other. Photography drives him to explore unfamiliar terrains in search of the perfect shot, often leading to spontaneous adventures. The unexpected moments he captures reflect his belief that the best frames are found off the beaten path, where unique compositions and fresh perspectives set his work apart.

Read More »
@withmazur_Maksym Mazur_Nomadict 2024_10

Maksym Mazur (@withmazur): Best of the week 35 at #nomadict 2024

November 3, 2024 No Comments

Mazur’s journey intertwines his love for travel with a deep commitment to capturing the world’s fleeting beauty. His work often reflects his awe of nature, such as in his image of the jungle that won Best of the Week at Nomadict, taken from above at sunset with perfect timing and serendipity.

Read More »
@katarina_mandarina_Nomadict Best of the Year 2023

Katarina Batuta Višekruna (@katarina_mandarina): Best of the Year 2023 at #nomadict

November 1, 2024 No Comments

From the wild beauty of Vermillion Cliffs to the depths of Mexico’s cenotes, Katarina’s work reflects a deep connection with the environment and a love for visual storytelling. With 18 years of experience and the co-founding of her production company, HiishiiPhoto, Katarina continues to evolve her craft. Katarina’s photo of the Vermillion Cliff was chosen for Best of the Year 2023 by the Nomadict community.

Read More »
@arnaud_ribeiro_OrangeLines

Arnaud Ribeiro (@arnaud_ribeiro): Best of the week 26 at #nomadict 2024

October 19, 2024 No Comments

Arnaud’s journey into photography began in 2023, inspired by a friend’s breathtaking road trip photos. Starting with a basic drone and a desire to capture the beauty around his home, his passion quickly grew, leading him to invest in a camera and fully immerse himself in the craft. Though still early in his journey, Arnaud’s dedication to practice, patience, and embracing mistakes has already shaped his evolving style. One of his images won the Best of the Week at Nomadict.

Read More »
@cunodebruin_Nomadict 14

Cuno de Bruin (@cunodebruin): Best of the week 33 at #nomadict 2024

October 10, 2024 No Comments

From his early days experimenting with a DSLR to capturing breathtaking drone shots in the mountains, Cuno’s work reflects his love for storytelling through images. In this article, he shares the experiences and lessons that shaped his career, from winning awards to balancing his creative pursuits with family life.

Read More »
Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin

Terms of Service and Return Policy

Copyright and Trademark

Privacy Policy

© 2020 Nomadict. All rights reserved.