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Konstantinos Orphanou
@konstantinos_orphanou
Photographer based in Cyprus
The urge I felt to first pick up a camera was sparked by one man, Peter McKinnon. His YouTube videos showed me photography in a whole new light, and all of a sudden, I had the desire to capture the world through a lens.
My love for photography was then propelled further when I laid my hands on the Canon 800D. Trying out this gadget and taking photos made me finally understand how a photograph can reinvigorate feelings that our memories simply cannot. The smell of a flower, the buzz of the bees, and the feel of the mountain dew are just some of the countless feelings a photograph can help you relive.
"Traveling is also one essential component of my life."
Traveling enables me to experience exotic places where I can take many images & memories back home with me. I believe travel can open your eyes to new ideas and perspectives of thought. Thus, travel is an investment in improving one’s perspective, and it allows me to make new friends and discover more of our planet’s greatness.
"One of the planet's most remarkable destinations is my own country, Cyprus."
I’m endeavoring to use my photography to internationalize my country’s landscape. Cyprus’ unique flora and fauna give it the capacity to amaze the foreign audience. My mission is to achieve my goal of placing Cyprus at the top of the list of photogenic locations on our planet.
Cyprus is quite a lucky piece of land, really. It offers snowy mountains, sandy beaches, and even in some areas, a tropical climate! Through my photography, I hope to capture my island’s scenic diversity. I want to show local and international visitors the different landscapes we have and compel them to explore much more of the island. From the Akamas valley’s hills to the mountains of Troodos, I implore my viewers to join me in the celebration of the island of Aphrodite’s natural beauty.
I’ve taken countless images of my island now, and in the past, I entered the Cyprus national landscape photography competition. This was during the early stages of my photographic journey. To be honest, I was more interested in seeking feedback from other professionals than competing with them. You can then imagine how shocked I was then when I received the prize for first place.
"I knew at this moment that photography was the right place for me and that I was well on my path to mastering this skill set."
Now wherever I go, my camera always accompanies me. I’m continually questioning how to capture the perfect shot and how I can shoot the majesty of the landscapes I visit. My aim is to always capture the visual beauty and the feeling, mood, and aura of the specific moment I’m witnessing. Photography is also something that allows me to escape. Whenever I have the camera in my hand, I immediately forget any worries preoccupying my mind.
There isn’t one most impressive travel moment that immediately jumps out of my mind. However, there is one destination that I crave to visit, which, I believe, would offer me the spectacularism and the wonder that every landscape photographer dreams of. That place is Iceland. I long to explore and navigate its icy hills while I gaze at the grace of the aurora lights, to see what it’s like to witness the land of ice and fire.
But even when I’m back in Cyprus, I’m always surfing the internet for the place I will travel to next, which offers me the ideal landscape for photographs. I like to explore ideas & locations my fellow photographers give me. Specifically, I want to observe what strategies they followed to capture their excellent pictures. I think carefully about what angle they used, what gear or tools they utilized, and what additional materials they had to improve the shot.
"My goal is to pass down the experience to the viewer by visiting exotic places and sharing them via my photographs."
The editing process is the pathway to convey the feeling and the general aura of the landscape. Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures. For me – the photographer – a photo is an experience, and my mission is to carve a moment for viewers to live in. I want them to grasp the dew, the howling of the wind, and to stand amazed at the scenery’s color spectrum.
"A photograph also has to possess a significant level of realism and authenticity."
That’s why in the editing process, I’m opposed to the excessive use of presets. I believe that one has to build on the ideas of others, not copy them. When I use presets from other photographers on similar projects, I always add my own characteristics. Through this process, I ensure that my editing style places my unique signature on my photographs. Only then can people recognize what I – Konstantinos – see through the image.
"My personal view of the photograph is what makes them attractive."
My experiences and mindset offer a distinctive perspective that no one else can copy. Overall, I would say I developed this style because of my father. He has been pivotal in shaping my love for nature and the Earth. Born and raised in a small rural village in a family of farmers and working in the forestry service, he grew an infinite amount of knowledge about the environment. He definitely passed that knowledge and passion onto me. I will never forget the never-ending hikes near my village and the small lectures he gave me about the different universes within Cyprus’ forests.
I feel proud of his achievements when it comes to the protection of nature, recording the diverse flora of the island, or by simply putting other people’s needs before his and that is called humanity. His passion is preserving nature so that the next generation may enjoy its wonders. Likewise, through photography, my passion is showing our wonderful landscapes to the people of the world.
I think that photography must be exhibited as a form of artistic expression. Like a painting and a sculpture, a photograph can bear one’s unique artistic signature. We, the photographers, should aim to open the viewer’s eyes to the planet’s beautiful scenery while sharing it with our own unique twist.
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