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Anthony Mandilaras
@anthonyphotography__
Landscape photographer based in Greece
I was in Rome, Italy, in 2018. I was lost, in a foreign city, without knowing the language. It was my first trip abroad, and I was strolling around the eternal city. Eager to discover, to live new experiences, to taste new flavors, to meet new people.
I will never forget the sight of Capela Sistina, a unique work by Michelangelo. This masterpiece took him almost four years to complete it. All the details, it’s inconceivable! J.W. von Goethe said: “Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what man is capable of.” Here I realized something was missing…
"Ι believe that every journey has something to teach you, every journey makes you discover new things - not only about the world that you live in, but also about yourself."
I discovered my passion for photography. So, as soon as I returned I bought my first camera, which was my first step into the world of photography. I started to shoot timidly whatever was drawing my attention in my city, and simultaneously I was searching for knowledge in order to expand my artistic horizon.
Μy love for cars played a decisive role in my photography at the beginning, because the first gig I took on as a photographer was a car shooting. After that, a good friend and I created an account on Instagram showcasing fast cars and we were trying to find potential clients with interest in a photoshoot of their fast cars. With a lot οf work we managed to have a great audience with a good engagement and we achieved to maintain this community one of the most popular ones in Greece. Simultaneously I was moving toward taking photos of landscapes and I met my photographic mentor, George Soumelidis, who is an excellent photographer himself. At that moment, as a student, I realized that photography expresses the way that any of us wants to see the world.
"Furthermore, just like one of my favorite photographers, Ansel Adams, said: “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
A special photo that I “made” recently was in Naxos, one of the Greek islands. Naxos is my father’s birthplace, so I have spent the majority of my summers there. As a little kid I was almost the whole day at the sea, playing with the waves, having fun and enjoying the Greek sun. That day of the photo, two good friends of mine and I started at the break of dawn to go to the location where we wanted to shoot. The weather was extremely windy and cold despite the season, we drove for an hour going half around the island along the seaside. We got to the spot at the perfect hour. It was a beautiful sunrise with a stormy sea in a quiet place, just like I wanted.
The sea and the summer in the mind of the most Greeks are united, but for me it isn’t the same. Sea is a part of me and for this reason I seek her during the whole year. Sea calms me down and when I look at it, I reflect on events and I find solutions to my problems. The sea influences me, relaxes me and inspires me. I love long exposures, especially when the sea is stormy. In order to photograph the sea, I keep track of the weather and when they predict storms or strong wind, I go to the sea.
"I really love the shots that combine the sunrise, the craggy cliffs and the stormy sea."
After the shots, we made a mini-tour in mountainous Naxos and being their guide, we passed through villages and locations that everyone should visit in Naxos. Wonderful feelings manifest within me when I see this picture. Feelings that give me the strength to keep creating.
Photography plays an important role in my daily life and I attend to include it in my routine, even though I have a lot to do during the day. I go on small excursions, especially on the weekend, in order to discover and photograph new places and to advance in the area that makes me so creative. When I don’t have the ability to photograph, I experiment in Photoshop and edit my previously taken photographs. Above all, I definitely see my studies and photography to become something united in the future. I have a bachelor in Business and Management and a master in Digital Marketing. I would say that my love for photography pushed me to choose my master. So, I strongly hope to develop my brand and business toward the future, along with ameliorating continuously when it comes to content creation.
I am already at this stage that I am actively searching for new paths to develop myself in the photography industry. I try to pay more attention to my frames, to the light and the synthesis of my photos and I go to inspirational places, choosing, of course, the best hour for the best results. I am trying to present a variety of content on my profile with atmospheric and clear captures of landscapes to showcase my country in all its glory.
Although known for the sun, Greece is not only a summer destination. In other periods of the year it is as beautiful, or even more. Greece has stunning places, some of them I have already explored, some others not (yet), and some others I have only photographed with my eyes. The first place that comes to my mind is Milos, an island in the Aegean Sea, which belongs to Cyclades, a Greek island group. My trip to Milos is indelible, because I had my first full frame camera and a wonderful island to explore. My excitement was tremendous, just like the excitement of a small kid who is waiting for Santa Claus.
"In the majority of the places in Greece, especially on our islands, there are beautiful picturesque chapels."
One of my favorite places is in the island of Sifnos, where I photographed the chapel of Seven Martyrs, which is on the top of a small cliff. The view is majestic and the place is absolutely dreamy. Greece is a country with a strong ancient history and because of this there are a lot of historical monuments and archeological places. One of these, which is a true gem in my eyes, is the Portara in Naxos island, “the great door”. Reportedly it was the gate of a temple which was dedicated to the Greek God Apollo. This temple was built in the port of Naxos but it was never completed. When you approach the port of Naxos, it is the first that you observe, transferring you immediately to a different era.
A lot of times I think about the places that I have visited and the photos that I haven’t taken in those places because I didn’t have the appropriate equipment. This fact makes me want to travel more and more. However, the period that we currently traverse is really hard and having this in mind, I try to spread optimistic messages and positivity. The only way is forward, we should never stop challenging ourselves, never stop dreaming, continue to set goals and find our source of energy! Whatever the situation is. I believe in humans, in their power and in the energy that any of us sends out.
Everything I do, I try to do it with good vibes and in this way I create a personal source of energy to develop myself, looking ahead and with full of hope for the future. We have to leave our past behind and not keep holding on to it because we cannot change it. And the only thing that we have to do is to take away useful lessons for the present and the future. Also, I maintain my good vibes passing time with people that want to flourish, embrace new challenges, go outdoors photographing or find joy in reading and learning. I also believe that being surrounded by people who have similar goals as you or are ahead of you in the journey toward the ultimate goal, plays an important role in your personal development.
We live in a world where it’s very rare to find someone who will be truly happy for your success and this feels like malignity for me. Personally I am impressed by generosity, integrity, humbleness and benignity. That’s why I choose to have people with these characteristics next to me. I have the impression that in general, people underestimate the slow and stable steps and overestimate the fast results. I try as much as I can to remain in the stage of development and I choose to learn every day. I am dedicated to my goal, and I will follow the route that is necessary to get there as best as I can, not necessarily as soon as I can. Photography makes me want to become better and better and provides me continuous motivation and the courage to never give up when it becomes difficult. Having this approach to life completes me and leads me to fulfill my goals.
"The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom, courage."
This expression was written by a very famous Greek historian, Thoukidides, who wrote one of the biggest chapters of Greek history about the Peloponnesian War. With this phrase he wants to make clear that any kind of freedom can be acquired only if you have the needed courage. This phrase and the meaning behind impacts me. I tell myself, “never give it up and if you fall one hundred times, you have to get up one hundred and one. You have to fight for the goals that you want to accomplish.” None of this is achievable without the courage.
As said, I love sharing good vibes. It is part of my happiness. If only one person feels encouraged by reading or feeling what I share and express, I achieved my goal. For me photography is a way of expression; it offers the freedom to say how you see the world through visuals. Also, travelling is inextricably connected to a feeling of freedom for me. I travel in order to make new memories and live experiences, maybe shared maybe alone, which will stay with me forever.
"When combining traveling with photography, and all the energy and passion that come along, I have the strength to face the problems of tomorrow!"
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