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George Venios
@vengio
Landscape photographer based in Greece
Hey there! My name is George Venios and I am a freelance photographer from Greece. My life is taking place on a small island in the Aegean Sea, named Sifnos. I discovered photography a few years ago, when I used to take pictures with my cell phone just like an ordinary guy who was randomly wandering around. As the years were passing by, I found myself falling in love with photography.
"I noticed it was a way to express my thoughts, my feelings and many more that I couldn’t say with words."
In order to understand what photography is as an art, I spent countless hours watching videos, reading, and writing projects about the craft. Slowly I was making steps forward and photography for me transformed from a simple click with a cell phone camera into an art. I still remember the first time I used a camera and wondered why there were so many buttons if we only needed one to take a picture. But in the end, everything was there for a reason, of course, and the more I learnt, the more I wanted to go out, experiment, and practice. It went how it had to be done; with many failures but showing a constant progression.
A few years ago, three to be precise, I joined Instagram in order to share my pictures with others. Living on an island my whole life has been challenging, but it gets even more challenging when it comes to visual creation. My aim is to show my photographs to the public and say one simple sentence: “This can’t be Sifnos.” As part of this, I decided together with a friend to provide a unique experience on the island, providing visitors the opportunity to have their memories captured. It may sound ordinary, but for me it is very special to have someone trust me to immortalize their memories in frames, beautiful memories made on my home island. I couldn’t be more proud of this.
"As my hobby had become a passion, it motivated me to travel more and meet many people."
With some of them a friendship beyond photography was built. It is magical how an art can connect so many people – crossing cultures, boundaries, languages… Nothing in common but photography. Sharing a passion, a hunger to never stop learning and inspiring which is necessary in this journey. Everyone can own a camera nowadays, but only those who feel the need to express what is in their mind and heart, can create something unique and timeless.
The obsession to explore the unknown with my camera brought me to so many places. Between those moments, the quote “Every photo is a puzzle piece” was made. Roaming around remarkable landscapes and historical cities, searching for that different angle and capturing it, is how I fell in love with the perfect combination of travel and photography. Not just travel abroad, also here in Greece, where I find to be some of the most beautiful places in the world.
"The color blue is inextricably connected to Greece and lately I have been using this color in the edits of my photos."
Always with some extra lighting to finish up the atmosphere. Because of my mixed content, between cities and landscapes, I feel the need to find a common aspect that creates harmony. Sometimes it is by the colors, sometimes the textures or the lines. But whatever I do in my edits, I aim to always keep in mind to convey an atmosphere through my work, to try to put everyone who would see my work into the frame, making him believe he was there that moment.
There are many people, places, experiences and emotions that influence my editing style. This year’s trip to Iceland was one of the best travel experiences so far. A life lesson, and that’s something all my travel friends can approve. Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes, and its mysterious yet beautiful vibe, makes you reconsider your perspective of the world and our role as human. For me at least, the moment I witnessed the Aurora Borealis is something that will forever remain on my mind – it comes true everytime I close my eyes. Not solely because of the magic of the phenomenon, but because of the feeling it gave me. The understanding of how tiny we are as humans and that the most powerful influencer, in the end, is nature.
"Contemplating these outstanding landmarks gave me the opportunity to think deeper about life and these reflections enable me to be more creative when it comes to landscape photography."
"If I close my eyes and think about Iceland, the first picture that comes to mind is the one from the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach."
One of the most beautiful days in my life so far. The insane vibe that beach gave me is indescribable. I still remember the moment we approached it, and how I immediately stopped taking pictures once arrived. It was so stunning that I could only stop and stare at this natural wonder.
What makes this photo so special is the dramatic aura. I think it makes everyone understand how mysterious a place can be. It hides so many natural treasures and everything invites you to explore it. Even while I was editing this image, I couldn’t stop gazing at the magnificent scenery. How it creates contrasts, how endless the horizon seems to be, and how afraid it can make you feel. Afraid of the unknown, the dark and the undiscovered. Confronting you with the fact that there’s so much you don’t know, so much you haven’t seen, so much you are not aware of. So much, that makes you so little.
But, instead of fear it can be curiosity. And curiosity can transform you in an unstoppable train. I’d recommend anyone to use curiosity as a guideline to reach your destination, not letting anyone stop you. Many “wrong” roads may be taken, leading you to the right destination.
"Stay adventurous, always."
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