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Pantelis Moromalos
@pantelismoromalos
Best of the week 33 at #nomadict 2020
Looking back in my life I can’t exactly remember what triggered my need to travel and shoot but I guess somehow it was always there. Since I was a kid I was enthusiastic about wildlife and nature documentaries on television. After years of watching adventures on tv, I went on my first own exploratory trip to Ireland with my wife. I was thrilled by the scenery, and that made me decide to pick up a camera mainly to shoot landscapes. Then, two years ago, I felt a deeper intimacy between me and my camera. It happened during a road trip with a campervan across the Italian Alps aka Dolomites. The breathtaking landscapes combined with the wilderness of the mountains overwhelmed me and I couldn’t stop shooting. I will never forget my wife’s whining for not giving her the attention she demanded but I couldn’t help it.
"I felt like there were so many stories to tell through my lens that I couldn’t leave them unspoken."
Hiking on the Seceda mountain was definitely one of the moments I will never forget in my whole life. When I started planning the trip to Dolomites it was on top of my list. The experience was quite different than expected but definitely far more adventurous. When we arrived at the foothills we discovered that the lifts were closed for the season. So my buddies and I decided to hike to the peak on bare foot. It turned out to be more demanding than we thought and it took us approximately three hours to reach the top but when we arrived all the effort and pain was forgotten. The view was breathtaking and it was more than worth the suffering.
"I wish I could have stayed up there and shot the stars at night followed by the sunrise."
I work as a bank employee which means that I spend my afternoons enjoying my hobbies such as exercising and editing, while I dedicate my weekends to photography excursions with friends or alone. Although living in Greece and especially on an island makes it quite hard to travel frequently in the rest of the country or abroad. As a result I don’t have the opportunity to execute my hobby to the extent that I wish or to explore new landscapes far from here.
"One of my favorite spots on the island to shoot is a small chapel called Saint Isidoros situated literally in the middle of the sea."
This was one of the first places I photographed when I started and what makes it ideal is its orientation – it is perfect for sunrise shootings. I wish my wife would join sometimes but she doesn’t sacrifice her weekend ‘me-time’ for anything, especially not having to wake up extremely early. Fortunately my job provides me enough days off so we have the chance to organize adventurous trips together, like the trip to Austria where I took the winning shot.
WINNING PHOTOGRAPH
BEST OF THE WEEK 33
When my eyes first met the view of that shot, my mind immediately traveled to the historical time of the Vikings. I felt like at any moment Ragnar Lothbrok would show up on his imposing boat ready to explore and conquer new lands. This is what I tried to reflect via my camera. It is worth noting that my whole trip to Austria was planned based on this place. Hallstatt was so highly recommended that this raised our expectations to the max, and I have to say that they were totally fulfilled despite the uncomfortable weather conditions.
Generally my editing style is kinda melancholic and moody with desaturated and pale colors. The winning shot especially led me on its own to using darker tones. I don’t know if it was about the traditional wooden houses around the lake, the overwhelming mountains behind or the ray of light illuminating scenery, but it didn’t take me long to decide how to edit.
"As Jason Ward said “Being able to smell the fresh air and disconnect from the news and your phone—there’s nothing like it.”
Actually when I interact with nature I feel that I get away from everyday life’s anxiety and I can think more clearly and creatively. There is so much beauty out there that I want to immortalize it with my camera. However the feelings you have at those unique moments or the satisfaction of the eyes and the heart looking at those views and being immersed in nature – maybe even shared with others – cannot be captured, as stunning as a shot may be.
When traveling together, I realized even more that each individual is different and has his own habits and way of thinking which sometimes makes it hard to keep up. However the experiences and the moments we share together bring us closer and bond us. I believe that the essence of life is hidden inside the connection with others. What makes me evolve everyday, both personally and professionally, is the relationships I have with the people surrounding me. My wife, my family, my friends… They always have something new to teach me and make me want to become a better person.
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