This month’s featured artist is mkappatou. A street photographer from Europe!
Be sure to follow mkappatou and support her work!
Full name.
Maria Kappatou.
City and country where you live.
I was born in Toronto, Canada and I am living in Athens, Greece.
How you started with street photography?
When the Greek crisis started, the first ones affected were the freelancers, especially those who had to do with constructions and show business. As a visual artist myself, working in those fields, had to close down my studio and hope for the best. But recession was getting worse by the day and maybe that’s the reason why suddenly the internet was growing faster than ever in Greece. Then, through social media, a street photography movement burst in the country and I joined it from the start. I was absolutely in love with all this, and it saved my sanity…
Why street photography?
Because is fun and quiets the mind to a point of transcendence. Also because every time I go shooting, it feels like the first time. I hope I will never lose that feeling.
Seems easy and fun when you say it like that, of course that’s the whole point. How do you cope with days without motivation? If that even happens. Do you force yourself or you listen to your mood of the day?
The only times I have forced myself to shoot street, was when a deadline for an instruction was just about to expire. Funny thing is I have some of my favorite photos shot that way.
What and/or who inspires you?
People!
How often do you go out to capture moments?
I used to shoot every day, for 6-8 hours, for a good amount of years. Lately I have slowed down a bit.
Why have you slowed down? 6-8 hours a day is a lot so I would tend to think you got a bit tired? Tell us more.
Photographs are my diary. I became a full time observer, a hunter. I was walking around seeing only frames. I realized I could hardly remember anything I didn’t photograph. It is easy to get detached from reality when you are constantly holding a camera between yourself and the world. I love it enormously, but I have to restore my memory, so I shoot less now.
Do you give yourself also a big amount of time for editing? How do you do your editing normally? Please explain.
My initial intention is to achieve the best results during the shooting. Rarely cropping and minimum editing is what I mostly do. You cannot transform a bad picture into a good one, however skillfully you might edit it.
What do you look for when you go out on the streets?
I have a thing for reflections, harmony in colours and choreographed like movements. Other than that I am looking for odd situations, and any surprise the place can provide.
You do have a thing for reflections. Do you however let yourself free when you go out on the streets or you let your preferences take over you? Meaning, do you then purposely look for reflections or you walk freely and then it happens to be very recurrent in your photography?
I do all the above simultaneously. My brain is multitasking without my consent.
Do you interact with your subjects?
I prefer not to. Sometimes it’s hard to avoid it, because I shoot without trying to hide and at a close range. If they see me and talk to me, we usually end up exchanging emails and telephone numbers.
How do you challenge yourself to improve on photography?
The best challenge is to be out there as often as you can. Then, there are some flickr weekly challenges that I participated in order to have some discipline and see what I could come out with, when shooting under instructions in a limited timeframe.
How would you describe your own style?
I don’t think I have a specific style, nor I would like to be confined in one. What I care about though, is my photos to have a second reading and to provoke feelings, even if they are documentary, street, or more personal ones.
Do you think your experience in the streets taking photos has an influence in your personal work and vice versa? It seems both “styles” intermingle very often.
The borders have lately broadened generally in photography. I cannot clearly say any more which genre prevails over the other. Truth is street photography is mostly a state of mind, a way to see the world, an ability to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Thus, I carry this perception in any photographic situation such as indoors, events, underwater etc…
What is photography for you?
Photography is a medium of transformation, interpretation and expression, as all arts are. Personally is my means of depicting my view of the world, same as painting is. The only trap in this medium, especially during the electronic age, is the instant gratification, which gives us the illusion of a inflated achievement. Thus, not all camera users, try to improve their skills and knowledge.
What is your personal definition of street photography?
Street photography is to me, the happiest genre. It’s perky, witty, observing, and requires good reflexes, an alert mind and a constant challenge with your ethics and fears.
I like how you pointed out the ethics and fears. What challenges do you normally encounter when taking photos on the streets in regards to your ethics and fears?
To be invasive and disrespectful is something that doesn’t resonate with me. I have put down my camera many times when a subject is vulnerable according to my standards. But sometimes the limits are a little blurred and that’s when you have to make a quick decision. It is then when I ask myself “Why do you want to take that shot” and I try to be as honest as I can. If I have already taken the shot and the answer doesn’t satisfy me, I will never publish it. I think the main fear of a street photographer is to face a confrontation with the subject or the law. In my experience if you are afraid, disrespectful or aggressive, people will pick it up and react defensively.
Through photography, what have you learned about yourself in the last year?
I think it is the fact that I realized I have to put down the camera more often, and live the moment…
It seems though that you do take the time to take photos of your loved ones. What can you tell us about your personal work?
I do shoot my loved ones a lot, but almost never show their photos! I have some good friends photographed for ongoing projects. Also I cannot shoot someone I don’t like, at least the moment I do it. As of my personal work, I don’t prefer to talk much about it. Kind of an allergy in artist’s statements… I think most visual artists have this handicap.
What are your future goals with photography?
Can’t say I have specific goals, except evolving, finish one or two of my ongoing projects and maybe publish a book with unseen photos.
Publishing a book is one of the ultimate goals of a photographer. Can you tell us a bit more about this project and your motivations behind it? Many photographers would be intimidated by just the thought of it.
A book should not be more intimidating than an exhibition or an official site, for example. We tend to idealize certain aspects over others, when at the same time we are constantly exposed through social media. Seeing your work compiled under a concept and printed, is a whole new experience and I think everybody who is serious about art, should do it every few years or so. It’s like virtual reality versus life.
If you could have a conversation with ANY photographer for an hour, which photographer would you choose and why?
From the living, Sebastiao Salgado, because to me is among the greatest photographers of all times! And from the passed away ones, Vivian Maier, to unfold her mystery…
If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself to take some shortcuts here and there based on your experience?
To have started street photography 30 years ago.
What gear do you use? Philosophy: Digital or analog?
I use any camera I can get my hands on. I prefer them to be small and fast.
B&W or color? Why?
I started shooting with film, way before the digital age, and loved B&W grainy films. After a while, I was seeing in black and white before I pressed the shutter, an ability that now has fainted a lot. After many years, a small bridge digital camera came to my hands and I was in awe with the colour. Lately, with some cameras if I shoot BW, I keep the colour in raw as well. I love both equally now.
Even if it could be seen as an obvious question and answer, what makes you choose color over B&W and what makes you choose B&W over color when taking pictures?
Sometimes colour is so dominant and alive that you cannot overlook it. When it comes to form or sentiment BW might be the most effective choice. Generally I think each photo speaks to you of what it needs that will best express it.
What about post processing/developing?
It’s been a long time since I developed a film. I hope I will do it again soon enough. There is a kind of magic in the film process, including the anticipation, which has been missing with the digital equipment. I try not to spend much time in editing, but I like very much the process of even the slightest adjustment, because there is where you make the final decision and it feels like a new creation.
The selected picture (first picture on top).
I was rushing to catch the subway. Camera in my hands. I see the poster and the people sitting under it. I immediately stop. I look at the scene, they look at me. Had to do something fast, so I pretended I was in awe with the poster.The man was so intrigued by my expression that turns to look at the subject of my joy. I shot them all at once and run for the train.
Street Photographers on tumblr you truly admire.
http://porteryates.tumblr.com
https://yiannisyiasaris.tumblr.com
http://sakisdazanis.tumblr.com
What are some other projects you are currently working on?
A concept for my first solo exhibition.
Where can we find you?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ mariakappatou/
https://www.instagram.com/mariakappatou/
Any advice from your personal experience?
Be in love with whatever it is that you do and do what you like. The rest are distractions…
