Interview: Andreas Kamoutsis

conducted by Vicky Markolefa

Please describe your approach to photography. 
It’s not easy to describe this in a couple of sentences, but I think it's nothing more than life itself. It’s a constant search both within us and in the environment which we live in. From a busy street to a high mountain I’m trying to go invisible and capture something real, candid and spontaneous, without staged anything around me.

Are there challenges you encounter on the street and if so, how do you overcome them?
Except the pain that I feel at my foot after covering several kilometers the main challenge as a street photographer is to deal with the negative behavior of some people that i meet in various parts of the world. For example in strict Muslim counties people do not want to be photographed and they are getting very offensive. To overcome this I have found some techniques in order to get unnoticed. So things like the way I move and hold my small camera are very important.

Element(s) of paramount importance for your images?
Feeling, mystery combined with simplicity and harmony.

Do you think marketing has a role to play in how we perceive 'good' photography and how have you dealt with that?
We are living in the age of social media, you no longer need to be a skilled photographer, you just need followers, likes and some awards, which you can get by paying fb, google and etc.
Of course this is not photography and that’s the reason we see so many boring pictures everyday around us, which try to mimic someone else’s work without being original. This is sad, I just keep a low profile at social media staying away from this kind of “philosophy”.

Is there a project you consider to be your most important work so far, and if so, why?
It’s hard to choose one of my photographs over another, because each of them contains something different. The same thing happens when I ‘m looking at my personal projects too.
But if I had to choose one, maybe I would go with one of my latest works that concern color street photography while I was traveling in different countries around the world last year. The reason is that is harder to find something unique and different in a new place that you don’t know before in just few days’ time. So ι came up with a more demanding result fulfilling my dream to travel around the world and making street photography.

Any regrets?
I wish I had discover photography earlier in my life and not only the last 5-6 years. But this is not a regret but just a thought. I’m grateful that I found and see photography in this way.

 What about your dreams and next steps
I see photography as a personal expression first of all, so I would like to carry on my personal projects by keep being creative and staying healthy. Everything else follows.... 
Maybe an exhibition or a photobook would be a good addition to my work, because it’s a part of that creative process.

Anything else you would like to share with us?
I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to show my work and express my thoughts, please keep up the good job.

Web: www.AndreasKamoutsis.gr
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/AndreasKamoutsis.photographer
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/andreas_kamoutsis