Capturing the Tension in the Streets of Athens: The Illuminating Street Photographs of Christos Kapatos

Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Christos Kapatos, street photographer from Athens who utilizes strong color and sometimes a flash in his street photography. 

Christos: I have been into photography since 2011. I had never been involved earlier and that came purely out of luck as I just bought a camera for a week’s vacation trip to Paris. It was love at first sight.  I am never leaving home without my camera anymore and I constantly and solely work on photography. I had a successful carrier as a salesman on international cargo transport and I decided to give it up and stick with photography. I came across some good Greek street photographers on Flickr and i intensively studied their style and technique.

Now, I walk the streets of Athens, this so much “exhausted” city and capture moments and feelings. There is some grotesque feel to my photos as friends say but i can character study people that way. It’s hard to survive in the Greek crisis environment but the tension in the streets is so inspiring.

Well, street photography. What is this all about?

I bought my first camera on February 2010 for recreational reasons and to shoot my travels around the world. After a year on April 2011 and totally out of luck i came across this guy Costas Lycavittos and his set on flickr  ”Flash on face“.

I was amazed by how close to strangers he was getting and that he managed to steal the stunned expression. I had made some efforts to photograph strangers but in vein. This was my revelation.

We walked together in the streets of Athens and had the greatest fun and pleasure clicking on strangers and having laughs with them. Always, with an amazingly positive attitude.

My love for people made me chase this direct street photography technique and by practicing it, as it is the hardest in technical means, I very fast acquired the technical skill to it.

Now, I walk the streets of Athens, this so much “exhausted” city and capture moments and feelings. There is some grotesque feel to my photos as friends say but i can character study people that way.

Although I shoot other kinds of photography too, street remains my field of action and a great passion. The pure essence and the pulse of the city keeps me going. Through those rough times street photography is a means of expression to me.

I shoot digital and 135 and 120 film with or without flash. I don’t stick to a specific style and keep exploring potentials.

Check out more of Christos Kapato’s work on Flickr.

Tagged as: athens street photography, Christos Kapatos, flash