Hailing from Greece, Vangelis Beltzenitis, the talented founder of Vangelis Photography, has been preserving cherished memories since the company’s launch in 1997. With a global presence and a focus on Greece and worldwide destinations, Vangelis Photography has become synonymous with captivating wedding photography, documentary projects, and fashion/editorial shoots.
Today in this session of ConflatingVisions, we are excited to have Vangelis Beltzenitis with us. In this candid conversation, the Greece-based photographer shares with us the moments from his photography journey.
Hi Vangelis, glad to have you with us today. To start with, we would request you to say a few lines about you.
Hello! I’m Vangelis, owner and founder of Vangelis Photography. When I don’t shoot, I like gardening, fishing also spending time with my family.
Where is your home?
I live in Greece and more specifically on the island of Santorini for the last 6 years.
How did you get into photography?
I grew up on the Greek island of Skopelos. My mother owns a small restaurant and from a very young age, I was surrounded by tourists. I remember admiring their cameras, so it was the first gift I bought myself from the tips I got while helping my parents. I was about 9 years old.
As I was growing older, the way to express myself was through a Nikon FM2, a 50mm lens and countless rolls of Tri-X 400 Black and white film. I have spent many hours in the darkroom processing my own films because I wanted to have control of the whole procedure from the beginning till the end.
A bit later I received a scholarship from the Greek Ministry of Culture to study photography and what started as a passion evolved into a profession.
Which genres of photography are your favourite and why?
My favourite genres are Wedding Photography, Documentary and Fashion/Editorial. I’m basically a wedding photographer but the other two genres are always present in the way I shoot weddings because wedding photography is essentially an intertwining and constant interplay of other photography genres.
So, apart from the documentation of the moments and emotions of the day, my wedding photography style is influenced by fashion and editorial. My brides are my source of inspiration and I like to bring out their inherent beauty and sensuality.
Who are your inspirations in the field of photography?
My first personal touch through workshops with the legendary documentary photographers Konstantinos Manos, and Josef Koudelka from Magnum Agency and Ed Kashi from National Geographic was decisive in the formulation of my style in photography. Ernestine Ruben’s work also influenced my work on the human body in the mid 90’s.
You must have come across a lot of memorable moments/events in your journey as a photographer. Would request you to share a few of them.
There are many memorable events in my photography journey, such as the grandeur of weddings in India and the boisterous Lebanese parties. However, the most important for me is that I had the chance to meet couples of so many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This personal touch has helped me evolve both as a photographer and as a person.
Do you believe in firmly sticking to the technical rules of photography?
I would describe myself as a fan of photography rules. On the other hand, I think that when a photographer has a deep knowledge of the rules, he can also bend them and this can be beneficial. This is part of the freedom of artistic expression.
How challenging is wedding photography?
I consider wedding photography one of the most demanding and challenging photography genres. To be a good wedding photographer you have to master many different photography fields (such as documentary, portrait, and still life) and you also have to be effective under the stress of time pressure. Moments happen only once at weddings. You can’t stop the action to repeat your shots.
What are the essential aspects that a wedding photographer has to keep in mind while shooting a wedding?
A wedding photographer should keep in mind that the couple is their priority and that he is part of one of the couple’s most important days. Many times I see photos in wedding photography competitions that, although they are interesting and require a skilled photographer to do them, however, they are practically unusable by the couple. When I shoot, I always think how my couple will look good in the photos. I’m looking for timeless quality, that’s why I developed a style that is not part of a trend that may fade in a few years.
A dream destination where you want to shoot a wedding…
Having shot weddings all around the world I believe my dream destination is my next destination.
How is the journey as a photographer so far for you?
It has been a wonderful journey so far! I’m lucky to have created my own personal style in wedding photography, to have met interesting couples from so many different places and to have gained recognition from fellow photographers.
Rate yourself on a scale of 10 as a photographer (Reason).
I would give myself a 9 because I believe that there is always room for improvement and I always like to push myself to get better and better. The best things are yet to come.
And, one last question of this session, if you have had one wish…
I wish to be healthy and have a happy personal life. This is fundamental in order to be a successful professional.
