John Kosmopoulos Photography

www.silverzenphotography.com

https://plus.google.com/105209854925481789028/posts

http://www.stark-magazine.com/member/johnkosmopoulos

http://500px.com/Kozology

 

 

What kind of equipment (camera body, lens, filters, flash, tripod, cleaning equipment other) do you use?

First, I would like to thank you for the great honour of being part of “Interesting Photographers”.  To answer your question, I am one of those photographers that believe in a minimalist philosophy when it comes to photography although I love the tools and toys of photography. As we all know as photographers, the best equipment does not guarantee the best results. Creative and interesting photography requires a creative photographer and not necessarily varied tools to cultivate what I call “oramagraphy” (Greek for “vision drawing” similar to photography as “light drawing”), a personal and unifying vision in one’s photography that may lead to innovative and prescient photography in the wider community.  This personal vision may apply to cinematography, architecture, and all fine arts.

 

I currently use a Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D as I have found the quality to be superb for my workflow. It has a vari-angle 3.0-inch LCD monitor that comes in very handy when doing long exposure photography. As for lenses, I mostly use a Canon 17-40 mm zoom wide angle lens and a 70-200 mm lens all-purpose lens for most of my photography. I also use an EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM for those hard to get long-distance shots.  As for filters, I use 10 and 6 stop B+W ND filters and 10 and 6 stop Formatt Hitech IRND filters. I also use a cable release and a Manfrotto tripod for stability and sharp photographs.

 

What do you like and dislike about your equipment, specially your camera, and how would you improve it?

There is nothing that I particularly dislike about my equipment. However, I am looking to upgrade my camera to a full-frame Canon Mark 5D III and possibly converting my current DSLR to Infrared.  As long as the camera can handle my creativity, it’s fine.

 

What is your favourite lens, and why?

The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Wide Angle Zoom Lens.  I use this lens 99% of the time when I am shooting architecture, land and seascapes, and long exposure photography.  It is quite sharp and versatile.

 

 When you travel, what is in your essential photographic kit bag?

I like to travel as light as possible.  I usually bring my DSLR, my Canon 17-40 mm zoom wide angle lens and a 70-200 mm lens along with my 10 and 6 stop B+W ND filters, my 16 stop Formatt Hitech IR filters, cable release, and Manfrotto tripod.  I tend to use my Sony digital point-and-shoot camera or Samsung Galaxy S3 phone for behind the scenes shots and videos, especially when I am doing long exposure photography.

 

What kind of software/tools do you use for post-processing, if any?

I use Photoshop CS6 mainly for general adjustments, luminosity masks, gradients, and layers.  I love the Nik Software suite, especially Silver Efex Pro 2.  I also use Topaz DeNoise 5 for noise reduction.  I also use OnOne Perfect Photo Suite 7 for some brush effects and resize options.

 

How long have you been taking photographs? How do you find inspiration? How do you take your pictures?

I tend to allow many of my personal aspirations and inspirations in art, literature, music, and science to collide to create new worlds within my photography.  It is one of the main reasons that I can never get bored of photography and its promises to fulfill my artistic side. Architectural photography is like listening to Mozart or Miles Davis for me; abstract photography is like translating a novel written in the language of quantum mechanics, and long exposure photography is like standing in a photograph of an eternal Proustian memory cocooned by a harmonious silence.  I am very mindful of the ecology I am in, whether it is a city or rural landscape. I study it from all angles. It is almost as if I have to slowly breathe in the scenery, as if allowing a bottle of wine to breathe, so that I can get my senses to acclimate and discover an enlightened aesthetic wherever I happen to be with my camera. Inspiration abounds wherever you are.  You just have to allow the nascent eyes that photography gives you to open wide and shut when you feel the inspiration.

 

Which style of photography do you like the most, and why?

I tend to gravitate towards architecture, archistract, and long exposure photography.  However, I don’t believe that a photographer has to be focused on one subject. We all have our special loves in photography, but I believe in eclecticism in photography.  When I tend to see the same thing repeated in my own workflow, my instinct is to venture outside of my own comfort zone and learn to be creative in different ways. I get bored very easily but I know my muse is always waiting for me around the corner.

 

What goal are you working towards within your photography and when will you know you have reached it?

I hope that photography becomes a many-splendored and limitless journey for me. I see photography as a value and not necessarily a goal that I have to achieve.  I have been fortunate to win some international awards, to be published across several magazines and websites, to have a few galleries displaying my photography, and to meet up with some great photographers in my travels who have inspired me to always reach new heights in my own photography.  I will continue to broaden my own vision and voice as a photographer wherever this great life takes me.

 

Looking at your own work, which piece is your favourite? Why? Please provide a link to the picture.

A very difficult question to answer as it is like asking which one of your children do you like best. I have a few sets that I really like including my “Abstract” series on my website (http://www.silverzenphotography.com/galleries/abstracts/), especially my “Mindscapes / Pagestracts” series of abstracted books (https://plus.google.com/photos/105209854925481789028/albums/5884127855991470225).  I also like my “Toronto” set on my Google+ Page (https://plus.google.com/photos/105209854925481789028/albums/5841272374597425713) and Architecture set on my website (http://www.silverzenphotography.com/galleries/architecture/). I have offered a few of these images from the sets as part of this interview.

 

Does your work fit into any one or more distinct genres  (nature, landscape, long-exposure, black-and-white,  infra-red, urban, artistic, macro, vintage, vernacular, social, street)? If other, please specify.

 Although I mainly focus on architecture, abstract, and long exposure photography or a combination of the three, I espouse an “eclectic aesthetic fine art” (EAFA) philosophy of photography.  I believe in the idea and ideal of finding beauty in the simplest of moments.  I tend to gravitate towards black and white photography the most, but I also like colour. Sometimes the choice of one or the other makes quite a difference in the impact a photograph has on the viewer. It’s a personal choice.

 

Are there any photography websites that you visit regularly?

I tend to visit Stark Magazine, Google Plus, 500px, and Art Limited the most.  I have met so many great photographers that I have grown to admire across these media platforms.

 

What is the one most important lesson that you have learned since you started taking photographs?

Practice, practice, practice.  Photography is a skill like any other skill.  Take the time to learn how to compose, find interesting content, and explore an aesthetic context to fulfil your vision as a photographer.  Photography can teach you how to slow down, be present, and to see the world in a beautiful way.

 

And finally, what other interesting photographers would you like to see in this blog?

This is a very difficult choice as there as so many.  Some have already been represented here at Interesting Photographers.  This is by no means an exhaustive list.

Michael Kenna – http://www.michaelkenna.net/

Hengki Koentjoro – http://www.koentjoro.com/

Vassilis Tangoulis – http://www.vassilistangoulis.com/gr/

Marc Koegel – http://www.silverlandscapes.com/

Sharon Tenenbaum- http://sharontenenbaum.com/

Steve Landeros – http://www.stevelanderosphotography.com/