A Life Trip Through Landscape Photography

By Nikos Giannoulas

I always enjoyed taking snapshots of moments with my small camera, but it was the first year of my architecture degree when I discovered the real magic of photography. We had a film photography course and what is better than strolling the historic places of Athens with a small film camera, composing shots, light metering, making small adjustments for the perfect shot and then going back to the lab, in order to develop the film and print the photos. The excitement and anticipation whether the photos were successful were the foundations for my further involvement with photography. This along with my love for the outdoors, naturally led me to start exploring landscape and nature photography in the diverse landscapes of Greece. Mountains, beaches, forests, traditional settlements were my canvas and my Nikon camera was the paintbrush that allowed me to depict the scene in front of me.

This made me want to travel more, visit and experience new places and it was one of the main reasons why I chose Scotland to live and work. The vast landscapes, the glens, the fells and the forests, along with the moody atmosphere are a playground for a photography enthusiast. Working in these conditions and learning to read different landscapes than I was used to, helped evolve my style and technique and prepared me for the trip of a lifetime I did on September 2019 with my wife in Iceland, the ultimate destination for every landscape photographer. For 10 days, we were driving around the country and in the heart of Icelandic Highlands, we experienced the beauty of the black beaches, huge waterfalls and rivers, vast lava fields, harsh ash storms and the amazing Aurora in the night.

All these different landscapes and weather elements challenged my skills as a landscape photographer and made me better understand that ultimately for me, landscape photography is not for the landscape itself, but how I feel and perceive it by being part of it. This is why my photos are not a strict representation of the existing, but they depict the feeling of being there at that specific moment. Being there and being part of the experience is fundamental for me to create my photos and connect with nature around me. I am grateful that landscape photography and I crossed paths and thrilled for what lies ahead waiting for me to discover it.

Becoming part of the BLOCK NINE family allowed me to develop and evolve my hobby and now share my thoughts and some of my best work with you. I hope you enjoy it and remember to always go out to the great outdoors. There is always something new and exciting to see and experience!