Chatting with George Digalakis

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m 54 years old, a medical doctor by profession, born in Athens, Greece, where I live today. I’m not a professional photographer and at this moment photography is just my hobby and passion. I’m a member of the photography group “Unwrap” and this year I participated in my first team exhibition. As for the future … art photography is a demanding and highly competitive field. At the same time, my professional obligations do not allow me to dedicate as much time as I would like to photography. However, some of the things I would like to achieve in the next few years, are the development of a more personal, original and recognizable photographic style and the presentation of my work at, at least, one individual exhibition.

How did you get interested in photography?

I got interested in photography since 1974, when my father gave me a “Nettar” as a gift. However, studying, and later practicing medicine, as well as the difficulties of analogue photography, limited my involvement with the latter. It was only in 2011, when, after attending an online photography course, I was acquainted with classic and contemporary photographers, that photography became my passion.

Who are some of your favorite classic photographers, and how did they influence you?

It’s difficult to answer this question. There are many photographers that I like and all of them have influenced my work. My all times favorite photograph is Harry Callahan’s “Wabash Street, Chicago 1958” – I’m a bit of a dark guy :). I want also to mention two contemporary photographers who have deeply influenced my work, Michael Kenna and Giacomo Brunelli.

What first drew you to photography and how did you discover it?

Like the majority of photographers, so I was impressed by the ability of photography to record moments of my life, leaving their imprint on paper. The receipt of printed photographs was always a special time for me. But the real discovery of the possibilities of photography, as a medium of expression of my inner world, came with the assistance of my first teacher Tassos Schizas, who managed to convey my true love for the art of photography.

How do you educate to take better photos?

The educational opportunities in the internet era are unlimited. I attend online and live seminars, I read various articles, and I constantly follow the progress and the work of my favorite artists. But I think the best education is the daily involvement with photography, which enables us to learn through our mistakes. Every day I learn something new and improve my technique, gaining a better understanding of the medium. Shoot, shoot, shoot …

How do you come up with ideas for your projects?

I don’t know if I can answer this question. The work of other photographers, ideas from workshops etc inspire me, but I’ve run only a limited number of projects up today, so …

Do you take photos more for yourself or for others?

The process of taking photos was always a great pleasure for me. When I’m out shooting, I feel relaxed and I would say it calms me and fills me with energy. So to a large extend I do it for myself, but on the other hand doing art just for the art’s shake doesn’t seem right to me. I love showing my work, and it’s always a pleasure when I receive positive feedback.

What do you think makes a memorable photograph?

The content (theme) of the photograph and the story behind it. Evoking feelings and the mood are also important factors, as is the technical quality, but a photograph based only on these, will be soon forgotten. Looking on the photos of the old masters, we don’t care about technical matters or the beauty of the image. The theme, the symbolism and the associations make the photo.

How important is an awesome website for your business?

I suppose it is very important, but I’m not a professional photographer, so I can hardly answer this question.

How has social media played a role in your photography?

My involvement with social media is minimal. As it is a very time consuming activity, I would only consider it if I was a full time photographer.

What are some tips you would give to yourself if you started photography all over again?

I don’t have any. Maybe it’s too early for me to realize any mistakes or omissions. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t start photography earlier in my life, much earlier as a matter of fact!