Visual images is the strongest medium, a stills image can have great impact in the general public’s opinion about importand issues around the world. Remember the images from the Vietnam war, the impact in the American audience was very strong, it basically change the idea of an entire nation about the war in Vietnam. The photojournalist is the eye-witness who provides the evidence to the general public. Apart from the classic way people know photojournalism (books, magazines, newspapers) the internet is the most usual way to know “what is new”.

2/ What could the effects of a press photo (documentary) be on people’s lives? People see the newspapers, the sites: and there is this bitter pity on what goes on in the contemporary world. The question is can a press photo affect the audiences after they have seen it?

I m sure it affects people’s opinion and ideas about our world, in many cases I have received emails from different people in different places around the world telling me that they feel good about something or bad about something else that their country did.

3/ Which press photo has inspired you in the last 10 years?

For sure more than one but if I have to choose one, is the worldpressphoto of the year 2004 by Arko Datta on the aftermath of the Tsunami in India. It’s a very strong simple image, simple that tells the story but also creates emotions.

4/ Taking press photos is not available to the amateur photographers. There are so many good photographers who are stopped by the impossible laws of the press, and are not allowed to enter the war, etc. is photojournalism limited to the professional photographers only?

I think if a photographer has the passion he/she can go over these obstacles and do the job. The problem with amateur photographers is that usually they get carried away by their own emotions and become part of the story (it happens to professionals some times) by taking sides. Also when u cover a war you need to be aware of the dengers in order to protect your self. You can have military experience or go through special training in schools. Many amateur photographers came to Yugoslavia and became good pros but also many died while doing their dream work.

5/ How significant is technique in press photography? While recording the photo, how important are the esthetics and technique to you?

Its very important to have technical knowledge to be able to control the light and make it work for you. Also the esthetics very important in order to present your photos in a way that the audience will get affected and not turn away from the image.

6/ You’ve been to Iran. Why is your collection of Iran photos black and white? Did you mean to express anything in this way?

I have been in Iran for the funeral of Imam Chomeyni on June 1989 and Reuters was only using B/W films since it then was an agency with clients B/W newspapers. Then again a year later for the one year anniversary from Imam’s death (june 1990) and I shot colour. Then again a few months later for a big earthquake and finaly in December 1998 for the 8th PanIslamic conference witch produced my best Iran image ever.

7/ Your point of view in press photography is very often dramatic. As if you do decoupage, foresee the events in your imagination, and choose the effective point of view. Considering the speed in press photography how does this happen?

Good point, I have GREAT imagination since I was a child and I learn to work fast since I always worked for Reuters….so imagination+speed is a great combination for a photojournalist.

8/ What were the subject of your first press photographs? How did you come a leading photographer in Reuters?

Actually my first press photos were from a European basketball championship back in 1987 in Athens. I was then working in a studio and Reuters was looking for a film priossecor and printer for the basketball tournament. I took 10 days off from my other job and joined Reuters for 10 days...after all my dream was to become a photojournalist. Two months later Reuters ask me to work for them in Athens as a freelancer with a very small salary and 20 US $ for every picture they used. I did accept the offer and started with Reuters. This was October 1987. Next year (1988) they asked me to join Reuters as a full time staff photographer based in London. I signed a contract starting from January 1st 1989. And January 4th i had my first assignment abroad, it was in Libya covering the crisis with the US shooting down Libyan Air Force jets and accusing General Muammar Gaddafi of producing chemical weapons...my assignment was very succesfull and after that i became part of a very small team of Reuters photographers and writers who cover big stories around the world.