Placement

Spend a day with a photographer

For this project I have to spend a day with a photographer. I found the opportunity to go back in Cyprus for a few days and so I decided to choose my father George Hadjielias. With great pleasure he accepted my proposal. So the first step was to go to his Photo Studio.

The name of the studio is Photo Studio Twins and the reason they named it Twins is because my father is working with his twin brother. As long as i  can remember this studio from my young age, it used to be really small. Nevertheless with the passage of time and the hard work they accomplished to upgrade and make it bigger and bigger over time.  Additionally, the studio it's in the center of the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia.

The point of you in this photograph its from the entrance of the shop. As you can see there is a lot of space in the room. At the left there are stands with samples of photo albums from weddings and 

christenings and base on that people can choose by there preferences. At the right there are picture frames, albums and other accessories. At the back of reception there are print machines and computers that employees are working on different programs for the best results and the best quality images.

In this lab there are machines for digital albums, printings, making DVD's in HD quality and montage.

In the next two images Mr George shows me how we place an image on a foam board.

With a lot of attention and patience they stick the photo on the foam board. The red cylinder helps for the stability of the paste for accuracy.

 Nowadays technology gives us the afford to create in high accuracy and save time. At this point Mr George he is making an digital album. As you place the book in the print machine, in a short of time you can have the digital album in high resolution ready for receipt. 

Some samples of the digital albums.  

When you're the owner of a shop you always try for the best of the business and try to avoid the mistakes. At this point Mr George gives advises to the employees, checking the work but also learning from them.

Moving on to the most classic room. The studio with many soft box lights and the alternating backgrounds. It can be used for many different professional photo shouts for example ID and passports photos , wedding couples, foods,  student works etc.

With so many years of interest and passion for photography my father he participated in many competitions not only in Cyprus but global. 

 Awards:

• Bronze Hungary 1993 Nature 
• Gold Cyprus Dunhill 1994 Nature
• Gold Cyprus photo-technical  1995 Nature monochrome 
• Silver Cyprus Dunhill 1995 Landscape

QUESTIONNAIRE 

What did you do before photography? Since i was a child, i wanted to do what i love most, photography. However, due to the illegal invasion of Turkish army in Cyprus the economical recession had negatively impact my family as a consequence i forced to work in a bakery as a seller for four years in order to earn enough money to study photography.

What was your first camera? My first camera was a Russian Lubitel 6x6 format  

Who is your favorite photographers? My favorite photographers are Ansel Adams and the Greek Platonas Rivellis.

Do you use any image editor?  The key tools that help me at work are the Photoshop and Lightroom 2

What subjects do you like to focus on? (out of work) My favorite subject is nature landscape where I participate in several festivals and competition of the best capture and I am a member of PSA (U.S.A) and FIAP (EU) and until today I have earned rare and important awards such as: 

•   Hon. Mention acceptance 
•   Bronze medal in a competition that took place in Hungary 1993
•   Gold medal in Cyprus Dunhill in 1994 (Nature)
•  Gold medal at moto-technical Cyprus in 1995 (Nature monochrome)
•  Silver medal Cyprus Dunhill in 1995 (Landscape

Some additional and also important awards were in 2000 from FIAP and in 2007 the honour of ‘EFIAP’.

Nowadays is it hard to be a photographer in Cyprus? Nowadays, Cyprus economy is negatively affected by the economical crises. Obviously, recession has affected my own business as well but I am really ambitious that the business will continue operating in a correct way due to the hard work and the strong brand name I have created for the shop.

Do you hire someone else to take photos for you?  At the business I manage 6 employees and i have additional 8 co-operators who help me with the outdoor activities. 

Any bad experience from anyone of them? Obviously, at any kind of business all of the managers have some bad experiences. Some of mine are: go late to an event that I was responsible to take the photos and cancelations to weddings or parties that I was responsible for the photographs as well.

How do you imagine your self in few years ? Due to the fact that i have invest my whole life to photography, my desire is my son to finish his studies and come back in Cyprus in order to continue running the family business and probably his skills. Of course, at the beginning i will stand by his side in order to gain the experience, avoid any difficulties and then be ready to run his own business.