Breotnie Nichols - Weekly Artist Post

Petros Koublis

        Petros Koubolis is an Athens-based photographer. In his series In Landscapes, Petros Koubolis captures the countryside that resides around Athens. In this series Petros Koubolis has produced mesmerizing images that masterfully blend light and color. In Landscapes is a series about landscapes, obviously. Therefore, all of the pictures will be taken outside, obviously. It can be assumed that Petros Kouboli would use a lower ISO. On cloudy days he would most likely set it to 400 or higher, but for the most part it should be around 100. It appears that most of his photos have a deep depth of field. This would be achieved by closing down on the aperture. Since his subject is not alive and walking around, obviously, he can slow down his shutter speed. If he his handholding then he would want to keep it around 1/60. However, if he is blessed with the ability to be absolutely still, or he has a tripod, then he can slow down his shutter speed even more. This will also allow him to close down his aperture so he can achieve a greater depth of field. As for the lens, I think he is using a shorter lens. I assume this because in his photos I notice a separation between the foreground and background.

        Overall, I think Petros Koubolis wanted to express the misconception and fear of wilderness that many people possess. According to Petros Koubolis, "we have misplaced that which is beautiful, primordial, and essential within ourselves." His series In Landscapes captures both the beauty of nature and the fear of nature that has manifested in the modern man. In order to express both of these ideas, Petros Koublis manipulated light to create a mystical atmosphere. Many of his photos have intense shadows that evoke fear, while subtly light peaks through the shadows to show the beauty of wilderness. The contrast of light and color convey these two contrasting ideas.

         Initially, I thought this series was an homage to Greek mythology. The intensity of the photos made it seem as though they were from a magical world. I really do get a sense of fear, like there is something in the shadows. However, that fear is pushed aside and pure wonder and curiosity takes over. I appreciate the message that Petros Koublis is presenting to world. Do not be afraid of nature for it is beautiful and has so much to offer.