An AP photographer uses the clouds to give his shot depth and clarity
AMORGOS, Greece (AP) — Petros Giannakouris is an award-winning Greek photojournalist. He is a staff photographer with The Associated Press, based in Athens since 2003.
During more than two decades of working with the AP, he has covered major global events including wars in Iraq, Ukraine, Afghanistan and the middle east; earthquakes, floods and wildfires; as well as the refugee and financial crises in Greece. He has also covered four Summer Olympic Games.
Here is what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.
Why this photo?
This photograph is part of a photo essay I created on the Greek island of Amorgos. It's a visual story about Father Spyridon, the monk depicted in the image, who has been living in the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa for the past 54 years.
I stayed at the monastery for about a week, documenting his life with respect and discretion. From the very beginning, I was struck by the beauty of the balcony overlooking the Aegean Sea — a place where the eye can travel endlessly. I knew this scene would be one of the key images of the project.
How I made this photo
By my second day at the monastery, I noticed that around 8:30 in the morning — after the morning prayer — Father Spyridon would step out of his cell and walk along the monastery's balcony. So, every morning, I tried to be ready for that moment.
The challenge was always the light. The sun had already risen, and often the background would be blown out, losing depth. But on this particular day, the clouds helped a lot. They softened and balanced the light, giving the image depth and clarity.
A key element is also the movement in his cassock, caught by the wind — a small detail that adds life and a sense of motion to the frame.
Why this photo works
It's a photo with beautiful light, multiple layers, and a strong sense of depth - all elements that enhance a photograph and keep the viewer engaged. At the same time, it allows the viewer to 'read' the space: to clearly see the monastery, its unique architecture and the location where it has stood for over a thousand years, carved into the cliff. And above all, the image has life — Father Spyridon walking through the courtyard brings movement, and a human presence.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hiker dies after bear knocks him into 2,600-foot ravine
A veteran Greek hiker died Tuesday after falling into a ravine in the north of the country after a bear encounter, rescuers said. Christos Stavrianidis was declared dead at Kavala hospital shortly after he was found in the 2,600-foot ravine in Fraktou forest in northeastern Greece, the Ekav national emergency center told AFP. Stavrianidis was in the forest with another experienced hiker, Dimitris Kioroglou, when the incident happened on Monday. "I suddenly saw a bear which attacked me," Kioroglou told news portal NewsIT. "My dog delayed it for a few seconds. I used pepper spray, and it headed to where my friend was and knocked him into the ravine." Panos Stefanou, spokesman for Greece wildlife group Arcturos, said the bear was likely defending itself. "This is more a defensive behavior, not an attack. The bear is trying to push back what it sees as a threat," he told state TV ERT. The hikers were heading towards the remains of a Greek warplane that crashed in the area some seven decades earlier. Stavrianidis had found the plane deep in the forest last August. He was leading efforts to identify a more accessible route to its location to enable more people to visit the wreckage. "It's a beautiful discovery that deserves to be viewed on location... the fuselage is nearly intact," he had told a local journalist last year. "It's a treasure of nature and should be left (in the forest)," he had said. Brown bears are protected under Greek law, according to Ursa Trails, which notes the biggest populations are located in the mountains of western Rhodopes and Northern and Central Pindos. The brown bear population is much denser farther north in Europe. Last month, Slovenia approved the culling of more than 200 brown bears, whose population in a forested area outside the capital had grown to around 1,000. Slovakia has also grappled with a surging brown bear population as well as attacks on humans. In April, lawmakers approved a plan to shoot about 350 brown bears in Slovakia after a man was mauled to death while walking in a forest there, the BBC reported. Last year, a woman died in Slovakia after being chased by a bear through dense forest and mountainous terrain. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles protests shot with rubber bullet by police officer Kristi Noem says "we are not going to let a repeat of 2020 happen" amid L.A. crackdown LAPD chief speaks out about deployment of military forces to anti-ICE protests
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
137 passengers endured 4 stops and an overnight stay, only to end up back where they started 32 hours later
A flight operated by German airline Condor made four stops before ending up back in Zurich. It failed three times to land on the Greek island of Crete due to strong winds. Passengers were also transported to another Greek city where they stayed overnight. After several diversions and an overnight stay, 137 passengers flying with German airline Condor ended up back where they started in a 32-hour ordeal. Flight 1234 took off from Zurich on May 24 and was supposed to land in Heraklion, on the Greek island of Crete, about two-and-a-half hours later. However, after circling off the coast half a dozen times, it U-turned to land in the Greek capital, Athens, instead, according to data from Flightradar24. It would be the first of three failed attempts to land in Heraklion. A Condor spokesperson told Business Insider that "extreme weather conditions with strong winds" meant takeoffs and landings were limited at the airport. After two hours in the Greek capital, the Airbus A320 pilots made a second attempt. Flightradar24 data shows the plane again circled over the Aegean Sea before diverting to Kos, another Greek island, in a one-and-a-half-hour escapade. After another one-and-a-half hours on the ground, the A320 flew an hour north to Thessaloniki, where passengers stayed overnight. In the morning, the pilots made a final attempt to reach Heraklion. They again had to circle off the coast for half an hour before diverting once more to Athens. A couple of hours later, the plane left Greece for Zurich. It landed shortly before 3 p.m. local time — 32 hours after passengers first departed the Swiss city. The Condor spokesperson told BI that all passengers were served refreshments and drinks on board the flight. "We sincerely apologize to all affected guests for the inconveniences caused by this," they added. "The safety of all guests and crew members is Condor's top priority at all times, as in this case as well." They also asked that all the passengers contact customer service for refund and rebooking options. It's not especially unusual for flights to return to their origins, as this typically makes it easier for airlines to reroute passengers or find replacement crew members after lengthy diversions. For example, last Monday, a Swiss International Air Lines flight turned around over the Atlantic Ocean and returned to Zurich due to an engine issue. However, it is rare to see a flight divert several times before ultimately returning to its origin, as in the Condor incident. Were you on this flight? Do you have a story to share about another recent flight diversion? Contact this reporter at psyme@ Read the original article on Business Insider
Hamilton Spectator
12 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
One year from World Cup opener, FIFA leaves questions unanswered on tickets and security
NEW YORK (AP) — A year from the largest World Cup ever, there has been no announcement on general ticket sales, prices for most seats, location of a draw or security arrangements as FIFA has mostly avoided disclosing details of an event set for 16 stadiums across the United States, Mexico and Canada. There is uncertainty about whether fans from some nations will be welcome — 11 of the venues are located in the U.S., where all matches will be played from the quarterfinals on. Security is a concern, too. At the last major soccer tournament in the U.S., the 2024 Copa America final at Miami Gardens, Florida, started 82 minutes late after spectators breached security gates. 'That was certainly a reminder and a wake-up call if anybody needed it that those types of things are going to be used in terms of the ultimate assessment of whether this World Cup is successful,' said former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox's lead soccer analyst. U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 nations exempted athletes, coaches, staff and relatives while not mentioning fans. Vice President JD Vance made what could be interpreted as a warning on May 6. 'Of course everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event. I know we'll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game,' he said. 'But when the time is up they'll have to go home. Otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem,' he added, speaking alongside Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Back in U.S. for first time in 32 years The 1994 World Cup sparked the launch of Major League Soccer with 12 teams in 1996, and $50 million in World Cup profits seeded the U.S. Soccer Foundation, tasked with developing the sport's growth. MLS now has 30 teams, plays in 22 soccer specific stadiums and has club academies to grow the sport and improve talent. Next year's tournament will include 104 games , up from 64 from 1998 through 2022, and the 11 U.S. stadiums are all NFL homes with lucrative luxury suites and club seating. It also will be the first World Cup run by FIFA without a local organizing committee. 'The legacy initiative of 2026 is around how we ensure that soccer is everywhere in this county,' U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson said. 'How do we ensure that every American can walk, ride their bike or take public transit to a safe place to play soccer? How do we make it to where every school in America has soccer accessible to their students? And how do we make it to wherever every American can truly see themselves in the game?' Interest in soccer has vastly increased in the U.S., with England's Premier League averaging 510,000 viewers per match window on NBC's networks last season and the European Champions League final drawing more than 2 million viewers in each of the past five years on CBS. However, CBS broadcast just 26 of 189 Champions League matches on TV in 2024-25 and streamed the rest. MLS drew about 12.2 million fans last year, second to 14.7 million in 2023-24 for the Premier League's 20 teams, but MLS has largely disappeared from broadcast TV since starting a 10-year contract with Apple TV+ in 2023 . Apple spokesman Sam Citron said the company does not release viewer figures. In a fractured television landscape, different deals were negotiated by FIFA, UEFA, MLS, the NWSL, the USSF and the five major European leagues. 'You basically have over 2,800 game windows per season aired in the United States and so that requires distribution largely on streaming platforms like Paramount+ or ESPN+, but it's difficult for new fan adoption and it makes reach kind of challenging,' said Gerry Cardinale, managing partner of RedBird Capital Partners, which holds controlling interests in AC Milan and Toulouse and owns a non-controlling stake of Fenway Sports Group, parent of Liverpool. 'Kids today are getting weaned on Premier League football and Serie A football, and when you watch that as a product, it's hard for MLS to compete.' 1994 World Cup set attendance record The 1994 World Cup, a 24-nation tournament, drew a record 3.58 million fans for 52 matches. Ticket prices ranged from $25-$75 for most first round games and $180-$475 for the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. FIFA, which has about 800 people working at an office in Coral Gables, Florida, says it will announce information on general tickets in the third quarter. It wouldn't say whether prices will be fixed or variable. Hospitality packages are available on FIFA's website through On Location. For the eight matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the final on July 19, prices range from $25,800 to $73,200 per person. Variable ticket pricing possible FIFA appears to be using variable pricing for this year's Club World Cup , played at 12 U.S. stadiums from June 14 to July 13, and some prices repeatedly have been slashed. Marriott Bonvoy, a U.S. Soccer Federation partner, has been offering free tickets to some of its elite members. Asked about Club World Cup ticket sales and team base camp arrangements, Manolo Zubiria, the World Cup's chief tournament officer, hung up four minutes and five questions into a telephone interview with The Associated Press. Brendan O'Connell, the publicist who arranged the interview, wrote in an email to the AP: 'The guest was not prepared for those questions.' FIFA's media relations staff would not make FIFA president Gianni Infantino available to discuss the tournament. Ahead of the 1994 World Cup, FIFA announced in May 1992 the draw would take place at Las Vegas on Dec. 18 or 19, 1993. FIFA has not revealed plans for this year's draw but appears to be planning for Las Vegas on Dec. 5. Regular ticket sales began in February 1993 for the U.S. soccer family and general first- and second-round sales started that June. Fans submitted lottery applications in October 1993 for games from the quarterfinals on. Teams could train away from World Cup cities While not detailing ticketing plans for next year's tournament, FIFA is spreading it beyond the host cites and lists about 60 possible base camps for teams to use, paired with hotels. Some are fancy — The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia — and some more Spartan — the Courtyard by Marriott Mesa at Wrigleyville West in Arizona. Thousands of arrangements must be coordinated. Major League Baseball is drawing up its schedule to ensure that the four teams whose ballparks share parking lots with World Cup stadiums — in Arlington, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Philadelphia; and Seattle — won't play home games on the dates of tournament matches. Boris Gartner, CEO of La Liga North America, a joint venture of the Spanish soccer league and Relevent Sports, said the 2026 World Cup should be viewed as just another step in the sport's long-term growth in the United States. 'If you have a clear understanding of the market and the audience, a clear understanding of the value that these properties bring to media companies, and you mix content with a commercial strategy, with the right media distribution strategy, this is something that will continue to grow over the next two decades,' he said. 'If more people are watching the NWSL, more people are going to be interested in soccer that could potentially end up watching a Bundesliga game or La Liga game.' ___ AP soccer:
