Photographer: Paraskevi Gkoti
Hi, I'm Voula Gkoti, a photographer by nature.
Ever since I held a professional camera for the first time in 1985, embarking on my journey as a photojournalist for newspapers, I knew this was my true calling. The experience was unforgettable, evoking a mix of awe, anticipation, fear, and liberation. It paralyzed me and ignited my creativity.
Those 12 years as a photo reporter are a source of immense gratitude. I witnessed the coexistence of beauty and chaos, joy and tragedy, celebration and sorrow. It was all out there, waiting to be captured within the frame of my photographs. These experiences forever altered my photographic perspective.
Now, for the past 20 years, I have been running my own studio. Despite the passage of time, that same feeling still overwhelms me every time I prepare for a shoot. It is the very sensation that drives my skill and passion, propelling me forward and bringing me happiness.