Flickr Showcase: Spyros Simotas

From the dusty city of Athens, Spyros Simotas moves through broken light and early mornings to document the sleeping city's hidden party scene. Inspired by his girlfriend, her kittens and a slightly altered state of mind, Simotas picked up  a camera and hasn't stopped shooting, despite having no formal photographic training. Determined to portray an alternative vision of Athenian life, Simotas offers a unique perspective on Athens. This is the city like you've never seen it before…
 
Dazed Digital: What's your background as a photographer?
Spyros Simotas : I haven't studied photography if that's what you're asking. The time I'd spend studying, I was taking pictures. And learning my lessons. One night, long time ago, I was shooting my girlfriend and her kittens through a window screen. It was a moment of bliss, we were high, she and her kittens were playing on the bed and I was very excited to capture that moment. I had loaded a black and white film on the camera and didn't stop shooting until it was finished. Can you imagine the disappointment the next day when the man at the shop gave me a blank film? Not even one image came out. Nothing. That was a double lesson. First I learn to use the light metering and second not to take drugs when I work. But anyway, that was in California when I was a French teacher.
 
When I came back to Greece, I started reading a lot of magazines to keep up with the local news. I had spent 9 years abroad (France and US) and I was struck to see the same old celebrities occupy the people sections of those magazines. So I decided to take my camera and go find young interesting faces to replace the old ones. This is where the magazines took interest in what I was doing and started publishing my pictures. For three years now.
 
DD: How do you find the locations for your outdoor shots? What do you look for?  
Spyros Simotas: I don’t really look for locations. I remember the places I’ve been and liked and when I have the chance, I shoot there. Most of the times, though, I shoot where I happen to be. Or the people I shoot happen to be. I remember how hard it was to find a place by the sea for a story I shot a couple of months ago. That was really hard. But anyway, when I shoot outdoors I prefer natural environment, instead of urban. Mountains preferably. 
 
DD: What equipment/film do you use? What do you like about the equipment/film you use?
Spyros Simotas: I shoot digital and film. After hundreds and hundreds of giga of digital files, I now stuff my bookshelves with negatives again. I don't have a fetish camera of all times though. Lately, I use a lot an old full manual Zenith that I found for 50 Euros and a Yachica T5 borrowed by a friend. I wish I could use more often my Polaroid though. According to the impossible project (http://www.the-impossible-project.com/) the production of polaroid film will start again soon. If not, I guess I'll use the ten polaroid films I have left and never talk about it again.    
 
DD: Are you inspired by any particular films? Art? Literature?
Spyros Simotas: By the French "nouvelle vague". I'm a big fan of the sixties. Andy Warhol's Popism is one of my favourites books. I also read a lot of contemporary literature, but I don't know whether or how it had influenced my photography. Recently I discovered Alessandro Baricco. His writing moves me a lot. He is working very methodically to reach his readers soul. Photography doesn't work the same way. The eye doesn't stay on an image if there isn't something recognisable in it. Something to start working with. And most of the times even images are followed by words.    
 
DD: What about other photographers?
Spyros Simotas: Bronques from mylastnightsparty.com has been a great inspiration for my party photography. Most of my flickr contacts are great inspiration too. I also admire Ryan McGuinley and can't wait to meet him next fall. I've heard he's coming for a show in Greece.
 
DD: Where would you most like to shoot next?
Spyros Simotas: Kefalonia the place my father is born. I've been there last spring and took some pics throught the windowshield I realized though that I don’t have any photos of my father there. He’s now retired and living in Kefalonia most of the time. He’s cultivating organic food in his garden and still smoking two packs of cigarettes per day. I’m going to document a typical day in his life.