Série - FotoSlovo 2026 - Category « Documentaire / Reportage »

Travel means departure and return, in between lies anticipation.

Because my roots come from Asia Minor, my family’s memories intertwine with the narrative of exile. The uprooting of my ancestors is the reason why no single place will ever become “my place,” yet at the same time, the whole world will be. When a homeland has been lost, it does not mean it has been erased, on the contrary, it remains in the soul as an eternal search for the “lost Atlantis.”

Photography in the project "Lake" is a means for me, as a visitor and traveler, to explore issues concerning people’s connection to their ancestral roots. The photographic process becomes a therapeutic condition for filling the post-traumatic void caused by the loss of my ancestors’ homeland.

And so, in the heat of midsummer, the idea was born, along with a desire to explore unknown destinations that are not typically visited during the summer season. Northern Greece is a distant region for those in the south, and no matter how much you wander, it will always remain unexplored. I was interested in capturing, through a series of photographs, the unexpected side of a journey to the everyday life of border regions.

landscapes, the biodiversity, the animals, and the people living in the countryside, far from the alienation of large cities.

I met extraordinary people who were truly remarkable. With a brief confession, they revealed their truths and then smiled broadly. People from the countryside have a certain nostalgic quality as they narrate the charm of the ’80s and ’90s. In their faces, memories of another era are revived, that of childhood, lost innocence. Approachable and hospitable, they rise to the challenge of a photo shoot “On the road” or at the farm with the animals, in the field, in the backyard, or wherever the encounter takes place. Ultimately, in many cases, the photo shoot becomes the occasion for a meaningful connection, allowing us to sharetruestories.