I would like to share with you all a collection of photos by my old colleague, Reuters photographer Yannis Behrakis

 

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/06/down-and-out-in-athens/100531/

Gianni I just had to reply asap :) - I know Yannis from years ago, when he was a "photo god hero" of mine just as I was starting out with Reuters. He was based at the Athens bureau, our chief photog there and I was the very junior London desk sub-editor. How cool to see his work again.

 

I always remember that other photogs would say about him that he only ever shot with a wide-angled lens, so that when you saw a real close up shot of his (in his role as a Reuter 'fireman' - he often went to the hotspots) you knew he was literally on top of the subject.

 

Please send him my very best, if he remembers me after all these years :)

And he's still with Reuters, as so many of my 'photo god hero's ' are. I still wonder (and fairly often nowadays) what would have happened had I stayed there and not left after 4 years.... I still am in touch with a few of them (scattered all over the world) and may be about to step back into a wire news agency direction which, after all these years, would be very interesting!

 

Thank you also to the InFocus link generally (am just looking through the Turkey protest images now too). There is some great stuff on the site!

Eliza, I new Yanni by name and had the opportunity to meet him and get to know him better between 1993-97 when I also worked as a stringer for AFP and Reuters. I rarely see him now as I am not an active photojournalist but at the fist opportunity I will talk to him about 1x and you of course.

No need to say that I consider Yanni as one of the best photojournalists of the last 20 years.

Gianni

 

Hi Gianni,

Well, I did look at the photos and there was a link to another group ...which I also saw. I saved the links to look again with my husband.

 

The little stories under the photos were as important to me as the photos were - because I was trying to make some sense of what I was seeing. It would appear that most of the hardship has come from not having work, and then not have enough of a safety net from the government - to a least manage.

 

This is so shocking for me that I think I am in some kind of denial. I see it with my own eyes and yet I find it hard to believe. Clearly the austerity program has not worked for large - very large groups of people. I keep searching for a reason.

 

If someone would have told me in 1996 on my last visit there that this would happen to Greece...I would have thought the were out of their minds. I think I lived there in the Second Golden age...The EU was doing so well, and Greece was an up and coming star....all the luxuries has arrived by the time I left. It had become a truly cosmopolitan city, a major shift from my first visit in 1983.

 

We can count on nothing really...everything changes. I am sad now, but one must remain aware.

 

Thanks for sharing this...the photos of course were also so very good.

 

Phyl

 

This is a part of Documentary photography Phyllis. You need this information in order to have a more complete view of the subject. Captions are so essential that news agencies never accept a photograph, no matter how good it is, without a description on "who/what, where, when".

About Greece again, IMF officially admitted a couple of days ago that the recipe for the first memorandum was a failure, but I am optimistic that we are going to get over it in a few years Phyllis.

I am very glad you appreciated the photos.

Gianni

hanks for the link Gianni, I am wordless, it is so painful to watch those photos.

 

Of course we know Greece has difficulties but you stll see those so different photos from travel agencies.

 

Two worlds apart...

 

It's very hard to look at those pictures and read the comments about those people's lives.

 

It is essential that such photographers do such a job to make us aware of what's going on.

 

This photographer is a very sensitive man.

Dear Gianni,

 

Thank you for sharing the work of Yannis Behrakis - this is great work and gives insight into the life of marginalised people in Athen and other places. This is high quality documentary work - there is much more to Greece that the white sandy beaches, good food and friendly people. Everywhere you travel in this World there are always many aspects of reality. Thank you for sharing.

 

Thanks for the link. Impressive work!

Hello Yannis,

Thank you for taking the time to stop by with more photos it is much appreciated.

 

Eliza is out on an assignment and will be back on Sunday I believe. She may not have any Internet connection to see your post until then. However, whenever she does I am sure she will be very happy to make contact with you again.

 

I lived in Athens from 87-93, and for me these years changed my life. The Greek people changed my perception, and made me consider and re-consider all that I had thought to be true. I will always be indebted to them for slowing me down and having me taste life differently.

 

Although I am not living there now, I am a native NY-er, and so I know what living among homeless people feels like. And yet, even with that first hand experience, and then looking at your photos I still am unable to fully grasp what everyday life now feels like for most people in Athens. I am in denial.

 

Here in the States there is very little coverage of Greece and the how the economic crisis has affected them. When we do have coverage it is mostly

on stations like www. democracynow.org hosted by Amy Goodman.

She is my hero, I called her The Mother Teresa of the Media. I wonder if you would consider going on her show? I am sure she would love to have you.

 

Thank you for taking these photos, and moving us out of our comfort zone.

Thank you Gianni for your work here and for brining Yianni to us live.

 

Take care,

Phyllis

 

Hello Yannis, let me call it an honor to welcome you here in 1x.com.

Great work!

What an insight.

 

The composition of lonely lost people in an environment of overwhelming architecture have a deep impact on me.

It's so important to show and see individuals and their fate.

 

Yannis, it is an honor that you share your stories here. Thank you

Dear Yannis,

Thank you for sharing your work from Athens in our documentary group here at 1X.com. This is exactly the type of input that we need in our group. Great work and very inspiring.

Best

Jan

Thanks a lot for sharing, it hurts to watch those photos and read your blog.

Your question is the one we all ask ourselves.

What is wrong with the world ? What is wrong with all of us ?

MC

 

Hi Yannis, I am really glad to see you here after our short meeting the other day.

There is a good discussion going on at 1x about the definition of Documentary photography and we 'll be honoured to know your views. I think you don't need a permission from Reuters for this :)))...looking forward to see you contributing in any way you want, if you feel like doing so. Thanks again for taking the time to visit this site and a big WELCOME !!!

Gianni

 

Hey Yannis,

 

Welcome to 1x! Extraordinary reportage and photos and at the same time very sad, which often is the case in the highest class of documentary photography. A very important document indeed and I do believe that such pictures can change help to open people's eyes and make a change.

 

All the best, Ralf

Hi Yannis,

 

A Big Welcome to 1X and I agree with all the above. Your work are extraordinary. A documentary reportage that capture strong emotions within each photograph. It is however, very sad and i really do hope that in-time the situation will improve. Talking about "changing the world through photographs".

 

It is such a pleasure and hope to see more of your works.

 

Cheers,

Mike