IOANNIS STERGIOU - PHOTOGRAPHER - FOREIGN PRESS ANTPOKRITIS GAMMA PRESSE

Born in April 1961 in the village of Ramia - you will find it in the massif of Tzoumerka in the region of Epirus, Greece.

At the age of 8, in the elementary school of my village, "I shot" my first photograph with a telemetric Leica M3 camera the commemorative photograph for the food aid of the Ministry of Education. Also at the age of 10, in 1971 I was awarded the first prize at the "Children's Painting Competition" of the Greek Radio-Television Foundation for a charcoal picture I realized.

In 1979 I attended flight courses in a private school. The same year I took examinations though to study at the Air Academy. The next year –1980- I was registered in the Faculty of Merchant Ships’ Captains, which I attended only for one year, while in the coming year 1981, I registered the PATES-SELETE. (Technological Teachers’ Training College). Finally, I abandoned also this faculty, though to dedicate to photography.

In 1983 I joined the Infantry Army Force. During my military service I was trained in mortal shells dumping and in the not exploding missiles. The same year I took my oath as a Reserve Officer and graduated S.E.A.P. (Infantry Reserve Officers’ Academy) at the city of Heraklion in the island of Crete. I also graduated War Academy at the city of Chalkida. I served as Responsible Officer in Athen’s War Museum, where I dealt with the copy of art works and aerial photography. I worked for the publication of the "Military News", while in collaboration with G.E.S (General Military Staff) I organised the Office of Photographing. For the excellent exercise of my duties during the military exercise "Parmenion", I was granted with honorary leave and removal to the military camp of Lykabettus in the heart of Athens, from where I finished my military service in June 1985.

I started working as photographer in February 1986 for the newspaper "H BRADYNI” (i vradini) at the political photo-reportage for about 8 months, while in November 1986 I worked for “GRAMMI SA” and became Director of the photographic department for portraits of political and distinguished personalities – to mention here that “GRAMMI SA” owned the top 5 magazines in greek circulation.

The next year –1987- in collaboration with the Embassy of Egypt and its Tourism

Office, I captured in 200 unique slides the Greek Community of Alexandria and in more than 600 also unique slides the whole of Egypt. For this work I received a congratulatory letter from the Greek Community of Alexandria.

In the summer of 1987 I travelled again to Egypt, this time for photographing the one and only performance of Verdi’s opera “Aida” which took place in the ancient temple of Karnak. To mention here that I was one of the few photographers that I had special authorisation to shoot pictures during the play, since I was photographing with Leica cameras.

From that year begins a period where I photograph each Prime Minister and President of Democracy, for posters and brochures (A. Papandreou, K. Mitsotakis, K Simitis, K. Karamanlis, K. Stefanopoulos). Both for the pictures of Mr. A. Papandreou and Mr. K. Simitis, appreciative comments were written in the Media.

In 1989 I started a project on the Eastern Orthodox Monks. During this three years project, I realised travels and shootings in several different places such as: Sina peninsula, Holy Land, Cyprus, Albania and the majority of most important Monasteries of Greece. This project was under the auspices of his Holiness, the Archbishop of Athens and Whole of Greece Mr. Christodoulos. I also collaborated with the Apostolic Ministration of Greece for several shootings and book publications.

1992 is the year that comes the recognition and begins my collaboration with the worlds’ top camera maker LEICA CAMERA AG in Germany. A photograph of mine from Athos peninsula was selected for Leica’s international art calendar, while with four other photos they were exhibited in Leica’s booth at Koln’s FOTOKINA. By then, photographs of mine were used many times in publications and brochures of Leica Camera AG. To mention here that the German magazine “PHOTOGRAPHIE” in its issue of September ’92, commended my photo as the best of Leica’s calendar. In 1995, the Administration of Leica Company, allowed me to photograph the entire production line of the factory.

In 1995 “Leica International Magazine” presented as its central photographic story, a project that I realised for the goldmines of Kassandra in the peninsula of Chalkidiki, in galleries thousands of meters under the surface. In the article there is also special report for my unique photographic technique that allowed taking pictures in conditions of absolute darkness.

In the years 1995 and 1999 I collaborated with the German magazine “ADAC SPECIAL REISE” which assigned me shoots in various parts of Greece.

Upon today I have collaborated with the majority of the Greek newspapers and magazines producing several stories ("Amvrakikos gulf",  "Egnatia Avenue", "Island of Santorini", “Piraeus", “Chamonix”, Santa-Claus’ village in the arctic circle in Finland, Toledo’s university of Fine Arts in U.S.A., Disneyland Paris, Parc Asterix, Amsterdam Diamonds, the harbour of Hamburg, Monte dei Paschi di Siena-first bank in the world,etc.) I need to point out the great assignments I realised:  the Greek community of Istanbul, Phanari (the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate), the revolt in Albania, the Fall of Berlin’s Wall,  Kantafi’s portrait , ex-Yugoslavia’s war in the front of Semprenitsa. Christmas with Christian-orthodox natives of Cameroon. For the last story, I was congratulated by his holiness the Patriarch of Alexandria Mr. Petros.

Also I collaborated with a great number of companies such as: Athens’ International Airport “Elefterios Venizelos”, the cement factory TITAN SA, "ATTICO METRO" (Athens metro), TVX GOLD etc.

To mention here that photos of mine have been published in international magazines and newspapers such as  NEWSWEEK, FORBBES, EL MUNDO, EL PAIS, MADAME FIGARO , PARIS MATCH, EXPRESS, TIME.

Recently, I started collaboration with the Greek National Tourism Organisation in social, landscape and aerial photography.

From 12/5/2005 till 23/7/2005 photos of mine from the “Concentration Camp Of Auschwitz” were exhibited at “Fait & Cause” gallery in Paris under the direction of Mr. Robert Delpire. Samples of this exhibition can be found at the following web page:  http://www.sophot.com/fr/actus/dossier.php?expo_id=106

Photos of mine can also be found at Gamma’s web page: www.gamma.fr

Closing, to mention that I am married and father of two children, Savina - 12 years old and George  9 years old.