By: Maydaa Abo El-Nadar
ALEXANDRIA, Jan. 22 (SEE) – Several Greek figures, born in the Egyptian and coastal city of Alexandria, have been enriching art. These figures include Greek photographer John Coumbias, born and raised in Alexandria where his father ran a huge business.
Coumbias started photography when he was around 18. Although he was not serious about photography, his passion for it developed at this age.
Seeking a better future, Coumbias left Alexandria to Johannesburg, South Africa, at the age of 20. “I used to watch documentaries about wildlife, and one of the reasons I left to South Africa is my love for nature,” he says. Nature in that country propelled him to travel and capture its eye-catching scenes.
Afterward, during the last 22 years, photography took a serious part of his life, as he started to participate in clubs’ expositions, national and international salons.
Coumbias displayed his photos at salons that were celebrated at different parts worldwide including Australia, Serbia, Greece, China, Singapore, Canada, Cyprus, South Africa, UK, Romania, Italy, and France. He achieved multiple awards including 7 FIAP Blue PIN awards. Amongst his photographic honors are APSSA (Vers), EPSSA (Mille), AFIAP, and GPU (Hermes).
In addition, Coumbias was selected to judge in South Africa’s salons and Serbia’s international salons. He is a member of three photographic clubs in Johannesburg and in their committees.
“Photography gathers people from different backgrounds. It is the method through which they communicate without saying a word,” he expressed.
The Greek photographer believes that light is the photography’s essential pillar. “No wonder the word photography came from the Greek word φωτογραφία, φως-το- γραφία, that means writing with light. A good photo is where the light harmonizes with the rest of the image’s element.”
In December 2018, Coumbias celebrated an exposition at his birthplace. His photos were displayed under these sections: color pictorial image, portrait, monochrome, nature animals, nature birds, scenic landscapes, sports photojournalism, street photography, travel in Lesotho, travel in Namibia and travel in Mongolia.
The photographer aspires to exhibit his art at the prestigious Bibliotheca Alexandria and similar places. For such an event, he should obtain the permission of the Greek and the Egyptian authorities such as Ministers of Culture or Consulates. To be given this permission, his photo’s subject should include Egypt and Greece. So during his one-month stay in Egypt, he toured the country and took photos in many parts including Rashid, Marsa Matrouh, Siwa, and Kafr El-Dawar.
