Yiannis Kourtoglou

Yiannis Kourtoglou

Based
Nicosia, Cyprus
Born
Xanthi, Greece
Status
Photographer
“I think human stories excite me most. Stories that might seem not very important but the message they will bring to the world is amazing.”

Beat

General news, sports and daily life.

One Shot

. Zygi, Cyprus. Reuters/Yiannis Kourtoglou
“One of my favorite images was shot during Epiphany Day celebrations in a village near Larnaca. It is an image of a hand, coming out of the water, holding a cross. It is important for me because it was the first image I sent to Reuters, and it was chosen by the editors as one of the best of the day. It was a good start.”

Profile

My earliest memory of photography is during a school trip at the age of 17, taking pictures differently and spontaneously than the usual posed pictures with classmates.

At the age of 30 I was at a crossroads in my life. I needed something more creative than my previous background and I found what I was looking for in photography.

My first assignment abroad was to cover the World Winter Special Olympics in Korea in 2013 for the Greek national team. I spent 2 weeks in the snow at -20C covering these special athletes, and it was an interesting experience. I found out the true spirit of Olympics, which is the joy of participation and the noble competition.

I think covering the aftermath of the referendum in Greece and the capital controls in 2015 made me realize that all the reasons that made me leave Greece in 2012 and come to Cyprus were still there and were getting worse.

I think human stories excite me most. Stories that might seem not very important but the message they will bring to the world is amazing.

Photojournalism is very important because, in this era with fake news everywhere, people need to be sure that photojournalists’ integrity exists and that whatever they see, that comes from them, is true.

My advice is to spend more time outside in the streets with open eyes and ears and catch every opportunity as it appears in front of you.

Behind the Scenes