George Mavrikos + See Like Me No. 2

George Mavrikos is a photographer I really admire. His work is the work that is hard to come by. I sometimes browse through the portfolio’s of photographers and find one or two that really stand out, but it’s certainly once in a blue moon when every photo captures you completely. George has been the second to see like me, and hopefully has that ability to capture with words as well as with his engaging photography. He has shot a story exclusive to See Like Me, and we’d love to hear about it. Read more on George from Ones 2 Watch. All photos credit George Mavrikos / Styling Sarah Bell / Model Sam Pullee @ Storm.

Trey Taylor: Can you please fill this out?
Name: George Mavrikos
Age: 27
Occupation: Photographer
Currently Resides: London 
Favourite Song: Dress by P J Harvey

Trey Taylor: Do you feel like photography should capture a moment in time or time in a moment?
George Mavrikos: I believe that every photographer is chasing the perfect moment in time to capture. The concept of what that is or should look like changes from person to person and that’s what keeps things interesting. I work with film and avoid retouching so waiting for the right moment, mood and light is crucial.

TT: Your name obviously clues into your Greek heritage. What was Greece like and why did you migrate to London?
GM: Greece is a beautiful country but I left Athens at an early age because I wanted to experience more. Even though I moved to London due to personal circumstances it was and still is a city where I feel inspired and free to develop my work without having to compromise.

TT: Tell us a bit what it was like working with Sam Pullee @ Storm?
GM: From the moment a model walks in the room my first reaction is to study the way they will move and act. I don’t like working against what comes naturally to the person I am photographing. Sam was very sweet and serene and it translated beautifully in the images.

TT: Do you find it easy to articulate what you envision into your photos? Or does it require some experimentation?
GM: Being able to articulate what you envision not only means a lot of experimentation but also working with a team that understands and respects your work. Experimenting is a big part of photography, I always have had a very strong idea of how I wanted my photographs to look but without experimenting there would have been no result.

TT: I like experiments. This website is one. What type of experiments do you perform and how do they benefit your work?
GM: The best experiments come from taking risks, I will take on projects, which require to travel alone to places where I haven’t been before, photographing people who are perfect strangers. Coming back with the experience of dealing with subjects who are in no way treating photography as a professional medium is refreshing and I will try bring elements of that to all other aspects of my work.

TT: How did you come up with the idea for this shoot?
GM: This shoot is a collaboration with Sarah Bell, a stylist with whom I have worked with on various projects. The idea behind the shoot was to communicate a mood which would result from the choice of location, model and styling. 

TT: What do you consider beauty?
GM: humanity.

TT: What is something you could suggest to anyone aspiring to do what they love?
GM: Don’t compromise, don’t give up and stay true to what makes you happy.

TT: Leave us with an anecdote that you’ve never forgotten.
GM: It’s all part of the journey.

Thanks George! If I was forced to change my name, I’d change it to George. Your work is stunning and I hope to work with you again in the future.