Photographier: C’est mettre sur la même ligne de mire la tête, l’œil et le cœur. C’est une façon de vivre. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Gregoris Mentzas leads a double life as an academic professor and a fine art photographer.
He is a professor at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, where he teaches management information systems and leads a multidisciplinary research group with activities focusing on e-business, e-government and social computing.
Back in the analog film era, he attended a two-year course at the Fotokinisi (later Focus) photography school, a one-year seminar on cinematography and film directing and participated in seminars given by renowned Greek photographers like Takis Zerdevas, Nikos Panayotopoulos and Platon Rivellis. During that time he also participated in two group photo exhibitions.
An avid black and white analog photographer, he let his passion stay dormant for years and is now active in digital photography.
His work focuses on the concepts of time and decay, tranquility and silence.
He strives to capture serenity and encapsulate the ephemeral quality of calmness.
He rarely succeeds.
Publications
2019: The image with the thinking chimpanzee has been published in the Black & White Spider Awards Winners Book 2019.
2017: The "Gardens of Versailles" collection was published in the Dodho magazine; see https://www.dodho.com/serenity-gardens-versailles-gregoris-mentzas/
2016: The “Roses" collection was published in the Photographos magazine, July-August 2016 issue.
2016: Two photographs from the "Nightscape" series were published in the Photographos magazine in the May-June 2016 issue.
Exhibitions
2019: Group exhibition at Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece. Theme: "Black and White”, 4-16 January 2019. See the exhibition site: http://www.blankwallgallery.com/exhibition-black-white-2019/
2016: Group exhibition at Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece. Theme: "Travelling”, 10 September – 23 September 2016. See the exhibition site: http://www.blankwallgallery.com/exhibitions-travelling/
2016: Group exhibition at Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece. Theme: "Dreamlike Landscape”, 6 February – 19 February 2016. See the exhibition site: http://www.blankwallgallery.com/exhibitions-dreamlike-landscapes/
Fine Art Photography Awards
2019
Honorable Mention in the "Wildlife" category of the International 13th Black and White Spider Awards for the "Portrait of a Chimpanzee", an image from my “Animal Kingdom” series.
Honorable Mention for my series “Silky Seascapes" in the “Seascapes” category of the 5th Fine Art Photography Awards.
2018
Silver Award in the "nature-Wildlife" category of the International Prix de la Photographie Paris (Px3) contest for my project "Chimpanzee portraits"
Honorable Award in the 4th Edition of the "Fine Art Photography Awards" (FAPA), *Fine Art Category) for my portfolio "Serenity in the Gardens of Versailles".
3rd place winner and Bronze Award at the "Nature / Wildlife" category of TIFA awards 2017 for my portfolio "Chimpanzee Portraits".
Two Honorable Mentions in the "Monochrome Awards 2017“ in the Wildlife category for the images "The Hug" and "The Thinker" from my project "Chimpanzee portraits".
2017
Honorable Award in the "ND Awards 2017“ in the Wildlife category for the series “Animal Portraits”.
Honorable Award in the "International Photography Awards 2017“ in the Nature Wildlife” category for the series “Animal Portraits”.
Honorable Award in the "Prix de la Photographie (P×3) Photography Competition" (Advertising/Architecture category) for the series Grand Place - Brussels.
Three Honorable Awards in the “Fine Art Photography Awards” 2017. The awarded images were:
the series “Window seat” in the “Abstract” category
the series “Serenity in Lake Geneva” in the “Seascape” category
and the series “Animal kingdom” also in the “Wildlife/Animals” category.
2016
Three Honorable Mentions in the “Monochrome Awards” the International Black and White Photography Contest. The awarded images were:
the image “Shipwreck” in the “Fine Art” category
the image “Nocturnal” in the “Landscape” category
and the image “Bird on Rocks” also in the “Landscape” category.
Four Honourable Mentions in the ND Awards 2016 competition. The awarded images were in:
the “Fine Art - Other” category with the image “Bird on rocks”,
two awards in the “Night Photography” category with the series “Nightscapes”, and the image “Star trails” and in
the “Landscape” category with the series “Tranquility at the lagoon”.
Four Honourable Mentions in the 11th Annual Black & White Spider Awards 2016 in the “Fine Art” category with “Bird on Rocks”, in the “Fine Art” category with “Pier", in the “People” category with “Buddhist Monk in the Rock Church” and in the “Still Life” category with “White Rose”.
Two Honourable Mentions in the International Photography Awards 2016 Competition in the “Fine Art - Landscape” category for”Bird on rocks” and in the “”Night Photography” category for the series on “Nightscapes”.
One Nomination In The International Fine Art Photography Awards in the Night Photography Category for the series "Nightscapes".
Three honourable mentions in the Moscow International Fotography Awards (MIFA). All three of my awards were in the “Fine Art - Landscape” category of the contest. These three projects were awarded:
2015
Honourable Mention in the Fine Art category at the Monochrome Awards for the entry "Pier #3"
Three nominations in the 10th Annual Black and White Spider Awards.
"Shipwreck Study #3" won a nomination in the "Fine Art" category
"Shipwreck Study #6" won a nomination in the "Fine Art" category and
the flying Ballerina won one in the "People" category.
A bronze star award and six (6) honourable mentions in the 2015 International ND Photography Awards.
Two (2) honourable mentions in the category “Fine Art: Landscape” for the series “Sunset at the lagoon” and the photo “Boat in foggy lake”
Two (2) honourable mentions in the category “Fine Art: Other” for: the series “Roses in decay” and the series “Calla lilies”
Two honourable mentions in the category “Nature: Seascapes/Waterscapes” for the series “Sunset at the lagoon” and the series “Serenity at Scheveningen”
A 3rd place - bronze star Award in the category: “People - Self-portrait” for the photo “Lubi and me”
Five (5) honourable awards in the 2015 IPA International Photography Awards.
“Roses in decay” (series) in the category: ‘Fine Art : Still Life’
“Portraits of calla lilies”, in the category ‘Fine Art : Still Life’
“Portraits of calla lilies”, in the category ‘Nature : Flowers’
“Park of souls”, in the category: ‘Deeper Perspective’
“Boat in foggy lake”, in the category ‘Fine Art : Landscape’
Three (3) nominations in the 2015 International Fine Art Photography Contest (FAPA 2015).
Park of Souls (Series);
Roses in decay (Series);
Waterfall (Series)
Five Awards In The PX3 "Prix De La Photographie, Paris" International Photo Competition
Second place - Silver Award - Flowers Category with the series "Roses in decay"
Second place - Silver Award - Water Category with the series "Waterfall"
Third place - Bronze Award - Flowers Category with the series "Calla lily portraits"
Two honorable mentions for the flower series ("Roses in decay", and "Calla Lily portraits")
2014
Two Honourable Mentions In International Black And White Photography Contest
Honorable Mention in Landscape for the entry “Boat in foggy lake”; and
Honorable Mention in Fine Art for the entry “Moonlight”.