Pygmalion Karatzas
Architectural, Fine Art & Commercial Photography

Image Copyright: Rights-Managed © Pygmalion Karatzas.

Edition Type: Limited edition print.

Fine Art Prints: Images are available in gallery-quality fine art prints on various sizes, media and framing options.

Image Licensing: High-resolution images are available for editorial and limited commercial use.

Inquire here for further information on usage licensing and prints.

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“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again” - Joseph Campbell 

A retreat means to step away, or withdraw from a dangerous, difficult situation, or a busy place. As a noun, it also refers to a quiet, safe place for rest or special time set aside for peace, learning, or introspection and meditation.

Being in nature, either in familiar locations I have visited many times before, or in new places I am discovering for the first time, is part of the retreat gestalt. Doing something again or once more in a new or different way; start over; do a task using a fresh approach; begin anew; are some of the elements involved. 

Older photographic collections that share this underlying thread are ‘Anicca’ and ‘Genius Loci’. Connecting with natural settings, experientially and through the lens, becomes the extrovert side of this introvert activity. In the Anicca series the predominant mechanics is via the use of long exposure with neutral density filters and a monochrome or desaturated treatment to engender a minimalistic aesthetic. In the Genius Loci series the emphasis is pointed towards the spirit of a place - exploring the unique characteristics of sceneries. With the Retreat series the aerial perspective has been added extensively to bring novel points of view to landscapes, and further expand the visual exploration.     

In his research book ‘On the psychology of meditation’, Claudio Naranjo points out two distinct approaches to meditation. Formless meditation uses no object to assist the mind. Before one can reach that level of consciousness awareness, the contemplative traditions suggest we start our meditation using an object. It can be objects (highly charged) with symbolic meaning - like religious iconography; or it can be objects more neutral like the flame of a candle, or the sound of the sea and the night sky.

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‘Terra Rossa’ features images from Kokkinopilos Prevezas. 
‘As above so below’, ‘Pluribus flock’ and ‘Ode to the Sun’ features images from Moustos wetlands, lake and cold springs in Argolida. 
‘Flow Raw 1’ features images from Neda River and ‘Flow Raw 2’ from Lake Hotel Ioannina. 
Anavalos, Lake Tsivlou, Louros Dam, Lake Zirou, Aqueduck Nikopolis are namesake collections. 
‘Perivoli’ features images from Mont Athos monasteries. 
‘Alightment’ features astrophotography from various locations. 
‘Nothing to see here’ documents the aftermath of the Aigialia fire that started on the 31st of July 2026. 
‘Mirror Mirror’ uses various transformation techniques to produce abstract forms from this collection’s source material.
‘The World is your oyster’ explores the 360 perspective and other fish-eye views from this collection’s source material. 

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