10 years ago Greece lost one of its best photographers - and me, my Dad.

It took me a while to write this but I wanted it to be proper.
This is a tribute to an amazing photographer and a great Dad.
The 4th of February 2008 was one of the worst days of my life - it was the day I got a call in the evening from my uncle [from my Dad's phone], while studying in Paris, to let me know that my father passed away suddenly, from a heart attack.
The line wasn't completely ok and their voices were always kind of similar so I thought it was my Dad on the phone at first. You can all imagine the horror when I realized what was going on.
My first instant thought was to enjoy a flight out of my window from the 5th floor I was living. The exact next one was my Mom - who I called. My parents were divorced, but still -it was a big shock. And for everyone actually. He was only 57 -and me only 23.

As I said at an interview I gave in Greece while working as a photographer with my own studio at the time 'To me he was just my Dad'.

But it was after he died that I realized the name, the effort, how famous he actually was and how GOOD he was... I had to go through hell with different teachers (oh yeah, 'cause I didn't wanna take over the business when HE was asking...typical brat) to understand who my Dad really was - who Dinos Diamantopoulos the Photographer was. Ok, since I was a kid I was surrounded by celebrities, politicians, actors, singers, models... I had seen him work...But I never saw him like that... Because at home he was a total DAD - Cool and modern, but still, just a Dad -to me :)
After his death I got contacted from a lot of people and I talked with plenty, and THEN I realized how appreciated he was, about him being professional, kind and talented. His funeral, even though it was about 200km from Athens, was full of people, with TV and magazine coverage. I was stunned. I was like is all that really for my Dad???

I won't get into more details about difficulties and grief. None of it can even be properly described at a post like this...

Photography is a family tradition.

It started from my great-grandpa in Minor Asia at the time [close to today's Bursa], then my grandpa took over [after coming to Greece in 1922] and then my Dad and uncle, my cousin and -of course, sooner or later- me. There was no other option for our family. Celebrity portraits was our thing -and still is, I guess, 'cause his memory will never die. I truly think so, or hope so.

My grandpa - who I never met, he died in 1982, also from a heart attack, at 64. He was found from his assistant at his studio, retouching, the next day.
He was one of the few photographers -if not the only one- in the 60s using the 'pastel' method to retouche and put color in pictures printed from negative.

They called him The Magician of Retouching.

Because he started as a retoucher at my grandpa's and then uncle's studio. Then, slowly he started doing photoshoots himself, until he met my mom who helped him open his own studio and the rest is history...
I'm attaching some (well a lot of) pictures on this post, but you can read more about him and see many more at http://www.dinosdiamantopoulos.com/
He was famous in Greece, within photography circles and not only, but I think it's important here for everyone who didn't know him to see his work, and understand where I truly come from.

The Nikon issue and the International issue

The first DSLR I got was of course from him and it was an Olympus. But I wasn't into photography at the time (silly me) so I think eventually he took it back... :(
When he died I was left with all of his equipment which was Nikon.
I don't have anything against other brands but of course when all your lenses (and cameras too) are Nikon, you go Nikon all the way - for people who might asking themselves why so 'stuck' to it ;)
My Dad though, as talented and professional as he was, unlike me, never worked abroad. He did have some international collaborations (as you'll see in the pictures) but his base was always Greece - the nice Greece, before the crisis and all. He was working with theatres, night clubs, politician campaigns, TV channels and magazines - rarely with individuals.
I decided to leave Greece, not only to expand my photography knowledge but also not to be know only as 'his daughter'. I don't know if it was the right move, time will tell.

An incredible family man

Even though he wanted his family to last [WITH the wife as he used to say haha...], I think he was an amazing family man even though this didn't happen. A super cool Dad, a friend, with whom I had an intense, passionate relationship full of love [and drama - yes, we were that kind haha!].
I don't wanna get into more personal stuff 'cause I'm sure they'll sound boring, but feel free to ask me more about him -personally or professionally. Those last 10 years he's all I talk about anyway -even though he was never sure I love him that much.

Well, Dad, I did - and I still do. And still miss the Dark Room smell God dammit.

Here are some of 'our' songs. For the first 3 years he died I couldn't listen to them, generally 80s. But now I can, 'cause I miss him. The first is the soundtrack of our relationship and the artist, Phil Collins, a special favorite for us, having been to a concert of his in Athens (via YouTube):

And last but not least.......BECAUSE HE WAS!

I get sad because I still love him and miss him a lot. But on top of that, I feel sad because I think Greece lost a talent way too soon...

Now time to enjoy some of his work! As you will see he loved Black and White Photography and most of the pictures below are from his one and only book published -contact me if interested ;)

Vangelis, composer

Sting, singer

Nikos Aliagas, journalist in France

Nana Mouschouri, singer in France

Goran Bregovic,musician

Yiannis Vouros, actor

Yorgo Voyiantzis, actor

Stamatis Spanoudakis, composer

Nikos Sergianopoulos, actor

Dionysis Savvopoulos, singer and composer

Sakis Rouvas, singer and show man

Melina Merkouri, actress and politician - Public figure

Yiannis Parios, singer

Yorgos Dalaras, singer

Nonica Galinea, actress

Agni Baltsa, opera singer

Milva, Italian singer

Marinella, singer

Yorgos Lyras, plastic surgeon

Marinella and Antonis Remos, singers

Elena Kountoura, model and politician

Kostas Kenteris, athlete

Konstantinos Kazakos, actor

Kariofyllia Karampeti, actress

Yorgos Margaritis, singer

Marios Fragkoulis, opera singer

Yorgos Kimoulis, actor - here as Cyrano de Bergerac

Koralia Karanti, actress

Tzeni Mpalatsinou,model

Freddy Germanos, journalist and writer

Andreas Voutsinas, actor and theater director

Aliki Vougiouklaki, the Star actress of Greece

Aliki Vougiouklaki with Danis Katranidis, actors

Spyros Fokas, actor

Petros Filippidis, actor

Despina Vandi, singer and show woman

Viky Koulianou, model

Notis Sfakianakis, singer

Yiannis Pretenteris, journalist

Yorgos Marinos, actor, singer and showman

Konstantinos Markoulakis, actor

''To every face there is a beautiful side. This side I always want to bring to light'' - Dinos Diamantopoulos

Thanks for reading! And as I always say, whatever happens, don't forget to smile!

Yours

MeanMommy