Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystalán Chryssomallis.
Krystalán, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey isn’t a typical one. It’s a journey that has shown me how everything you do and everything you learn in life happens for a reason. I have been on many paths throughout my lifetime and I am seeing now why I went through the various life lessons I did when I did. I’m at a point where all of my paths are converging and it’s a beautiful thing to realize there are purpose and meaning to every path you take in life and every lesson learned.
For this article, I’ll focus on my photography journey and how I got to where I am today. I grew up in a small town in Minnesota with a love and passion for the arts. Dance was and is part of my life and has taught me so many valuable lessons in life. There is a sensitivity that comes with dance and an awareness of your own body and soul as well as an awareness of others around you. The flexibility, agility and strength required from dance is such a beautiful expression of oneself, the lessons learned and stories that need to be shared.
I am sharing my perspective of dance because for me, photography is a dance. A dance with nature, with the person you are photographing or with the city you are in. You have to be aware of yourself and your surroundings and agile enough to move at the right angle at the right moment in time. While I am photographing, I am most focused on capturing the essence or the energy of what is around me, and I notice that my best shots are taken when I am lost in the moment, moving to the beat of life shared with that moment I am capturing.
I have always been fascinated by photography. The storytelling power of a photograph and how it can capture a moment in time, convey the energy and essence of significant experience and allow the viewer the ability to share this emotion with me.
It was about 15 years ago that a camera finally made it into my hands and ignited an unrecognized passion inside of me. My first camera was given to me by my father, Yanni. I was working as a producer on his music tour and we were touring through Brazil. We were in Rio De Janeiro at the time and I remember standing at the show in awe. We had never toured South America before so we didn’t know what reaction to expect or how many people would actually come to Yanni’s concerts since we never had any information about album sales or an understanding of what Yanni meant in the Brazilian music market. It was my first time working in Brazil. To our sheer delight, I recall thousands of people cheering, screaming and chanting as though we were at a soccer match. It was an electrifying feeling that I will never forget and a wonderful surprise.
I had my little point and shoot camera and was doing my best to document all I could. Since I was shooting concert shows at the time, I quickly realized it was just not possible with the equipment I had. It was then that Yanni gave me my first professional camera. I didn’t know how to use it, or the technicalities of photography, but I quickly fell in love and appreciation for the craft and my camera never left my hand. A decade and a half later, it still hasn’t.
Because of our international touring, I have been able to access and enjoy experiences that are not typically accessible or available to the general public… and I took full advantage of these opportunities.
I learned night photography and put it into action under the night sky of the Sahara desert in Egypt, capturing scenes of fireworks blooming above the ancient monuments of the Sphynix and the Great Pyramids.
I experienced aerial photography in a hot air balloon above the mysterious desert valleys of the Arabian Peninsula, sharing the long-hidden magic of AlUla with the world.
I was able to capture one of the world’s most ancient gems shooting before the archaeological treasure of Petra, Jordan, lit only by fiery candlelight.
Using my camera to capture behind-the-scenes moments in the highly secured and secret streets of Star City, Roscosmos in Russia, where all of our astronauts and cosmonauts go for their final training to the International Space Station, was yet another life-altering experience and one I was thrilled to have the opportunity to share.
I have been immersed in more than 60 other countries – from Kenya to Tunisia, China to India, Turkey to Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka to the United Arab Emirates, Puerto Rico and more. Each one of these experiences, along with the incredible people I’ve known during these journeys, have stayed inside of me and have crafted my soul in a very significant way. As an artist, I believe your unique life journey and experiences all go into your creations and my work is a reflection of who I am and is shown in the images of my photography.
Although I was a producer during these events, having my camera in hand allowed me a different perspective and forced an “in the moment” presence I may not have had otherwise. This alternative view is what has driven my passion for capturing the world’s light and love in frames.
Photography has become a passport into the lives of the people, the places and the cultures I visit and has driven me to go the extra step in sharing it with the world.
I am fortunate to have had my photographs published nationally and internationally, used as album artwork, concert tour programs for Yanni and other artists and are displayed in hotels in Africa and Jordan. One of my photographs even hangs in a palace in India and several are featured in galleries in America. I am very blessed to have had these opportunities.
In addition to photography, I also have a great passion for humanitarian work. My first experience pursuing humanitarian work was in becoming a Panda Ambassador for World Wildlife Fund. Working with the WWF has expanded my understanding of what our planet needs from us and I treasure my opportunity to be a part of helping.
I have always had a passion for children’s education and have focused on projects involved in children’s educational programming in underserved communities in the United States, the favelas in Brazil, locations throughout Mexico, and many other countries. I have now partnered with UNICEF as I have recognized the important role they serve in an effort to solve the issues of limited access to education for children in over 190 countries worldwide. This is why, with each photograph purchased from my collections, at least 40 kids will be provided with the educational supplies to create a classroom in any environment so these children will be able to learn and grow.
Photography has changed my life. Now, I hope to use it to change the lives of others.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My goal is to capture the beauty and positivity in the people and places I am photographing and reflect the common threads that unite us all around the world. Due to the nature of my work and the fact that I am able to travel in some of the most remote areas of our world and spend the time with the people and places I’m photographing, I hope to capture that glimmer, the look, the emotion that says everything I’ve learned or have come to know. I believe that a photograph is a unique connection shared between the person holding the camera and the subject. Both souls are reflected in the final photograph. This is why there can be ten different photographers taking a photo of the same subject and you’ll get 10 very different photos.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Absolutely! Los Angeles is THE place to start. Yes, it is highly competitive, however, that just means there are incredible resources here. And with photography, you just have to do it. Find the angle that you are most passionate about and keep at it. Grow as a person, expand who you are and it will come out in your craft. Show up where other photographers are and you will learn tips and tricks along the way. Do things that are uncomfortable and try new things. Between the concert & entertainment industry, social media influencers, headshots, business needs, etc, there are opportunities out there. We all have a story to share and you have your own unique perspective and life lessons. Proceed without fear and share your creative spirit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.krystalan.com
- Email: info@krystalan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystalann/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrystalanC/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Krystalan_C
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