My experience in Beirut, participating in a photography workshop with Nikos was not only BRILLIANT and AMAZING, it was something more! The daily editing sessions were key to learning more not just about my own work and what direction it might take, but I learn’t so much from everyone else too and what you taught us in those sessions. I now look at a photograph with critical eyes and less emotion, I want the photo to tell me a story, in and of itself. I compose differently, I use my camera more effectively (I think &amp hope) everywhere I look I am trying to compose a photograph, not just when I feel it intuitively but when it might not be the ideal situation photographically. I am more patient with myself and the elements around me. But something that I took away from the workshop in Beirut, you said it a number of times but especially towards the end of the week. You said “Take pleasure in what you photograph” and that is exactly what I am doing more so than ever and I am loving every moment of this new enlighten journey I am embarking on with my camera!

Working with Nikos in Istanbul was personally an eye-opener for me. His insight and way of seeing changed my entire approach to photography. If you want to take your photography to the next level and make meaningful images I highly recommend his workshops for you. This was my first workshop with Nikos and he impressed me so much that I’m hoping to repeat someday soon if time and work permits. Thank you, Nikos, for your patience and sharing your vision with me!

Two words about something I don’t understand. About something that has been in me for over a decade. A tale that I had made up in my mind (…) In September 2009, I packed two changes of clothes dress and two cameras and came to Istanbul. Expectations? Countless. Reservations? Even more. ‘Fairy-tales do not exist’ I said to myself. But what I experienced in a week was more than I ever expected or even imagined. (…) I have been in a photographic frenzy ever since. I carry my camera with me all the time, everywhere. (…) Can no longer do otherwise.

The workshop with Nikos, was a unique experience. He opened a new door to the world of photography for me. The tips he gave me were extremely useful and his advises clearly changed my photography approach. Finally I want to thank the whole group that made the experience unforgettable, and I am looking forward to taking part in my second workshop.

The workshop and Nikos in particular have transformed my outlook as a photographer and will hopefully have a long-lasting impact in my work. I have genuinely appreciated Nikos’ insight and approach. During the workshop he managed to shed valuable light to the next steps needed ahead, in a practical, tangible, results-oriented and implementable manner, yet customised to each participant’s needs. Nikos has a unique way of guiding and helping the participants improve. He can be, at the same time, encouraging and motivating, while remaining ruthlessly honest when pointing mistakes and areas that need further work. Perhaps even more importantly, I am particularly grateful for his generosity in sharing and mentoring. Nikos has been remarkably open and welcoming and succeeded in reaffirming my enthusiasm, not only for photography but especially for documentary photography. I am looking forward to the next workshop and to new explorations.

Ethiopia was my 4th workshop and i feel like it is already more than a workshop but seeing a good friend, travelling around and having good time. It’s more like learning more about life not only photography. So if anybody still have doubts about attending one, go, be yourself and let Maestro show you what you actually are.

With this workshop i finally felt the urge to pay attention to my work, the way to select a photo for a portfolio and harmony between the series of photos in a portfolio. This is not by force but by the inspiration and motivation that Nikos was emitting. I feel so lucky to work with him and with all the other great photographers who have attended. He gave me the direction, inspiration and motivation that I was in need of, now shooting only 35mm and only colour, I feel excitement and joy and cannot wait for another workshop with Nikos to evaluate the improvement (hopefully) together. Now i see 35mm framelines everywhere i look.

My sincere thanks for the exciting workshop in Istanbul. I really enjoyed the time with you and the other participants. It opened my eyes for things I have been looking for (getting away from boring pictures). I certainly have lots to think about and practicing to do for some months now and I am sure I will produce better pictures in the end.

Those few seconds you waste thinking too much about whether to take that picture or not. This is what you learn to get rid of when joining an On the Road workshop.
In this respect, working with Nikos is a sort of liberating experience. You learn to let it go, to just go with the flow. And you do it because the camera eventually becomes your main means of communication. It’s no more an object you use to do something but, instead, it turns into an essential part of the creative process. You start feeling the images through the viewfinder and not just seeing them.
And, as a matter of fact, this is really good fun!

It worked — or as Nikos said “It always works”. I needed three days to throw everything over board I thought to know about photography. How to select backgrounds, how to use the 35mm lens, how to lead the eye of the beholder, how to avoid clichees, how to get closer, how to recognize a good photograph and how to find my own style. Nikos has something like a built-in compass for good photography which always functions. It was a pleasure to learn from him, to talk with him about his philosophy and to see his passion for beautiful visual events. Even when he felt sick and his face looked as grey as some of my worse photographs he got excited and touched by every great picture he saw at our group meetings in the evenings. He is such a nice and open guy and it seems he has also a talent to attract like-minded people to his workshops. I felt very welcome from the first moment. The Thailand workshop was my first one with him. But for sure not the last..

Addis Ababa was my second workshop with Nikos. I came back for two reasons: One, because I know he is a great teacher who brings out the best in you. He gives you honest and relevant feedback which helps you www.ontheroad.grelop more as a photographer in a week than you would normally in a year. Two, because he is a great guy also on a personal level, and he really knows how to make a group work together and have fun at the same time. Plus did I say most of his workshops takes place in exciting and exotic locations, with more motives that your mind can process? I am already looking at how soon I can go again..

I would like to express my gratitude to Nikos for being not only an attentive and demanding photography mentor, but also for being a humble, caring and infinitely friendly person. It was always a pleasure for us to share with him not only ideas about photography, but also numerous stories about his life and adventures. I feel that in that week my photographic skills moved to a completely new level. The first few days have been a bit of a strugle as I tried to implement Nikos’ technical suggestions and made sure I really followed his advice, but at the end the magic happened and I felt like my vision had changed once and forever.

For me the Istanbul workshop was, above all, a great chance to see how an exceptional photographer such as Nikos looks at, selects and talks about photographs. Nikos was keen to understand our photographs first and then offered ways to improve them. While doing so, he was always up-front and honest but never condescending or imposing. I felt that Nikos’ attitude towards us, the participants, and our photography was similar to the compassion one can see in his own photography in that, he makes sure that no one is ever stripped off of their dignity. His comments were not only related to the formal result but also what goes on before and during shooting. The workshop was, as others have said, intense and demanding, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

 I would like to say how very much I valued Nikos’ perceptive, insightful and supportive comments. While just starting out in photography the workshop was a really valuable guide on how I should be thinking about it. I really liked the emphasis on looking for the humanity in the image, the unusual, the abnormal, the avoidance of the simply descriptive, the banal, the obvious and cliché. Not to mention the need to be very selective, paying attention to backgrounds, the value of geometry in composition, finding interesting elements and locations, the need to concentrate on simple forms and shapes and avoid clutter. The workshop was a genuinely supportive and helpful experience.
So thank you Nikos for lots of really helpful advice and I hope to see you on future workshops.

As a professional photographer for 25+ years I thought this would be a pleasant little holiday, it turned out to be so much more. Whoever said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks had the wrong teacher. Be inspired and energised by one of our greatest living photographers. Thank you Nikos for reigniting my passion.

Thank you so much for the incredible opportunity to participate in your Istanbul workshop. After the first day, I realized everything I thought I knew about photography was crap. I appreciate your patience and kindness with me during the entire time, especially as a novice. I felt that I really limited myself in the workshop because of my current level.
I wanted so badly to learn, and want to continue to learn, how to create and compose a good photograph and this workshop provided me with a starting point. Your critiques were invaluable. The conversations we all shared and the insight given from the other photographers helped me immensely. It was inspiring to be immersed in an environment with such passionate people. Having Jason Eskenazi share his work with us was also a great highlight from the workshop.
I already miss our group meetings, staying up until 1 a.m. discussing photography. I wish it could have lasted longer. I will continue to work on improving my skills and I cherish the foundation you have been able to provide. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you! 

Working with Nikos is an unforgettable and very educative photographic experience. Nikos is a great teacher, a person who finds the good points in everybody’s work and gives you the way to take the benefits of it and arrive at a higher level. During the workshop I found myself seeing things differently, from a photographic point of view, and he stayed beside me, pushing me towards finding a more creative way, educating my photographic eye and explaning to all of us always with patience, why a photo is not strong enough, why an other is powerful, what is missing and what is important. So everybody was going deeper and deeper everyday. I saw also the other participants’ work and I had the feeling that this process was working for all of them in a creative way.

“Just walking, seeing and saying nothing and seeing the result at the end of the day. Giving myself to the road and being on the road. Hearing the honest comments Seeing throw a window that dear Nikos opens to my eyes, and exploring my country Even myself more than it. My second workshop. I wait for the next chance”