Open Theme nominee

Milos island, Greece, created by volcanic eruptions over one million years ago, is full of minerals. Today, after decades of exploitation, it continues to be one of the largest bentonite and perlite producer in the European Union. The iconic sulphur mines (in Greek “Theorychia”) are located on the south east coast of the island. Hanging on a hillside, the location is not easily accessed. The mines were built in 1930 and their output was mainly exported to France to be used as a pesticide in its famous vines. The extracting process was very harsh, with miners working mainly in tunnels under very unhealthy and hazardous conditions. The mining company got bankrupt in 1958, due to declining prices, and the site was abandoned. Although, the mines were declared at a later date a historic heritage site by the Ministry of Culture, they was left unattended for decades. Fortunately, some items were collected and are exposed in the local mining museum. Today, what is left from looting and unrestricted access, still gives an overwhelming nostalgic feeling but highlights the natural resources exploitation ruthless circle, we humans keep on practicing all around the planet

Alex,52, is a passionate self-taught photography enthusiast, fascinated by the power of images. Above all, he is intrigued by the spontaneity of the moment, where perception and emotions combine. He believes in perpetual learning and self development. His early interest for the world of images, evolved rapidly into photography. For many years due to family and professional reasons his interest for photography took the backseat. In 2015, he rediscovered his passion but found himself in a very different playground where he had to familiarize with digital photography and editing. Slowly, but steadily, with dedication and belief, he managed to feel comfortable enough and started showcasing his captions in various international competitions. Today, he is awarded multiple honours and recognitions in different categories in top level competitions, including, FA, IPA, Spider, APA, ND, MIFA, BIFA, TIFA, MonoVisions, Monochrome, ColorAwards, Px3, GPA, Minimalist, Chromatic, PHOTO.fr.