French Ambassador to Greece Laurence Auer for Kappa Magazine cover
Some portrait assignments are about documenting a person. Others are about representing an institution. Photographing the French Ambassador to Greece, Laurence Auer,, for the cover story of Kappa Magazine belonged firmly to the latter. The assignment unfolded inside the recently restored French Embassy in Athens, where architecture, diplomacy and portraiture became part of the same visual narrative.
Every editorial assignment offers a different challenge, but some stories carry a significance that extends beyond photography. My recent commission for the cover story of Kappa Magazine (Kathimerini) was one of those occasions. The assignment brought me inside the newly renovated French Embassy in Athens where I photographed the French Ambassador to Greece, Laurence Auer, for a feature exploring the building’s restoration, its history, and its continuing role as a symbol of the long-standing friendship between France and Greece.
As a portrait photographer Athens, I am always interested in creating portraits that reveal character rather than simply documenting appearance. An ambassador is more than a business representative. They become the visual embodiment of a nation’s values, culture and diplomatic presence. Every portrait therefore carries a symbolic responsibility that extends beyond the individual. Every gesture, every room, every object and every photograph contributes to communicating the values, history and identity of an entire nation. This understanding shaped the visual approach throughout the assignment.
This is what I enjoy most about corporate portrait photography at this level. It is about understanding the responsibilities, personality and public presence of the individual while creating images that communicate authenticity and trust.
The French Embassy itself became an essential part of the narrative. Recently restored with great respect for its architectural heritage, the building combines historical elegance with contemporary diplomatic life. Rather than treating the interiors as a backdrop, I wanted the portraits to establish a dialogue between the Ambassador and the spaces she inhabits. The architecture, the artwork, the carefully restored rooms and the natural light all became visual elements that supported the story instead of competing with it.
This project is another example of how editorial photography can bridge portraiture, architecture and storytelling into a single visual narrative. It reminds us that the strongest portraits are often those that communicate something larger than the individual in front of the camera—they become portraits of institutions, ideas and history itself.
Being selected as the photographer in Athens for this cover story was both an honour and a creative responsibility.
Light & Honey - The World of B LOUIS
On the island of Aegina, where thyme grows wild under the intense Greek sun and the scent of Mediterranean herbs travels through the hills with the wind, a young couple has chosen to follow a demanding but deeply rewarding path: the creation of exceptional organic honey. Their brand, B LOUIS, is still relatively young, yet it has already earned recognition in the world of Greek gastronomy. Their honey has been honored at the Great Taste Awards and selected as a finalist in the honey tasting of Gastronomos magazine—an important distinction in a country where honey production has deep historical roots.
B LOUIS represents a new generation of Greek producers who combine respect for traditional beekeeping with a contemporary vision of quality, sustainability, and careful branding. Their honey is certified organic, produced with great attention to environmental balance and the natural rhythms of the island ecosystem. The bees forage among thyme and other aromatic Mediterranean herbs that grow naturally on the slopes of Aegina, giving the honey its distinctive character.
Aegina’s landscape plays a central role in the story. The island’s dry terrain, rocky hills, and scattered vegetation form a unique environment where aromatic herbs flourish under the strong Aegean sunlight.
My recent commercial photography project with BLOUIS was designed to capture not only the product but also the entire world that surrounds it. The intention was to create a visual narrative that moves beyond conventional product photography and instead explores the relationship between landscape, people, and craft. The photography reflects this deep connection between product and place. Blends three main elements: space, portrait, and action. Wide environmental photographs introduce the geography of Aegina: open hillsides covered with herbs, dusty paths leading through the vegetation, and distant views of the sea shimmering on the horizon. These landscapes are not simply decorative settings. They are essential ingredients in the story of the honey itself. Within these landscapes, the young beekeepers appear as natural participants in their environment. The portrait photographs aim to capture moments of quiet concentration and dedication. We see them inspecting the hives, preparing the smoker, or carefully examining frames filled with honeycomb. These portraits are intentionally simple and honest, reflecting the calm patience required by beekeeping.
Stella and Leonidas, the couple behind BLOUIS, represents a new generation of producers emerging in Greece today. Young, passionate, and deeply connected to the land, they combine traditional beekeeping knowledge with modern awareness of sustainability and quality. Their work is guided by respect for biodiversity and organic production practices, ensuring that both bees and environment remain healthy.
Despite its small-scale and artisanal nature, Blouis honey has already begun to travel beyond the island. Part of the production reaches gourmet shops in Athens, where it is appreciated by chefs and food enthusiasts who seek authentic Greek ingredients. Another part is exported to Germany, introducing international audiences to the unique flavors of Aegina’s thyme honey.
Through their online presence, including their active pages on Instagram and Facebook, the producers also share glimpses of their daily work with a broader audience.
In this context, the photography project aims to position Blouis not simply as a food product but as a premium artisanal brand deeply rooted in place. The visual approach avoids heavy staging or artificial setups. Instead, the images rely on real moments, natural gestures, and the genuine atmosphere of the landscape.
At the same time, the commercial campaign photographs highlight the human dimension behind the honey. In a world where many food products become anonymous commodities, BLOUIS reminds us that exceptional taste often begins with personal commitment. The images reveal the quiet determination of two young producers investing time, care, and energy into their craft.