The adventurous spirit of Alexandros Grymanis has led him to photograph action all over the world for global sports brands – the ambition of the athletes he shoots matched closely by his own. "You need to push yourself in my job, and not just be good but be yourself with your camera," says Alex, who has been travelling the world since 2009. "You'll never get bored. You'll get out there and have the freedom to do whatever you want."
The Canon Ambassador grew up in Peristeri, in the western part of Athens, Greece. His parents owned a sports shop where he spent time as a youngster, which gave him a sense of curiosity around athleticism. "As a child, I played football, did karate and skateboarding," he says. "Then I started snowboarding, surfing and climbing, which I still do now. I still enjoy the liberation that the extreme sports mindset can bring to my life."
Alexandros Grymanis
Alex's parents gifted him his first camera when he was at high school – a Canon AE-1 – which he used to photograph his friends skateboarding. Aged 17, he travelled to a glacier in Les Deux Alpes, France, for a month to snowboard, and returned with images he pitched to an action sports magazine. "The magazine told me I was really good and that they wanted to work with me each month on a paid basis," he adds. "That's when I thought it was something I could study at university."
He studied photography at IEK Akmi University, an institution renowned for arts and photography in Greece. His most notable project involved spending eight years following a movie director who was capturing skateboarding scenes for a film called Three Flavors, which resulted in a book.
Specialist areas: Actions sports
Favourite kit: Canon EOS R3
Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM
Understanding the sport he is photographing has helped Alex gain prestigious clientele – from Red Bull and Vans to Adidas and Nike. He's now an official member of the Red Bull Photography team and his experience has also led to working with numerous commercial and fashion brands including Prada.
"If you know how to climb, for example, then you know what the best moment will be to capture, so I try to know as much as I can about the sport I'm shooting," he says. "I really enjoy being out there with athletes in nature and in the water because I like their mentality and how they push themselves to be at the top of their game. I try to have this mentality in my work, so if you compare the two things, they're pretty similar."
But it's also Alex's passion for adventure that fuels his creative spark. "I love how one day I can be in Canada and the next in Cape Town for a week," he says. "Freedom and creativity are unlimited as you have the light, the clouds, water and sand. There's so much varied scenery that you have no idea what to expect."
Alex's inspiration comes not only from sports and nature, though, but also from closer to home in the form of the Greek ocean contrasting with white coastal houses, and the "rough and raw" city of Athens. "The culture and people in the centre of Athens are amazing to photograph, but I have many different things that inspire me – I can see great images in fashion and in so many different photography fields."
What's the one image you have yet to shoot that would light up your lens?
"Every single image for me has something special. A photograph to me means that I have frozen a moment and that's the best feeling."
What's your greatest achievement?
"From a very young age, I wanted to be a photographer travelling around the world meeting new people, exploring unique places and capturing all of these moments with my camera. My dream came true and I believe this is the greatest achievement."
What are your ambitions for the future with your photographic work?
"I am very happy with what photography has given me for all these years and I am really excited about the future. Photography has no limit, it's an endless journey for me."
What's your ideal day shooting with just you and your camera?
"I feel comfortable when I'm in nature. The best moment for me is at sunset. I love silhouettes in photography; they make the world look totally different."
If you could give your younger self one piece of photographic career advice, what would it be?
"Be yourself, ask, learn and don't be afraid to try again and again. Click as much as you can and stay focused on your dreams and one day your dreams will come true."
One thing I know
Alexandros Grymanis
"I strongly believe that if you work hard then you will achieve your goals. You just need to work."
Instagram: @alexgrymanis
Website: www.alexgrymanis.com
Alexandros Grymanis' kitbag
The key kit that the pros use to take their photographs
Cameras
Canon EOS R3
A professional hybrid camera with next-generation Eye Control autofocus technology. "I love how light my camera is and the battery lasts forever," says Alex. "The focus is really fast and that helps me a lot while I'm shooting sports."
Canon EOS R5
Able to capture 45MP photos at up to 20 frames per second, the EOS R5 never misses a beat. "The resolution of this camera is amazing," says Alex. "You have all the details you need and the colours are amazing too."
Lenses
Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM
Superb optical engineering, a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture and 5-stops of Image Stabilisation help you stay creative in all conditions. "This is my ultimate lens," says Alex. "It is a lens I can use every single day, from shooting portraits to some great action. The new RF series is insane in terms of quality."
Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM
Outstanding clarity and sharpness mean you'll see noticeably more detail, even right at the edges of the frame. "This is the lens that I really love to use for lifestyle images and for portraits of athletes as they prepare," says Alex. "I love the wide aperture as it gives me really nice blurry backgrounds and makes my photographs a bit poetic. A wide aperture is something I really use in my photography. The creativity you can get with a 50mm lens is incredible. You can capture everything with one lens including portraits and landscapes."
Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM
Compact and lightweight, this telephoto zoom delivers superior image quality whether you're shooting sports, action, travel and more. "I love the size of the 70-200mm as it can fit in my bag easily and that helps me a lot when I am in a remote place," says Alex.
Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye
Fire up your photography with this super sharp fisheye lens. "I've been using this fisheye lens for many years in skateboarding," says Alex. "It's the lens that I have used since day one in my photography, and I still love to shoot with it."
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
A premium quality ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, with a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, for the highest image quality possible even in low light conditions. "This is a lens that I often use when I'm shooting in unique places and I want a wide angle to capture the landscape," says Alex. "I really like the way that you can combine action with landscape in photography. This is the lens that helps me a lot with this type of image."
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM
A fast-aperture super-telephoto lens that delivers a professional performance – ideal for sports, news and wildlife photography. "This is the best lens when I'm shooting from a very long distance," says Alex. "I love being close to the subject but sometimes it's impossible. With this lens, I can bring my subject closer and get the shot from far away. Also, the quality of the final image while I'm using this lens is insane."
Accessories
Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
Delivering uncompromising results in all kinds of situations, this flash is as dependable as it is intuitive. "From time to time I use this Speedlite, especially when I would like to make my subject 'pop'," says Alex. "I love to use it in High-Sync mode and freeze the moment."
Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R
This invaluable piece of kit allows EF-S and EF lenses to be used on EOS R System cameras seamlessly. "I'm still using some EF lenses with my EOS R System and this adapter is the ultimate way to use them," says Alex.
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