My name is Emmanuel Coupe Kalomiris, I was born in France, with both French and Greek origin. I am a 33-year-old professional freelance photographer.

Started with seminars in the early 90’s in Greece. Thus I was acquainted to the darkroom were I literally spent endless hours printing black and white images. Few years later I moved to the States and completed studies in photography.

I picked up photography at an early age. As a young child, my father and I would go very often trekking in the mountains for months. He had always his camera - a Minolta reflex – with him and at times I would use it myself. When I was about 13 years old he bought me a Yashica SLR, which was my first camera.

I use a Canon 1Ds as my main body and hold as a back up a film camera the EOS 3. My lenses include the Canons 17-40L, 70-210L, 50mm and a Sigma lens the 10-20mm. I carry a light but pricey Gitzo, I also have several Graduated ND filters from Singh-Ray. Then I have to carry lens and sensor cleaning products, extra batteries and 5 memory cards that total 13GB of storage space, Lowerpro gloves, lip cream and a whistle. I also carry a five year old and extremely beaten up Acer Travelmate Laptop and usb external 80GB hard drive.

I like landscapes and particularly isolated areas. If an area is left un-touched un-spoiled or abandoned if you will from “civilization” then there is a good chance I enjoy being there and photographing. I particularly like nature without much distraction around, it is not easy to explain why that is, but when I’m away even from the smallest house on the hill then I can truly start feeling the force of the earth. I often like areas with a strong character, be it because of the weather or forms. Places that are often un-inviting to people have those characteristics. There, in wild nature, I find the type of emotional charge and that I want to communicate through my work.

Photographers like Cartier Bresson, Andre Kertez, Josef Kudelka, Garry Winogrand, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Roy De Carava, Edward Weston, Elliot Erwitt, Atget, Bruce Davidson, and many others inspired me through my first years in photography. Later when my interest for landscape photography came about I became familiar with the works of Galen Rowell, Joe Cornish, Michael Fatali and many others whose work I enjoy greatly. But I draw a great deal from many different art forms and in particular music.

I’m a newcomer at SmugMug. And what a great place it is. The features really help me update quickly and easily and also allow visitors to find their way to the galleries without any difficulty because of the great layouts offered. Considering these advantages and many more, I decided to give up the idea of upgrading my own independent site but rather prompted to venture into SmugMug world. But above all, I enjoy great costumer service that is second to none, if help is needed help will be received in the best possible manner. SmugMugs' customer service is like no one other, and I mean that.

Things have been very positive in the short period I have been with SmugMug. I have a steady growth of clients and business. I believe that this will grow more and more as I invest myself to spending little more time behind my desk. At the moment I have being mostly away from home. Shooting new material has kept me from fully exploring all that SmugMug has to offer. I’m sure I could report much more in a year’s time from now.

Don’t be afraid to go down your own path. Great photographers have done so. We all admire others works learn from them but in the end it is our voice our vision our crazy madness that has to come through our works. I also agree with what Andy said: Rules? What rules?