Konstantinos Giannopoulos NFT photographer interview (NSFW) | NFT CULTURE | Web3 Culture NFTs and Crypto Art
The interview is with Konstantinos Giannopoulos, also known as Kosta, who is a portrait and nude photographer living in Germany. Kosta learned photography through practice and the internet and started making NFTs in February 2022 at Foundation. He likes to be inspired by people’s fears and worries, models’ stories and places he visits with his family. His creative process is flexible, sometimes he has a clear vision and plans the shoot, while other times he lets the shoot develop organically. Kosta’s style involves shooting with daylight, and he sees a positive development in the style. He believes that NFTs have a great future ahead of them and will open doors to many hidden talents. Kosta’s upcoming drops will take some time as he has many ideas to implement.
Can you tell us about your background and how you came to create NFT art?
Kosta: Hello, my name is Konstantinos Giannopoulos, but everyone calls me Kosta. I am a portrait and nude photographer living in Germany, and I am the son of Greek immigrants who arrived in the late 60s. I am 43 years old, married and have three children. I have been interested in photography since I was a child, but in the analog era developing film was not cheap. I learned a normal trade and when it was financially possible, I bought my first SLR to photograph our first child. I still do photography on the side of work and maybe I can make a living from it, which would be my dream. I did not study or be taught photography. I learned everything through practice and from the internet. I first read about NFTs in February 2022 when I switched from Instagram to Twitter due to the nudity regulation. When I read a few posts from Kingofmidtown.eth, I really wanted to be a part of it because I wanted to achieve more than just social media likes with my work.
When did you form your first NFT? Which platform did you choose and why?
Kosta: I formed my first NFT at the end of February at Foundation. I liked the website layout and it was easier to find high quality NFTs there.
Can you tell us one thing you can’t live without? (and why)
Kosta: My family, because they have supported me to pursue my passion.
Who are some of your favorite artists, both in the traditional and NFT space?
Kosta: This is a difficult question because I like too many different artists from different genres. I can’t decide on a selection.
Can you talk about a specific piece of NFT art you’ve made that you’re particularly proud of?
Kosta: It is difficult to answer, because as an artist you have a different relationship to what you create than the viewer. For example, “A Summer Day in the Corn Field” is being shown in Beijing, and “Superbadgirl” will be shown at NFT NYC 2023, which makes me proud that those two are being shown, but I don’t love them more than the other NFT- one.
How do you stay inspired and keep coming up with new ideas for your art?
Kosta: I am inspired in different ways. I am a very empathetic person. For example, a few days before I created my collection “Trapped inside me” at Foundation, I had a conversation with a collector who told me that no one around him knows that he loves to collect nude art because he is afraid of the reactions of others. With this photo series I wanted to represent the fears and worries of people who don’t dare to show the real me and come out of themselves. In my collection “Hope at Ninfa” I was more influenced by the model. Since she fled Ukraine, she revealed to me during the preliminary interview your anxieties and fears that the war there is triggering in her. There are also situations, like trips with my family, where I see places where I can directly imagine a photo shoot with a model. Then I think about how I want to implement this and how the model should look, etc. It has also happened that I have only booked the model, and the ideas only came when we were on location. I am inspired or influenced in many ways.
Can you tell us about your creative process and how you go about bringing your ideas to life?
Kosta: My creative process is quite flexible and depends on the project. Sometimes I have a clear vision of what I want to achieve and I plan the shoot accordingly, from location, model and wardrobe to camera settings and lighting. Other times I have a rough idea and I let the shoot develop organically, guided by the model’s energy, the surroundings and my intuition. I always try to establish a comfortable and respectful atmosphere on set, where the model feels safe and can express herself freely. After the shoot, I select the best images and edit them in post-processing to enhance their aesthetic qualities and convey the mood and message I had in mind.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why this place?
Kosta: A very big dream was to visit New York, which I can finally realize this year and visit NYC in an NFT as one of my NFTs is shown. Otherwise, I would like to go to the United States because this country has so many beautiful places with amazing landscapes.
How did you arrive at your specific style?
Kosta: It’s hard to say, but maybe it was influenced by my first contact with nude photography in a workshop. It was in an old production room where the light was incredible to photograph naked. Since then, I want to shoot only with daylight in every shot. But unfortunately it is not always possible because in winter the days are short and the weather is not always good in Germany, so I have to go to the studio.
How has your style evolved over the years?
Kosta: I see a positive development in my style. I always learn something and if it wasn’t like that it would be sad because there is no more development.
What do you see as the future of NFT art and how do you see it evolving?
Kosta: NFT art has a great future ahead of us, and we are still at the beginning. I guess and hope that it will be technically easier for the average consumer, so that more artists and collectors will come in.
How do you balance the technical aspects of making NFT art with the creative side?
Kosta: When I have the creative phase, I don’t think about NFT anymore – it would be too distracting.
How do you think NFTs have changed the art world and what impact do you think it will have in the long term?
Kosta: We are still at the beginning, but it will happen. In the long run it will be indispensable because it opens the door to the world for many. There are so many hidden talents that go undiscovered, but with NFTs you can showcase your art from anywhere you have internet.
Where do you see yourself and your work going in the future, and what goals do you have for your NFT art career?
Kosta: It is difficult to answer a bear market. Hope and see are quite different which is why I can’t answer the question. I only hope for more in the future.
Where can collectors find your work?
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