Christos Serrano lives in Limassol / Cyprus and is a dancing teacher. But he not only teaches other people to dance, he has his own dance: he dances with light in his art photos. 

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He was the winner of GURU's TOP PICK in My challenge "Damaged" on GURUSHOTS with an amazing photo representing a shipwreck in a seascape. I asked him to present himself for helping fellow photographers to know better the man behind the winner photo. Here is his story and a short interview I made with him: 

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I was born In Limassol, Cyprus and still live here after studying and living in Kharkov, Ukraine for 7 years! I am 34 years old and my main occupation is Latin Dance Instructor and Trainer! 
So my main passions in life are Dancing, Photography and Sports! 

About photography then: My first contact with photography was due to my father who used to take photos of me and my friends at Academic Rowing sport events and competitions when I was young. He used his Zenit camera and a massive 300mm f4.5 sniper lens that remained in my memory because I was so mesmerized by the capabilities and results of that combo back then, 20+ years ago! And that was the first memory. The second one comes from the time when I was studying and one friend of mine got a Nikon d3s (I think it was) and I was shocked by the quality and the technology of it. So I said to myself that when I will afford a camera I would also get one because I love capturing moments of life and telling a story with LIGHT! 

P.S I also love a lot technology and that's another reason of why loving cameras and the technologythey offer!          

Many years have passed after all that thoughts and dreams and I succeeded toget my first camera and have really entered the photography 5 years ago! 
At the time I was confident  that I could make at least the same and even better photos than the ones I saw out there... I know it sounds cheesy but that was what I felt, and that is because I believe that if anyone puts his everything into something then can achieve anything! Anyway I was also sure that I could understand photography because of my artistic background (performing arts from age 5, 3 years of architectural studies in a technical school in Cyprus and painting classes in young age! 

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Please answer us to the next questions:

1. When (at what age) was your beginning in photography and what determined you to do this?  So I was 29 when I bought my first camera and started photography without any photographic knowledge whatsoever! And I was determined to do so because I wanted to show people what my eyes see, how my perspective of the world is, the same way I show and "speak" and communicate to people through my dancing!  

2. Tell us the most important steps you made in photography. The most important step was when I actually went and got my 1stcamera without any lens, just the body (more details on that later...)! After that was the fact I put the dial on M with Raw from the beginning and telling to myself LEARN no matter what! Just go out and shoot! 

3. What photo equipment do you use?  OK, so this is a very interesting subject for me and this is the story! Through the years the only cameras I knew of as most popular were the Nikons and Canons mostly! I thinkI wanted to buy a Nikon d3300 with a kit lens obviously and I used to watch and read all kinds of reviews, until I got into an article explaining the new "kid" on the block (Sony) with their new technology mirrorless cameras that have been out some years but still in an early stage! So I really got intrigued by it as I was trying to find the best camera suited for my needs.And believe me, I've looked and made researched for almost one year on all cameras and lenses on the market before I got my hands on one! Anyway I just wanted the best thing for my money! Needless to say when I learned and saw the potential of Sony's new mirrorless system I just had to get my hands on one! Lucky me, during  my research I learned that I can adapt any kind of lens I want on those mirrorless bodies and that was I think one of the biggest factors that sold me to that system! I then remembered all the vintage lenses my father had and I wanted to bring them back to life!
   I then got me Sony a6000 that is a crop sensor or apsc camera and I adapted all the lenses I had! P.S. I used that camera for everything...! I still have it and use it till this day but only for macro shots and some telephoto work because of the very useful 1.5x crop factor! Then years passed and I got my first full frame camera Sony a7 then a7ii and the last one a7iii that I just adore!!!!! I used only manual vintage lenses until almostlast year when I got my first auto lens the 24-70 f2.8 for Sony then 85 f1.8 and lately the last and maybe my favorite lens the 100-400 f4.5-5.6. The idea is that at this point I managed to gather 30 manual vintage lenses and some other newer manual only lenses and 3 native Sony lenses! I also have a dancing studio that I convert to a photo studio when I need it and have strobes and diffusers. I own nowa lot of equipment for a person that started 5 years ago and knowing nothing about the subject at that time! 

4. More and more people nowadays use phone for taking pictures. What’s your opinion on this subject? I remember when the first digital point and shoot cameras came out.... I think it was the same situation for those who were using SLR's and after DSLR's! Now that I think about it... it was the same when DSLR's came out in comparison to SLR's and before those medium format and bigger formats! The only difference is that now smartphones are technological marvels year by year and it is scary what you can achieve! Evolution never ceases! I am just fullyembracing it! I also have a phone and take pictures with it! Like many others say the best camera is the camera you have with you! Needless to say that for professional work you need proper equipment and knowledge on specific subject, that is why all these cost so much! Phone photography is good in general for everyday life and social media! 

5. What is more important for a “wow” picture? Equipment or “photographer’s eye”? This is a good question! Photographer's eye for me it's the most important out of everything! You can take a WOW picture with your phone or a point and shoot camera if you have the "eye"!!! If you have also the equipment then it's a bonus ;-)

6. What is/are your favorite/s photo genre/s (domain/s)?  True Macro, Wildlife, Portraits, Street Photography, Astro photography (still need some equipment), Nude/Boudoir, Landscapes, Studio photography, Long Exposure, Sports/Action and Portfolios for models/Fashion... I think that's all.

7. Does your life partner share with you your passion for photography?  She does really love and appreciate the outcome of my photography but she had never showed interest in photography as taking photos like I do, so I tried to show her! She is a natural talent with the "eye" and did enjoy those few times I showed her how to shoot but unfortunately still she doesn't really want to do it ! So partly she does and she doesn't.

8. Photography is for you a job or just a hobby? Actually it started as a hobby with the idea subconsciously that one day it will become also a job! And this is what it is! Everything I shoot is for me and everyone else, so my hobby and passion from day one! In the last 2 years I haddifferent kinds of jobs here and there! 

9. What is your opinion about post-processing images? Oh, this is a tricky one!!! I am not against post-processing as I do it all the time!!! It's what people do with it that bothers me! I always try to make the picture perfect from camera and that was the reason of my Manual lens + M mode + Raw from the beginning, to learn to use the camera at its full potential and actually learn how to manipulate light! I also use post-processing but I have my own boundaries! I just hate seeing unnatural photos and not real like! I actually don't like the fact that already on a PC you can take a poor photo and make it look amazing usingPhotoshop,let’s say! This is why some photographers don’t care about their settings with the idea that they will fix everything after! Photography was, is and will be also about the technical stuff as well as the artistic part! I always say that you have to learn your camera equipment well and then go create art freely! Don't just rely on software. In other words, post-processing is very useful and can add value to your creativity! Just not the misuse of it! 

10. Tell us the funniest moment that happened to you during taking pictures. Even Iwas trying to think of something funny that happened during shooting I can't find anything in my memory! Oh wow that means I am boring Ahahahaha! 

11. What is your dream about your career as a photographer? My dream is to have the ability and energy to never stop evolving in photography and become better and better at it! Also to have my own exhibition one day and show/share to people my work/passion internationally!  

12. Tell us your motto in photography.  My motto not only in photography but for everything I do in life is: Nothing is Impossible!!!