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Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA, September 2011 BLESSING THE WATERS The Greek Orthodox community gathered this past Sunday for a Blessing of the Waters ceremony that was hosted by the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey. From Philadelphia to NY people came for the religious services which was highlighted by  it’s traditional tossing of the cross into the Atlantic ocean by His Eminence, Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey. Teenagers in boy and girl categories dove in for the honor of being the first one to retrieve the cross to his eminence. 

Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA, September 2011

BLESSING THE WATERS

The Greek Orthodox community gathered this past Sunday for a Blessing of the Waters ceremony that was hosted by the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey. From Philadelphia to NY people came for the religious services which was highlighted by  it’s traditional tossing of the cross into the Atlantic ocean by His Eminence, Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey. Teenagers in boy and girl categories dove in for the honor of being the first one to retrieve the cross to his eminence. 

4 months ago 

Caykara, Trabzon, Turkey, 2001 A Pontian Muslim  couple sits for a portrait in their home  while photographs of their family mirror their lives in black and white.  Traveling in to the hills and mountains of this region, Pontic Greek is spoken widely and more often among the senior members of the community.  

Caykara, Trabzon, Turkey, 2001

A Pontian Muslim  couple sits for a portrait in their home  while photographs of their family mirror their lives in black and white.  Traveling in to the hills and mountains of this region, Pontic Greek is spoken widely and more often among the senior members of the community.  

4 months ago  19 notes

Swarthmore, PA, USA, 2011 Freshman Orientation Candle ceremony. 300 plus Freshman students attended the late day ceremony that was started some 15 years ago. With a long history of tradition at Swarthmore, the evening concluded with the singing of the school alma matter and a hand shake.  

Swarthmore, PA, USA, 2011

Freshman Orientation Candle ceremony. 300 plus Freshman students attended the late day ceremony that was started some 15 years ago. With a long history of tradition at Swarthmore, the evening concluded with the singing of the school alma matter and a hand shake.  

5 months ago  4 notes View Larger Image

West Milford, New Jersey, 2011 BELL CHIME RINGS IN PROCESSION FOR PONTIAN GREEKS At the Holy Institution of Panagia Soumela in West Milford, NJ, USA Pontian Greeks gathered over the weekend for (dormition of the Virgin Mary) religious services. The Friday evening services started with the traditional Pontian celebrations, after the evening divine liturgy and the procession of the icon.   Followers came by buses form the Pontian Club ‘Komnini’ in New York, the Pontian Society “Pontos” in Connecticut and from the Pontian Society “Akrites” in Philadelphia. Other members of the community also came from Canada.

West Milford, New Jersey, 2011

BELL CHIME RINGS IN PROCESSION FOR PONTIAN GREEKS

At the Holy Institution of Panagia Soumela in West Milford, NJ, USA Pontian Greeks gathered over the weekend for (dormition of the Virgin Mary) religious services. The Friday evening services started with the traditional Pontian celebrations, after the evening divine liturgy and the procession of the icon.   Followers came by buses form the Pontian Club ‘Komnini’ in New York, the Pontian Society “Pontos” in Connecticut and from the Pontian Society “Akrites” in Philadelphia. Other members of the community also came from Canada.

5 months ago 

AMASTRIS MAGAZINE, July 2011 AMASTRIS (magazine)  is a Pontian magazine (BlackSea), published monthly in Thessaloniki, Greece. It’s aim is to feature, the history, culture and all related matter to Pontian culture. Στιγμεσ (moments), has been my end of magazine feature page for the last year, where I feature images from my documentary work about Pontian culture.  Amastris (in Greek Aμαστρις; killed c. 284 BC), also called Amastrine, was the daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of the Persian king Darius III.[1   If your interested in Black Sea culture this is the magazine that will give you an insightful understanding about it’s history and current culture that is 3000 years old…..you can subscribe and I reccomend it. Here’s their facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=171005075292&ref=ts

AMASTRIS MAGAZINE, July 2011

AMASTRIS (magazine)  is a Pontian magazine (BlackSea), published monthly in Thessaloniki, Greece. It’s aim is to feature, the history, culture and all related matter to Pontian culture. Στιγμεσ (moments), has been my end of magazine feature page for the last year, where I feature images from my documentary work about Pontian culture.  Amastris (in Greek Aμαστρις; killed c. 284 BC), also called Amastrine, was the daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of the Persian king Darius III.[1  

If your interested in Black Sea culture this is the magazine that will give you an insightful understanding about it’s history and current culture that is 3000 years old…..you can subscribe and I reccomend it. Here’s their facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=171005075292&ref=ts

5 months ago  7 notes View Larger Image

Ai-Sir, Trabzon, Turkey, August, 2007 KARADENIZ! KARADENIZ! He makes a living driving a bus. For the last 20 years he’s been driving around the coast line of the Black Sea delivering everything from tourists to furniture. I sat with him for 3 days as I journeyed from Greece into Turkey.   He shared his stories of his journey’s in to Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia all those years.   His name is Sofocles and he hails from the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. But his roots are from Pontos. He speaks the language fluently but he never ventured in to the mountains of Pontos; but this time, on his first visit into the hills he certainly felt at home.  I can’t tell you all that he said (!2%!*)as I took this photo, but the words that stuck to my head and I will never forget, were, “karadeniz, karadeniz!!!!.  

Ai-Sir, Trabzon, Turkey, August, 2007

KARADENIZ! KARADENIZ!

He makes a living driving a bus. For the last 20 years he’s been driving around the coast line of the Black Sea delivering everything from tourists to furniture. I sat with him for 3 days as I journeyed from Greece into Turkey.   He shared his stories of his journey’s in to Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia all those years.   His name is Sofocles and he hails from the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. But his roots are from Pontos. He speaks the language fluently but he never ventured in to the mountains of Pontos; but this time, on his first visit into the hills he certainly felt at home.  I can’t tell you all that he said (!2%!*)as I took this photo, but the words that stuck to my head and I will never forget, were, “karadeniz, karadeniz!!!!.  


5 months ago 

Trabzon, Turkey, August 15th, 2011,  CROWED NUMBERS DOWN BUT BARTHOLOMEW STICKS AROUND The Turkish government opened it’s doors again for a Greek Orthodox, Christian religious service held at the Monastery of Panagia Soumela again for the second consecutive year. Turkish officials said that the services ran smoothly and the weather cooperated again. Greek dignitaries from throughout Greece showed and the Archbishop of North America attended the event as well. Numbers were reported down from last year. Approximately 5 to 7 bus loads traveled from Greece and limited participation from other parts of the Black Sea community made the pilgrimage. Bartholomew has decided to stay through tomorrow to have coffee with a Pontian family, The Turans, who’s home sits at the base of the  Peristerota Monastery, in the village of Kustul, some 20 kilometers into the mountains. Trabzon Turkey is famed for it’s three great monasteries, Panagia Soumela, Peristerota and Vazelon.

Trabzon, Turkey, August 15th, 2011, 

CROWED NUMBERS DOWN BUT BARTHOLOMEW STICKS AROUND

The Turkish government opened it’s doors again for a Greek Orthodox, Christian religious service held at the Monastery of Panagia Soumela again for the second consecutive year. Turkish officials said that the services ran smoothly and the weather cooperated again. Greek dignitaries from throughout Greece showed and the Archbishop of North America attended the event as well. Numbers were reported down from last year. Approximately 5 to 7 bus loads traveled from Greece and limited participation from other parts of the Black Sea community made the pilgrimage. Bartholomew has decided to stay through tomorrow to have coffee with a Pontian family, The Turans, who’s home sits at the base of the  Peristerota Monastery, in the village of Kustul, some 20 kilometers into the mountains. Trabzon Turkey is famed for it’s three great monasteries, Panagia Soumela, Peristerota and Vazelon.

5 months ago 

Trabzon, Turkey, August 2011 It happened again. The Turkish government for the second year in a row, opened its doors to the famed Monastery Panagia Soumela for Greek Orthodox services. Deemed a historical site, the Greek Orthodox monastery had been closed for 88 years. For the second year in a row now, the monastery has been opened for the religious service, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary; arguable the largest religious celebration of the year to Christians around the world.

Trabzon, Turkey, August 2011

It happened again.

The Turkish government for the second year in a row, opened its doors to the famed Monastery Panagia Soumela for Greek Orthodox services. Deemed a historical site, the Greek Orthodox monastery had been closed for 88 years. For the second year in a row now, the monastery has been opened for the religious service, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary; arguable the largest religious celebration of the year to Christians around the world.

5 months ago  5 notes

Thrace, Greece, August 2002  Village Oil Wrestling Contest A few times a year along the borders of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, summer festivals are enhanced  by village wrestling contests that are attended by locals along all three countries. The events in usually hosted in open fields, where participants pour olive oil over their leather pants and bodies before each match.  Historically, popularized by Turkey’s famed summer contests, this tradition goes as far back to the ancient Greco-Roman wrestling.

Thrace, Greece, August 2002

 Village Oil Wrestling Contest

A few times a year along the borders of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, summer festivals are enhanced  by village wrestling contests that are attended by locals along all three countries. The events in usually hosted in open fields, where participants pour olive oil over their leather pants and bodies before each match.  Historically, popularized by Turkey’s famed summer contests, this tradition goes as far back to the ancient Greco-Roman wrestling.

6 months ago  2 notes

Nicosia, Cyprus, July 2002 REMEMBER THE CYPRIOTS!  In the summer of 2002, while working on assignment in Cyprus to document the current state of affairs, I found myself  at a ceremony on the border (between the occupied North and Free South) documenting the family members that had come to remember the missing. To this day, Greek Cypriots still come to the border and continue to honor their loved ones by demonstrating their strength to stand together still…. The Turkish invasion of Cyprus  launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus. It is known in Turkey as the Cyprus Peace Operation (Turkish: Kıbrıs Barış Harekâtı), Cyprus Operation (Kıbrıs Harekâtı) or by itsTurkish Armed Forces code name Operation Atilla (Atilla Harekâtı). More than one quarter of the population of Cyprus was expelled from the occupied northern part of the island where Greek Cypriots constituted 80% of the population. There was also a flow of roughly 60,000 Turkish Cypriots from the south to the north after the conflict. The Turkish invasion ended in the partition of Cyprus along the UN-monitored Green Line which still divides Cyprus today. In 1983 the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) declared independence, although Turkey is the only country which recognises it.

Nicosia, Cyprus, July 2002

REMEMBER THE CYPRIOTS!

 In the summer of 2002, while working on assignment in Cyprus to document the current state of affairs, I found myself  at a ceremony on the border (between the occupied North and Free South) documenting the family members that had come to remember the missing. To this day, Greek Cypriots still come to the border and continue to honor their loved ones by demonstrating their strength to stand together still….

The Turkish invasion of Cyprus  launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus. It is known in Turkey as the Cyprus Peace Operation (Turkish: Kıbrıs Barış Harekâtı), Cyprus Operation (Kıbrıs Harekâtı) or by itsTurkish Armed Forces code name Operation Atilla (Atilla Harekâtı).

More than one quarter of the population of Cyprus was expelled from the occupied northern part of the island where Greek Cypriots constituted 80% of the population. There was also a flow of roughly 60,000 Turkish Cypriots from the south to the north after the conflict. The Turkish invasion ended in the partition of Cyprus along the UN-monitored Green Line which still divides Cyprus today. In 1983 the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) declared independence, although Turkey is the only country which recognises it.

6 months ago  View Larger Image

Kadirka Yala, Trabzon, Turkey, 2001 FESTIVAL SEASON Through out the summer in the (historic region of Pontos) mountains of Eastern Turkey’s Black Sea coast, people attend bazaars and festivals. Historically, the highlands provided cooler temperatures and a way to escape the mosquito covered summer coast. That trend continues and has  become a place to celebrate klan life.

Kadirka Yala, Trabzon, Turkey, 2001

FESTIVAL SEASON

Through out the summer in the (historic region of Pontos) mountains of Eastern Turkey’s Black Sea coast, people attend bazaars and festivals. Historically, the highlands provided cooler temperatures and a way to escape the mosquito covered summer coast. That trend continues and has  become a place to celebrate klan life.

6 months ago  5 notes

Philadelphia, USA, June 2011 PHILADELPHIA’S NEW FBI HEAD……. “STAR” TV(television) of Greece was conducting an video interview, featuring head of (Philadelphia division) of the F.B.I. , George Venizelos in his Philadelphia office this past week. Mr Venizelos is being featured in an upcoming report where he discusses his ethnic and historic Greek ties as well as his position in Philadelphia.  Mr. Venizelos sat briefly for a quick portrait which was made with available light and one tungsten (lowell) light source (redirected) in use from the tv interview.

Philadelphia, USA, June 2011

PHILADELPHIA’S NEW FBI HEAD…….

“STAR” TV(television) of Greece was conducting an video interview, featuring head of (Philadelphia division) of the F.B.I. , George Venizelos in his Philadelphia office this past week. Mr Venizelos is being featured in an upcoming report where he discusses his ethnic and historic Greek ties as well as his position in Philadelphia.  Mr. Venizelos sat briefly for a quick portrait which was made with available light and one tungsten (lowell) light source (redirected) in use from the tv interview.

6 months ago  4 notes

About:

Philadelphia based photographer specializing in corporate, public relations, event, editorial and portrait photography.

Bio:

Eleftherios Kostans is an award winning freelance photographer based in the Metropolitan Philadelphia area. He is the staff photographer at Swarthmore College in suburban Philadelphia where he contributes to a variety of publications. Eleftherios worked as a contract photographer with the Philadelphia Inquirer for more than 10 years and was a correspondent to Sipa-Press Photo Agency in New York. His work has appeared in a variety of national and international publications such as Newsweek, Time, People, Paris Match, and Wired magazines.

Working closely with academic organizations, foundations, corporations, and publishing groups, he has produced work on such topics as: Senior Citizens & the Pharmaceutical industry, college student diversity, migrant workers and single parents.

Eleftherios Kostans has explored a variety of subjects and locations from around the world. His personal work around the Black Sea and Eastern Europe focus on Hellenism where he has been documenting Hellenic life. He frequently speaks and exhibits his work on Hellenism and has been named an up and coming photographer by the "Greek American News".

Clients:

Contact:

P.O. Box 1336
Media, Pa. 19063
USA

Phone: 610-574-9873

eleftherios.kostans@gmail.com