Progressive Street

Street-Photography for me is a declaration of love to humankind.

My name Is Theodoros Topalis. I was born in 1968, raised and live in Germany as a son of Greek immigrants, but now I am based in Kavala (Greece).

My interest in street photography is maybe a result of two things: The urge to walk in the streets of the cities, and my curiosity about humankind. So it was quite inescapable to become a street photographer, one day.

With my images I didn’t follow any deeper sense, they are just the way I see the world and express it with my creativity.

In the town of Volakas, on January 7th, during the celebration of Saint John, a group of people called the Arapides can be seen walking around the streets in groups of 5-6. They are dressed up in costumes that include a hump made of straw, bells around their waist, sheepskin on their heads, and blackened faces and hands from smoke. They also carry a thick stick to lean on and sway to the rhythm of the bells. Accompanying the Arapides are the chaousis and the bride, who interact with the crowd and add to the festive atmosphere.

Group Exhibitions