The teacher and photographer Platon Rivellis

nikos79 · May 20, 2025

Dear friends,
I would like to inform you that my teacher has almost fully translated his web page in English. You can find there a treasure of many photography related articles and thoughts from his 40+ years of teaching.
Here is his web page:

Platon Rivellis - Φωτογράφος και Δάσκαλος Φωτογραφίας

Ο επίσημος ιστότοπος του Πλάτωνα Ριβέλλη, Φωτογράφου και Δασκάλου Φωτογραφίας

www.rivellis.gr

I would be very curious to hear the thoughts of members like @koraks @Don_ih, @cliveh @Alex Benjamin or @MattKing with whom in the past we had very interesting discussions and debates and (quite often) respectful disagreements
Even though you might disagree with his teachings there are sources there that are still quite interesting regardless of personal opinions such as the following which is a selection of 4 photographs from 250 very good photographers

- https://www.rivellis.gr/en/on-teaching-photography-and-cinema/important-photographers-and-their-work
- https://www.rivellis.gr/en/platon-rivellis/influences-i-endorse

And then some more personal stuff like this:
- https://www.rivellis.gr/en/articles/articles-in-circle-publications/exercises-and-influences-1991

Although Platon considers himself primarily a teacher, I also admire his photography, therefore in the attachments I uploaded a few of his photos

koraks · May 20, 2025

nikos79 said:
I would be very curious to hear the thoughts of members like @koraks

It's not my cup of tea. Generally I'm put off by people who post their own face dozens of time on their own website. It's a personality type I don't care for. Sorry.

nikos79 · May 20, 2025

koraks said:
It's not my cup of tea. Generally I'm put off by people who post their own face dozens of time on their own website. It's a personality type I don't care for. Sorry.

It is ok I understand and thanks for replying. We will continue our fruitful discussions in some other threads!

koraks · May 20, 2025

Thanks for your understanding; please don't let my remarks discourage you to learn and be inspired. It's a matter of personal incompatibility; nothing more.

nikos79 · May 20, 2025

koraks said:
Thanks for your understanding; please don't let my remarks discourage you to learn and be inspired. It's a matter of personal incompatibility; nothing more.

I totally respect and understand that and thanks also for your thoughtful promptness for me to continue to learn and be inspired

loccdor · May 20, 2025

nikos79 said:
Platon Rivellis - Important photographers and their work

Ο επίσημος ιστότοπος του Πλάτωνα Ριβέλλη, Φωτογράφου και Δασκάλου Φωτογραφίας

www.rivellis.gr

I liked browsing these images. Most I had not seen before.

snusmumriken · May 20, 2025

koraks said:
It's not my cup of tea. Generally I'm put off by people who post their own face dozens of time on their own website. It's a personality type I don't care for. Sorry.

I see what you mean! There are 127 photos of him on one page, and I don't think they include those that appear on other pages.

nikos79 · May 20, 2025

snusmumriken said:
I see what you mean! There are 127 photos of him on one page, and I don't think they include those that appear on other pages.

Yes this is because of his passion of family/souvenir photographs. He even collects family photographs of other people too! This might explain also his love for Lartigue!

Alex Benjamin · May 20, 2025

nikos79 said:
I would be very curious to hear the thoughts of members like @koraks @Don_ih, @cliveh @Alex Benjamin or @MattKing with whom in the past we had very interesting discussions and debates and (quite often) respectful disagreements

Thanks for this. I will look at it carefully over the weekend.

Don_ih · May 20, 2025

His website, I would assume, is about him. That he doesn't want to remain faceless is up to him and doesn't reflect on his views in any way whatsoever - other than imply that he is completely willing to be fully associated with and responsible for what he says.

nikos79 said:
you might disagree with his teachings

It would take some time to go though them. Even people I fundamentally disagree with can have valuable insights I otherwise wouldn't hear.

koraks · May 21, 2025

Don_ih said:
It would take some time to go though them.

@nikos79 has shared a few snippets of his writings. They don't motivate me to read more of them. Combined with the shameless self-promotion and the ample availability of other things to do with my time, I stopped looking in that direction.

snusmumriken · May 21, 2025

Well, I've now read a fair few pages of the website, and found things that ring true, things I feel contrary about, and things that make me think. So overall, worthwhile, and interesting to return too. I enjoy reading thoughtful essays on photography. I think @koraks may have been too hasty.

But above all, I began to reflect on the nature of a teacher. I have always felt/found that you don't really know a subject until you try to teach it to someone else. And if you are deeply interested in photography, what better role could you find than that of professor in photographic studies? The examples of John Szarkowski and Bill Jay come to mind. And once you have a school of eager pupils, and alumni going back some years, and associate practising photographers, it must be natural to see yourself as a paternal figure doing something right. Hopefully that explains Rivellis' view of himself better than my first reaction, which I'm afraid was quite negative.

Don_ih said:
That he doesn't want to remain faceless is up to him and doesn't reflect on his views in any way whatsoever

It's quite a bit more than 'not faceless'! And it surely does reflect his view of his role, and affect how we - or at least I - value his views.

koraks · May 21, 2025

snusmumriken said:
I think @koraks may have been too hasty.

Let your opinion be yours, and mine be mine.

Don_ih · May 21, 2025

Stated opinions exert influence.

snusmumriken · May 21, 2025

Don_ih said:
Stated opinions exert influence.

Well, not necessarily. And there’s a distinction to be made between having opinions in all humility and being opinionated.

koraks · May 22, 2025

I'm in all humility very opinionated on this matter.
I tried to give it another chance yesterday but just can't get through the verbose drivel. Sorry.

nikos79 · May 22, 2025

snusmumriken said:
Well, I've now read a fair few pages of the website, and found things that ring true, things I feel contrary about, and things that make me think. So overall, worthwhile, and interesting to return too. I enjoy reading thoughtful essays on photography. I think @koraks may have been too hasty.

But above all, I began to reflect on the nature of a teacher. I have always felt/found that you don't really know a subject until you try to teach it to someone else. And if you are deeply interested in photography, what better role could you find than that of professor in photographic studies? The examples of John Szarkowski and Bill Jay come to mind. And once you have a school of eager pupils, and alumni going back some years, and associate practising photographers, it must be natural to see yourself as a paternal figure doing something right. Hopefully that explains Rivellis' view of himself better than my first reaction, which I'm afraid was quite negative.

It's quite a bit more than 'not faceless'! And it surely does reflect his view of his role, and affect how we - or at least I - value his views.

You got it exactly right, totally agree with your points. Just to note that he is not a teacher in the strict academic sense, although he did teach in universities he never liked it, he preferred to have students that "chose" to learn from him and not students that were forced to attend his class as part of their curriculum.
I am glad that you approached him with your critical eye and got the best out of his texts.

cliveh · May 22, 2025

I think any photographer sincere about his work, should promote his photographs and not himself. The photography should speak for itself.

nikos79 · May 22, 2025

cliveh said:
I think any photographer sincere about his work, should promote his photographs and not himself. The photography should speak for itself.

I agree with you but he is not a photographer but a teacher. His work are his teachings not his photographs, He rarely discusses his own photographs.

Don_ih · May 22, 2025

How is he supposed to promote what he says without promoting himself? Furthermore, he may not even consider it promoting anything - he may think he's just putting it all out there for whoever wants it. Clearly, some people don't want it. Fine. Ignore it. Who cares if he plasters his own website with images of himself and essays that expound only his own ideas?

Go make a website about Mary Poppins or something if you find that too egoistic.

koraks · May 23, 2025

Don_ih said:
Who cares if he plasters his own website with images of himself and essays that expound only his own ideas?

It's explicitly being put up for discussion. Some people like it, some don't. We'll voice those opinions. And I don't care whether he's related to Mary Poppins either.

Also, and more importantly: it's of course relevant how the man presents himself in the context of being a teacher. Who someone is and how they teach are closely related. The message and the messenger cannot be separated if the former originates from the latter. It's relevant to remark on how the material is presented.

nikos79 · May 23, 2025

koraks said:
It's explicitly being put up for discussion. Some people like it, some don't. We'll voice those opinions. And I don't care whether he's related to Mary Poppins either.

Also, and more importantly: it's of course relevant how the man presents himself in the context of being a teacher. Who someone is and how they teach are closely related. The message and the messenger cannot be separated if the former originates from the latter. It's relevant to remark on how the material is presented.

Yes this is true. Especially on such domains like art where you don't want just to learn some algebraic equations the teacher and their character and personality is very important

Don_ih · May 23, 2025

No comment.

chuckroast · Jul 1, 2025

nikos79 said:
Dear friends,
I would like to inform you that my teacher has almost fully translated his web page in English. You can find there a treasure of many photography related articles and thoughts from his 40+ years of teaching.
Here is his web page:

Platon Rivellis - Φωτογράφος και Δάσκαλος Φωτογραφίας

Ο επίσημος ιστότοπος του Πλάτωνα Ριβέλλη, Φωτογράφου και Δασκάλου Φωτογραφίας

www.rivellis.gr

I would be very curious to hear the thoughts of members like @koraks @Don_ih, @cliveh @Alex Benjamin or @MattKing with whom in the past we had very interesting discussions and debates and (quite often) respectful disagreements
Even though you might disagree with his teachings there are sources there that are still quite interesting regardless of personal opinions such as the following which is a selection of 4 photographs from 250 very good photographers

- https://www.rivellis.gr/en/on-teaching-photography-and-cinema/important-photographers-and-their-work
- https://www.rivellis.gr/en/platon-rivellis/influences-i-endorse

And then some more personal stuff like this:
- https://www.rivellis.gr/en/articles/articles-in-circle-publications/exercises-and-influences-1991

Although Platon considers himself primarily a teacher, I also admire his photography, therefore in the attachments I uploaded a few of his photos

He seems to share my sensibility about midtone contrast. I much enjoyed looking at these.

The teacher and photographer Platon Rivellis

nikos79

Platon Rivellis - Φωτογράφος και Δάσκαλος Φωτογραφίας

Attachments

koraks

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nikos79

koraks

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nikos79

loccdor

Platon Rivellis - Important photographers and their work

snusmumriken

nikos79

Alex Benjamin

Don_ih

koraks

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snusmumriken

koraks

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Don_ih

snusmumriken

koraks

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nikos79

cliveh

nikos79

Don_ih

koraks

Moderator

nikos79

Don_ih

chuckroast

Platon Rivellis - Φωτογράφος και Δάσκαλος Φωτογραφίας

The teacher and photographer Platon Rivellis

Attachments

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

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