I consider everything around me like cinema, novels or theatrical plays. Stories and scenes of life, trying to make sense in the world around me. Everyday poetry. My name is Efi Logginou. I am an actress.

I moved from Greece to Berlin over one year ago. I didn’t know the language nor the society. But I felt the need to come closer and to communicate. I always liked to photograph people, especially strangers, when they seem lost in their thoughts.

Germans have a very reserved attitude towards being photographed in public. Because of the colder climate, life unfolds more often inside coffee shops, stores, restaurants and bars; not outside on the streets. The light is more dim.

My photography changed. I started to take photos of people behind glass. Separated by glass, I could come closer to them and observe them at the same time. It is a transparent layer, like a screen, that is emitting a noise: the thoughts of the strangers.

Thoughts are painted on their faces. I don’t need spoken words to understand the expressions. The feelings are written there. Every day, I encounter these stories. Sometimes the moments are very brief, but to me, they can tell a whole life’s story.

A heart-broken young man; a woman contemplating; a lonely old man that might have lost his wife; a passenger daydreaming; a writer reflecting about his words.

The windows offer a setting to the narration of my photos. The reflections connect the silence of the thoughts with the vibrant life of the outside world. I only know from experience how to frame this kind of photo. I am not trained in photography.

Now, when I am travelling back to Greece, I realize that I continue to take photos of people behind the glass. Even though, in Greece, I could easily photograph strangers on the street, I am stuck on this topic. It has become something I enjoy every day; I am curious to see how people in my country appear in similar situations.

The sun is shining daily, the Greeks are definitely louder, and they don’t have as big an issue being photographed by strangers. I realized that street photography changes from country to country; because sunny countries often have street photographers that work with strong contrasts, colors and shadows. In more northern countries like Germany, the colors are more pale, and photographers tend to use black and white because it is easier to create a mood in low light situations.

Street photography is a challenge. Even more, with the changing light. When I frame one of the many scenes of everyday life, of the symphony of the metropolis, the photo can create a lightness of being. Like poetry. Everyday.

You can find me on Instagram as @efi_o or on Flickr

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