MULTI-AWARD-
WINNING ETHEREAL
AERIAL
ABSTRACT
PHOTOGRAPHY

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STEVEN’S STORY

Field of Dreams Exhibition, Sydney

With over 110 international photography awards and countless nominations and honourable mentions, it isn’t hard to see why Manolakis’s art graces homes and businesses worldwide. His love affair with aerial photography started when he first laid eyes on Brooke Holm's iconic aerial work, Salt and Sky, capturing Western Australia's delicate pastel salt fields.

When he learned that these images were not in fact paintings, but photographs, Manolakis was intrigued. He went on to record his first fine artworks, including The Shimmer and Physis, over Western Australia’s Shark Bay in 2018 – and the rest is history in motion.

Shark Bay, "The Shimmer" and "Physis"

INDIVIDUALITY

In a world and industry filled with thousands of similar photographers and analogous art, Manolakis is relentless in pursuit of individuality. It isn’t uncommon for him to capture hundreds of images in search of the sole gem – the one and only piece he will expose to the scrutiny of the global art community. Manolakis feels a deep connection to his work and will not record a moment unless he feels it is right.

Fine art aerial photography is Manolakis’s greatest passion, which is why he is obsessed with perfection. Every click of the shutter button occurs on no less than Manolakis’ Phase One XF IQ4 150MP Camera System – the highest resolution medium format camera on the commercial market.

DRENCHED IN MEANING

Untethered

In Manolakis’ “meta” collection, you’ll find glimpses of Australia’s largely uninhabited expanse of ochre soil (of which he brings home a jar each time). Each final art piece represents a compositional moment of seamless abstraction that transcends normalcy and unlocks a near-ethereal point of view.

But the physical landscape representation is merely a fraction of the story. Inspired by the quantum notions of the Existentialist philosophers, each Manolakis piece tells an elaborate tale of human emotion, unrequited affection, longing, and the vastness of space within and around us. He invites his global audience to transcend the surface of his fine art aerial photography, in search of the philosophical meaning buried within each intricate interconnected visual mosaic.

EAGER TO DEEPEN

Manolakis remains humble and hungry to deepen and broaden his worldview. Even with over 110 international laudations under his belt, this fine art aerial landscape photographer remains a student in Philosophy at Sydney’s Macquarie University.

When he’s not studying, Manolakis can be found soaring the skies in helicopters or small bush planes, adding to his collection of winning placements, honourable mentions, nominations, and shortlistings. This includes being a Semi-Finalist in the 2023 Head On Photo Awards, a Finalist in the 2020 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition, as well as receiving the title of Remarkable Artwork in the 2022 Siena Awards.