Yannis Kontos was born in Greece in 1971.
He holds a BA degree in Photography from the Faculty of Graphic Design and Applied Arts of Athens’ Technological Educational Institute; a BA degree in Physical Education from the Department of Physical Education and Sports Science of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; and an MA degree in Photographic journalism at the University of Westminster in London while he is currently doing a PhD Research in Photography.
Collaborating with the French-based SYGMA and GAMMA international agencies, and the American POLARIS IMAGES from its inception to date, he has undertaken lengthy international assignments covering the world’s most important events.
Over the last decade, Kontos has documented the recent wars in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as all the major stories around the globe.
He has received 20 awards to date, including first prizes in the World Press Photo Competition; Pictures of the year; Life magazine’s Alfred Eisenstaedt Awards; N.P.P.A. The Best of Photojournalism; and he was twice awarded from Fujifilm as “European Press Photographer of the Year. His photographs have been published in the world’s most well known publications and have been shown at exhibitions internationally.