Since 1980, George Kartis has been a professional freelance print and fashion photographer and make-up artist. He returned to the Hampton Roads area five years ago after working and living for the past 15 years in New York City and Paris, France.

His fashion "stories" and portraits have been published in numerous countries and have appeared in major fashion magazines overseas. His knowledge of the industry, his technical expertise, and his "eye" for capturing beauty on film has garnered him recognition in Europe as a talented portrait photographer.

He has collaborated with the fashion houses in Paris and New York and has shot national campaigns for major advertisers. Although his studio was in Paris, Mr. Kartis worked on location throughout Europe.

Kartis’s knowledge about the art and science of photography stems from his natural talents combined with his experiences from shooting thousands of rolls of film and is inspired and influenced by his exposure to European design, architecture, and culture. As a teenager he studied art techniques and history at the National Portrait Gallery (Washington, DC) in a program designed for the gifted and talented. His knowledge of make-up artistry is the result of observing and working with some of the best make-up artists in the world.

"For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with the ability to capture the essence of a tangible object or human form as a 2-D image by sketching it on paper, brushing it on a canvas, sculpting it from stone, or burning it into film. My attraction to photography was initiated with my early and continuing interests in classical sculpture and Renaissance and Impressionist painting. As a young child, I had the good fortune of living in Italy and Greece with parents who recognized the importance of exposing their children to the arts. In the museums of those countries, I was introduced, not only to masterpieces, but also to the possibilities of being an artist as I watched aspiring students, with pencil or brush in hand."

He painted and sculpted with a variety of mediums throughout his youth. His continuing interest in the esthetics of shadow, light, and color prompted him to seek employment with the visual displays department of a regionally based retail conglomerate. His knowledge of light, illusion, contour, space, and shape were enhanced when he volunteered to design and paint stage sets for a local theatre production company. All of these activities led Kartis to his specialized interest in fashion and, ultimately, to photography.

"It is through a camera’s lens that I most enjoy interpreting my subjects and expressing my artistry."

Since returning to Virginia Beach from Paris, the epicenter of haute couture, Kartis, who is well respected by the fashion industry, has expanded his photography repertoire; first, by shooting PR stills for worldwide distribution of programs aired by the Discovery Channel and produced by New Dominion Pictures, a television production company specializing in docudramas.

As an artist he is continually evolving and expanding the parameters of his work. Recently, he completed a 5-day “Truth with the Camera” photojournalism workshop where he received intensive instruction in digital photography. Currently, his creative endeavors include photographic services that focus on the celebration of life at its best - portraiture and special events. In addition, he teaches art photography workshops as a guest artist at the Hermitage Museum in Norfolk, Virginia. And, in his spare time, he maintains his connections with the fashion industry by advising aspiring models and actors and by serving as their liaison to international modeling agencies.