About
Who is Stavro?
Hello, my name is Stavro, but people call me Stav, Stevy, and my long-term nickname, Tesla.
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The nickname originates from my school days. Being introduced to Physics, and specifically Electromagnetic Fields from a young age, I naturally grew an obsession with Nikola Tesla. I talked about him so much that my fellow students thought I was actually called Tesla... so when I started my photography journey back in 2014, I created TeslaPhotography *
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* (Not to be confused with a particular car manufacturer run by Elon Musk)
Background
I was born and raised on a small island in the Mediterranean called Cyprus - not exactly known at the time for supercars or an exciting car culture.
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When I was five, I watched a 10th-anniversary video of the Alfa Romeo 155 TI V6 dominating DTM. The raw adrenaline and thrill of that film may have been what first ignited my lifelong passion for cars. It began with the Italian “holy trinity” of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Lancia, then grew to include the classic air-cooled Porsche era, and eventually expanded to nearly every manufacturer. Before long, I was also an avid fan of motorsport, from Formula 1 to the legendary days of Group B rallying.
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At the same time, my fascination with physics and the mechanics of internal combustion engines grew.
By my early teens, cars had become the only thing I wanted to talk about.​ But as much as I loved them, there wasn’t much a teenager could legally do with cars. That’s when I discovered photography.
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What began as casual experiments with landscapes and the occasional portrait slowly evolved into a passion like no other - one that eventually connected back to cars, completing the circle.
Tesla Photography
At 13, I set my sights on saving for a DSLR to begin my photography journey. While cars were always the end goal, I started by shooting anything I could - from stars and animals to headshots and landscapes.
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I built my first portfolio by photographing friends’ birthday parties and offering free portraits. With growing experience, I launched Tesla Photography in 2014, gradually moving on to larger events, professional portraits, and eventually weddings - first for family and friends, then for couples who knew me only through my work.
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Although I enjoyed these projects, I craved something more creative. This led me into real estate photography, often combined with aerial (drone) photogrammetry for architects and engineers. I also collaborated with a carpenter, blending photography with bespoke woodwork projects to showcase his portfolio.
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When I moved to the UK for university, I was exposed to a far more diverse car culture than I had known in Cyprus. Naturally, my focus shifted back to automotive photography - the passion that started it all.
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Today, I primarily shoot cars, though I still take on real estate projects from time to time.
