PLATON

Platon (born Platon Antoniou; Greek: Πλάτων Αντωνίου; born April 20, 1968,
London) is a 21st-century photographer who has taken portraits of many
presidents and well known world figures. His photo of Vladimir Putin was on
the cover of Time Magazine in 2007.Born in London in 1968, he was raised in
Greece by his English mother and Greek father. He attended Saint Martin's
School of Art, and the Royal College of Art, where one of his professors and
mentors was John Hinde (photographer).His book Platon's Republic was
published in 2004.In 2009 he was on the staff of the New Yorker.
Platon’s trademark photography style has, over the years, become as
iconic and recognisable as the famous faces that he photographs. He uses
simple lighting setups and often plain white or black backgrounds or just a
blank wall, placing all of the emphasis on the subject. While seemingly
straightforward, his ability to capture the essence of an individual takes an
incredible amount of patience, skill and intuition.
In 2008 he signed a multi-year contract with the New Yorker. As the staff
photographer, he has produced a series of large-scale photo essays, two of
which won ASME Awards in 2009 and 2010. Platon’s New Yorker portfolios
have focused on many themes including President Obama’s Inauguration, the
U.S Military, portraits of world leaders and the Civil Rights Movement.

The following year, Platon teamed up with the Human Rights Watch to help
them celebrate those who fight for equality and justice in countries
suppressed by political forces. These projects have highlighted human rights
defenders from Burma as well as the leaders of the Egyptian revolution.
Following his coverage of Burma, Platon photographed Aung San Suu Kyi for
the cover of Time – days after her release from house arrest.

His mother is a historian and his dad is an architect, Platon used this to take
photos of some very well known buildings, that has religion and history and
transform them into something very modern the still holds the same value of
the original building. He makes it simple and that is why his photographs
stand out in magazines. He has been using the same photography equipment
for many years enabling him to keep the same style of photos.