Bio

Platon (born Platon Antoniou, born 20 April 1968) is a British portrait photographer. His father was a Greek architect and illustrator. [1] Platon studied graphic design at Saint Martin's School of Art where he encountered his first experience with photography. [1] He went on to receive his masters in fine arts from the Royal College of Art where he met his instructor and mentor, John Hind of Vogue. [2][1] Platon left London for New York to work for John Kennedy Jr at George magazine. [1] In 2008 Platon became a staff photographer for the New Yorker, filling the spot of Richard Avedon. [1] He would handle large scale portfolios which would come out a few times during the year. [1] His first assignment was a portfolio of the Little Rock Nine, a celebration of the civil rights movement.[1]


Bio

    • Father - Jim Antoniou - architect/town planner/ illustrator [1]
    • Graphic design- Central St Martin’s [1]
      • Pick up camera-rush-photo friend in college [1]
    • photography and fine art masters at the Royal College of Art [1] [2]
      • mentor John Hind - British Vogue [2]
    • Some work for British Vogue [1]
    • come to NY to work for John Kennedy Jr at George magazine[1]
    • 2008 staff photographer for New Yorker-fill spot for Richard Avedon [1]
      • Large scale portfolios
      • molded by New Yorker
      • First assignment-civil rights - Little Rock Nine
  • Development/Aesthetic
    • Father help develop understanding form/texture/principles of Modernism [1]
    • Portray truth, find it and bring it out [1]
    • Create balance, order, tone and contrast color[1]
    • GD influence how he took photos, imagine what the photo would like like on spread before taking it [1]
      • shoots with the final graphic treatment in mind [3]
    • Less time the better, more intense [1]
    • Authenticity -Modernism-no distraction [1]
  • Career
    • Out of college in '92 started in fashion and portraits [2]
    • Arena, The Face and I.D.; Levi's campaigns for Bartle Bogle Hegarty; and he shot and even art directed fashion campaigns for Moschino[2]
    • Come to America - John Kennedy Jr- premier issue of George - regular [2]
      • George gave him access to key figures, rich and famous [3]
    • Celebrity Photographs
      • Esquire cover story on Bill Clinton [2]
    • Advertising
      • Timex, Tanqueray, Kenneth Cole, Rayban[2]
      • Nike Apparel/Wieden & Kennedy “Seamless” campaign[2]
      • Levi's, IBM, Nike and Motorola [3]
    • Wired, Rolling Stones, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, The Sunday Times Magazine, Time, The New Yorker [1]
  • People's Republic
    • Global Leadership Council for the World Economic Forum [1]
    • Alan Fletcher consultant for Phaidon-publisher for Platon's Republic - 2004[1]
    • Philanthropic- influence by father working with Third world [1]
    • foundations inspiration-World Economic Forum 2011- someone helped channel focus [1]
    • gives voice to those dont have one- oppressed, robbed, harmed, victims, uncomfortable truths, powerless, underdogs[1]
    • Shot portfolios collaboration with Human Rights Watch, The New Yorker, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, ExxonMobil and the UN Foundation[1]
    • Non profit - fundraise for everything [1]
    • show nothing but the truth-good or bad [1]
    • Designed by Platon [3]
  • Publications
  • Awards
    • 1st place World Press Photo Contest (in 2007 for his portrait of Putin) [1]
    • Vogue's Best Up-And-Coming Photographer award -1992 [3]
  • Exhibitions
    • first solo show in New York at the Leica Gallery, showing documentary work from his travels, including images of elderly musicians in Coiumbia and the Kumbha Mela Hindu festival in India. [3]
  • Notable Photographs


  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad "Eye Magazine | Feature | Truth to photographic materials". www.eyemagazine.com. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kattleman, Terry (2002/07//Jul/Aug2002). "Photography Platon". CREATIVITY. 10 (6): 52. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Legal Alien". Design Week. 19 (21): 16–19. 2004-05-20.