"If I can't see the sea, I do not live": the sea wolves from the island of Paros

Those fishermen in these pictures of the Austrian photographer Christian Stemper (Christian Stemper) without words can tell a thousand stories. Their weathered skin, bright eyes and gray hair has seen many storms and burning sun. Sea wolves from the Greek island of Paros every day go to sea on wooden boats, named for wives and daughters. But maybe soon this little world would cease to exist.

Austrian photographer Christian Stamper began photographing the fishermen of Paros, back in 2010 when I first arrived on this small island in the Aegean sea on vacation. Photo: an old Greek fisherman Janis Perantinos.

The photographer combined a monochrome portraits of fishermen in their distinctive coarse faces, contrasting with a black background, with color images of their simple wooden boats that float in the inky waters of the Mediterranean sea.

The dominance of major fishery makes the hard work all these salty winds of the people all paid less. Because of this, many of them have stopped fishing after the EU proposed money for the renunciation of their ancient craft. In addition, children of fishermen are increasingly seeking a better life outside of this Mediterranean idyll.

"If I can't see the sea, I do not live, — says Rybak Vaggelis Parousis. If I had to stay in Athens, I would and did not last night. Just would have gone crazy."

So strong attachment of these people to the sea. "This is a special kind of people, — says the photographer, who five years documenting the lives of local fishermen. For them life is simple: it's a boat and the sea".

The photographer admitted that the fishermen at first did not want to participate in the project. But over time he convinced them, although they reacted to everything happening more than indifferent.

"After I started working on the project, in 2012 I held an exhibition on Paros, — says the photographer. Then I invited all of his "models", promising to give them the portrait, that they have printed. But the exhibition was visited by only one fisherman. Came their families — wives and brothers. And by the sea wolves is not interesting. For them life — the sea and the boat. And these people are happy."