By visiting Santorini in late October, I was able to freely explore the island without the throngs of tourists. I have been to cities such as Venice during peak tourist seasons, and so much time can be spent trying to avoid masses of people in order to achieve the desired shot. Many of Santorini’s small towns are made up of narrow paths and alleyways all tightly compacted and giving a sense of being walled in. I felt this the most in the town of Pyrgos, which sits high up in the hills close to Mount Profitis Ilias. Walking the pathways here felt like being in some great labyrinth maze and you didn’t know what to expect around each turn.
Rounding a corner, I was met by this beautiful blue painted door set into the wall. An abundance of overhanging Bougainvillea provided a colourful shield from the heat of the day, while the brightness of the sun landing on the white painted walls was bouncing light onto the door. The vibrance of the pink flowers, contrasting with the strong Aegean blue that is so typical in Greek urban landscapes made it all an irresistible shot.
It was quite an awkward angle for me to photograph because I wanted to fit as much of the narrow pathway into the shot as I could to show just how tight the corners are. I’m so pleased with the result, which is unmistakably and quintessentially Greek, despite not showing more than a few square metres of urban landscape.
By visiting Santorini in late October, I was able to freely explore the island without the throngs of tourists. I have been to cities such as Venice during peak tourist seasons, and so much time can be spent trying to avoid masses of people in order to achieve the desired shot. Many of Santorini’s small towns are made up of narrow paths and alleyways all tightly compacted and giving a sense of being walled in. I felt this the most in the town of Pyrgos, which sits high up in the hills close to Mount Profitis Ilias. Walking the pathways here felt like being in some great labyrinth maze and you didn’t know what to expect around each turn.
Rounding a corner, I was met by this beautiful blue painted door set into the wall. An abundance of overhanging Bougainvillea provided a colourful shield from the heat of the day, while the brightness of the sun landing on the white painted walls was bouncing light onto the door. The vibrance of the pink flowers, contrasting with the strong Aegean blue that is so typical in Greek urban landscapes made it all an irresistible shot.
It was quite an awkward angle for me to photograph because I wanted to fit as much of the narrow pathway into the shot as I could to show just how tight the corners are. I’m so pleased with the result, which is unmistakably and quintessentially Greek, despite not showing more than a few square metres of urban landscape.
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