“I was born and raised on a little Greek island and my earliest and most precious memories are of long days at rocky, isolated beaches and expeditions exploring the few woods of the island. A camera never accompanied me during those moments though. I spent half of my life thinking that a camera was just for taking family snapshots or recording events. Photography came much later on in my life and changed it forever. In the summer of 2008 my companion Konstantinos Vassilakis, himself a dedicated landscape photographer, taught me the basics of photography and in doing so he opened a door to a whole new way of seeing and appreciating the world around me, a new philosophy and way of life. I realized that up till then I merely glanced and never noticed, never fully grasped nature’s beauty and meaning and its healing effect.”

“Sitting behind a camera you understand your true place and significance in the grand scheme of things. A landscape is something timeless, persistent and enduring and we’re mere passengers on it. Measuring your worries and anxieties against that truth you realize how small and insignificant they are.”

“Photography gave me something to look forward to, a reason to wake up before the sun comes up, a reason to explore and discover new places and enjoy them in all their beauty. Most importantly it’s the means to collect experiences and memories. Sometimes I’m able to transform those experiences and memories into a picture I can share. Other times they just remain as images in my mind. They are equally real to me either way.”

Maria Kaimaki

Photographs Courtesy of Maria Kaimaki © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved

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Autumn Interlude


Sometimes you are lucky enough to find yourself in front of a scene that includes almost all of your obsessions; a beautifully built stone bridge, a double waterfall and a raging river running beneath it, copper-leafed trees framing it all… And yet, after you have spent some time at that place, looking at it from all possible angles, trying to capture that wonderful puzzle, you realize you have fallen in love with just one piece of it.

Sometimes you find that one particular piece of the puzzle is much more important than the whole picture.

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In the Land of the Dragons


Drakolimni (= Dragon lake) is the name of several alpine or sub-alpine lakes in northwestern Greece Epirus periphery. According to local folktales the lakes used to be inhabited by dragons that fought each other by throwing pines and rocks and thus created the peculiar landscape and gave their names to the lakes. Drakolimni of Tymfi resides at an altitude of 2100m above sea level, on the mountain range of Tymfi and is inhabited by a species of alpine newt, called drakakia (=little dragons) by the locals. According to local sources, the newts’ resemblance to small dragons gives the lake its distinctive name.

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Prisoners of the Dusk

This is the outmost tower of the medieval fortress in Methoni, in southern Peloponnese, captured from one of the loopholes of the castle. The title refers to the highlight of our experience on that eventful day: when we finished shooting and returned to the main gate we realized that we had been locked in! Apparently we weren’t visible from our selected posts so the person responsible for locking the gate assumed that there was no one inside. It took us some phone calls to locate him and an hour of waiting in the dark but it was worth it!

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The Dark Traveler


Left alone to disintegrate on a windblown, misty beach in Peloponnese, the shipwreck of Dimitrios proved to be every bit as enchanting as in my dreams. Haunting and haunted, broken but not yet dead, it still stands upright, a ghostly mirage condemned to travel forever through misty mornings, fiery sunsets and sunrises, through rain and thunderstorms, gloomy skies and starry nights, through time but never through space, never leaving the place that’s been eating it away for almost 30 years now.

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The Song of the Sirens


In Greek mythology, Sirens were part human, part bird. They lived on a rocky island in the middle of the sea, possibly near Italy. They sang melodies so beautiful that sailors passing by couldn’t resist getting closer to them. Following their song, the sailors would steer their ships towards them or jump in the water to get closer. Either way, it always ended in disaster on the rocks. That is why the island where they lived was full of shipwrecks.

That was just to explain the title. The more down to earth facts say that the tanker “Africa” fell into a storm on a night of December 2003. The strong winds and powerful waves made sure that it was its last pass from the island of Milos. And frankly, standing there on an August morning with the wind trying to sweep me off my feet and the waves crashing all around me, this second version seemed much more plausible. But then again, looking back at the memory of that day through the filter of nostalgia I could swear there was a haunting song hidden in the howling of the wind…

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Underneath the Veil


This is the only image in my portfolio that was a kind of gift to me. It was the only time that we were at the right place at the right time by pure luck. On all other occasions we had carefully chosen our spots beforehand after much location scouting and most of the times it took more than a visit and many hours of waiting for the right light.

In that occasion though, we were heading for another location when we happened upon this scene. We shot out of the car and barely had the time for a couple of exposures before the mist evaporated, revealing a landscape that looked pretty much plain and uninteresting without it. That was the first time I fully realized why they say “it’s all about the light!”

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Mary Kay’s work is filled with soul, one can sense her delight in finding compelling images that evoke memories and stories found in her native land.  As she says: “I realized that up till then I merely glanced and never noticed, never fully grasped nature’s beauty and meaning and its healing effect.”  Her contribution is about “a whole new way of seeing and appreciating the world around me.”  Such is at the heart of the art form.

She is highly praised for her work by a myriad of photography curators.  Photo Travel Review Magazine considers her work to be among the best in the world.

Please take the time to visit her website and see many other works by this talented artist.

The world famous volcanic island of Santorini is the southern most island of the Cycladic group in the Aegean Sea.

How to Get There:

By plane : Santorini can be reached from most international airports via Athens. The flying time from Athens to Santorini is approximately 40 minutes.

Nearly all international scheduled flights arriving in Athens allow adequate time for making the connecting flight to Santorini.

I flew direct from the UK. Numerous charter flights from different European Cities fly directly to the island during the summer period. During the same period Santorini is also connected with flights to and from Thessaloniki.

By ferry boat : Another way to reach the island is by a regular ferry boat service from the port of Piraeus, Thessaloniki or Crete and almost all the Cycladic islands. The boat trip takes approximately 8 – 13 hours depending on the ferry and the ports of call.

Daily high speed boats are also available during the summer period leaving from the port of Piraeus and from numerous other Cycladic islands and Crete. The trip takes about 4 – 5 hours. 

About this Location:

The present-day crescent shape of the island is a consequence of volcanic activity. The island itself owes its very existence to the volcano. You are basically on a volcano that has erupted, destroyed itself and is now beginning to regenerate.

The last huge eruption dates back 3,600 years, to the late bronze age. Thirty million cubic meters of magma in the form of pumice and ash were blown to a height of up to 36 kilometers above the island. Pumice deposits, dozens of meters thick, buried one of the most prosperous settlements of that period. All around you today you see evidence of this explosion and the scale of it defies the imagination. I can guarantee you will return from this trip marvelling at the power of the earth. It makes you feel small and fragile.

The volcano does not sleep, it is just resting. The most recent eruption occurred in 1950, building up two small islands within the caldera; Palea and Nea Kameni here you’ll find hot fumaroles, new mineral deposits, and gushing, warm, multi-coloured water.

Weather Conditions:

The climate in Santorini is typical of the Mediterranean climate with extended periods of sunshine throughout most of the year, hot and dry summers and mild and rainy winters. Long periods of consecutive rainy days are uncommon in Santorini, even during the winter, and the sky does not remain cloudy for more than a few days in a row.

During the warm and dry season the weather is usually stable, the sun is bright and there is generally no rainfall. A sweater/jacket is advised, especially in April and October, as evenings often bring cooler temperatures.
I was there is August and it was HOT. As a photographer this isn’t the time I’d recommend as the heat brings haze and rarely do you get crystal clear views across the caldera.

Why Go?

I flew over this island many years ago and wanted to visit. From the air it looked a paradise and I was intrigued by it’s volcanic history.

It has been said that the sunsets in Santorini are the best in the world. When I was there they seemed guaranteed each night but photographically were hard to capture due to the cloudless skies. You really need to be in a boat, looking back on the island, to get a good shot or take a trip towards the SW corner and find a way to look east away from the setting sun.

From the Caldera I’m sure breathtaking views of the volcano and neighbouring islands can be found in the right season – I’d guess February would be great.

Everywhere one sees small domed churches …..

and remnants of days gone by..

and small details to train your camera on…..

At the rim of the Caldera are 85 metre (300 feet) high cliffs that many of the island’s villages perch on top of, offering a sea view. The cliff is the wall of the submerged volcano crater caused by the eruption.

Highlights of my trip:

Wandering through the villages and Fira (the main town) and Oia exploring side streets and discovering “Santorini blue”, a unique unforgettable blue that is found in the sky and the architecture. The buildings on the island are stark and beautiful, with bright white walls contrasting with the deep blue sea and sky.

A boat trip to Thirasia with the sun setting on the return trip and the cliffs under Oia turning red.

Visiting the Faros lighthouse at sunset.

Lowlights:

The heat and haze. Struggling to get a sunset shot as the sun is just too hot and without clouds there is nothing to add interest (but it is glorious to watch).

When to Go:

Off peak and for photography any time except summer

Where to Stay:

Avoid the package travel apartments on the eastern side, great for sun seeking families who want beaches but all the photographic action is found round the rim of the caldera.
Santorini offers a wide variety of quality hotels, unique hotel apartments and elegant suite hotels. There are also budget rooms. Even in high summer I saw “for rent signs” so just turning up and getting a taxi to take you to Fira or Oia is viable. In the summer I’d want air conditioning but in the cooler seasons I’d be happy with a room with a view.

Equipment for this trip:

Lenses that are both wide and long. A tripod for the sunset shots. Grads are essential if you get a good sky and careful metering with all those white buildings. I tried a polariser but the effect was too intense.

Research:

Santorini
Santorini.net

When The Light is good:

Good light for distance shots across the caldera means haze free days with some clouds in the sky. I didn’t have any during my week in August. The light however was still bright and looking directly away from the sun gave deep blue skies that enhance shots with the white buildings.

I’d love to be here during or after a thunderstorm.

When the Light is Bad:

Concentrate on small details that shout “Greece” and explore the villages. Visit Akrotiri one of the most important prehistoric settlements of the Aegean.
My husband is a real foodie and he says the food here was the best he’d had in Greece.
A ride down the cliffs on a mule.

Will I Go Again?

Yes, but off-season to see what is possible. I have looked at many books and websites and there is little that is “different”. I think there has to be a photographic side to this island that is more than I have seen given unusual light. It is a small island though and due to the nature of the caldera you are restricted in your viewpoint. I wonder if staying on Thirasia might be the answer, the link above says it is not possible to use the hotel any more but I’m sure a bed can be found somewhere. You would certainly get a very “Greek” experience and a more unique perspective on the landscape and a more real life experience.

Recommended reading:

The A to Z Guide to Santorini.

Thera or Santorini – Born from Tephra.

UK Insurance. PTR recommendations:

Travel insurance and camera insurance.