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Blog – Page 2 – Photos of Santorini

Photos of Santorini

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Sunrise picture of a Santorini blue domed church roof
A close up of one of the lovely churches on the Greek Island of Santorini. This is Ekklisia Profitis Ilias photographed after sunrise giving the white walls a lovely golden sunrise glow with the sun reflecting off the golden cross. The moon is visible off to the right.

One of the featues of Santorini is those famous blue domed church roofs. And I love the contrast of the blue with the white of the walls.

In this sunrise picture of a Santorini blue domed church roof though the white is warmed by the sun to give a different colour and feel.

This is the Ekklisia Profitis Ilias church.

Just stunning and in an amazing location.

Why do I like this photo so much?

Well why not? I am rewarded for my efforts of getting up at sunrise. I get treated to scenes like this that no-one else was present for.

How did I decide on this composition?

This was the scene that greeted me when I arrived at the Ekklisia Profitis Ilias church up on top of the caldera overlooking the wonderful Greek Island of Santorini.

I wanted to capture the front elevation of the church, with the three bells, the blue dome and that golden cross. The shadows were not helping me though (sunrise is off to the right) so I walked around the church, leaving my camera where it was sat on my tripod. Well it was very quiet and there was no-one around.

I walked around the church and this is the scene I stopped at and studied.

Look at that moon! It was really there as you can see. I haven’t added it. Or moved it. This is the scene photogrpahed on my iPhone.

I often use my iPhone to see what a scene might look like on that big screen.

And on this occasion I used this image to guide my composition

What caught my eye here were the blue dome, the cross and the moon.

These were going to be the focal points within my image.

All that white concrete was not adding anything, and there was the awkward shadow of the tree.

By the way the scene was much warmer than this – the walls were not that white. Sure I have brought out those colours in my processing but not as much as you might have thought looking at this iPhone photo.

Once I had decided on the components of the image the next decision was to change lens to my Canon 70-200mm lens.

Having retrieved my camera from the other side of the church that is!

Framing the composition and the image capture were straightforward after that. I find the difficult bit can be choosing the composition, which is why I am happy taking my time doing this.

Getting the composition right is critical to the success or otherwise of a photograph.

Why are the domes blue in Santorini?

Buildings on Santorini and many other Greek Islands were built from the local rock. Well they would be wouldn’t they? The rocks on Santorini are a dark colour, as you can see from all my lovely photos.

And with my construction background I know that white paint is cheaper than coloured paint.

Oh yes, and by law since 1974 buildings have had to be painted white. Or was it 1967, when buildings had to be painted blue and white?

Hmmmm.

Black absorbs heat. White reflects heat. It is that simple. That is why the buildings are white.

And as for the blue roofs?

Well apparently lots of domes were already blue. And apaprently there was a thing called loulaki, used for cleaning, that could turn white paint blue.

And when it was mandated that buildings had to be painted white the blue was seen as a unifying colour, as the Greek flag is blue and white.

I will have to find the proper answer to this one, which I will post another time.

Back to the photo.

Where was the photo taken?

Where the orange tag is.

What time of day was the photo taken?

5:51am. Post sunrise. After sunrise my work is not done. Oh no, I keep going to see what I might find.

I take the view that I might never be lucky enough to be in this location at this time of day ever again, so I need to make the most of it.

That and the fact that this is what I love to do, and I do not want to miss any opportunities whilst on this wonderful island called Santorini.

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 70 – 200mm F4 L Lens (focal length used 70mm)
- Manfrotto 190 Go tripod with geared head
- Peak Design Everyday Backpack
- Loupe Viewer
- Red hat
- Oakley sunglasses
- Red shoes
- A complete lack of snacks
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture F4
- Shutter speeds 1/100th second, 1/4000th second and 1/1250th second.
- ISO 400
- Back-button focus
- Focal length 70mm
- AV Mode
- 10 second self-timer
- RAW format
I used the maximum aperture of F4. I focused on the cross. That was the focal point, with the sun reflecting off it.

I intentionally tried to blur everything else, but that is not so noticeable in this photo.

But I am happy with the image capture from a technical point of view.

One interesting fact about the image.

It is a photo taken with my Canon 70-200mm lens. A rare thing I know but I carry it with me everywhere and if it is only used to get one shot in a day then I am happy.

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

Yes – you can view the video here. This video might be low qaulity but you get to see the location which is pretty amazing. And you get a sense of the height of the location, how exposed it is and how windy it is up there!

How did I process the image?

This was another HDR merge in Lightroom of the three captured images.

This is how I edited the resultant Dng file.

I had to remove sensor dust spots and other blemishes in Photoshop.

What could I have done to improve the image?

I would have liked a shot of just the dome, the cross and moon with them all closer together, but the alignment of these elements and the topography of the ground made this impossible.

One problem with travel photography is that I can’t fit my painters pole in my luggage. Nor a large pair of stepladders.

Maybe I could buy a painters pole online and collect it when I am there – it’s got to be worth thinking about.

OR get a drone – another plan for the future.

And another thought that has just come to me – could I have taken this from further away and zoomed in to compresss the scene more?

Possibly.

This is why I have added a section where I critique my own work. I have not done this so much in the past, but I have found that this is helping me not only with image selection after a shoot but also with the composition choices I make whilst out on location.

I am happy with the image to be hesont. I got to the location, had a good look around, decided on a composition that worked and captured it well.

And what are my thoughts on this image?

All in all happy. I wanted the blue dome, the cross and the moon in the shot. And that is what I have got.

I also wanted a tight composition, which is why I used my 70-200mm lens, albeit it at 70mm.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Much more importantly than what I think of this photograph of a Santorini blue domed church roof is what do you all think of this photo, taken not long after sunrise with the moon visible?

Please get in touch and let me know what you think.

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
18/10/2018
Photo of the cable car in Fira from the path to Imerovigli
Yes there is a cable car that takes you from the caldera down to the sea, and day trippers from the cruise ships to Fira. You can also see the island within the caldera, Nea Kameni as well as cruise liners waiting for passengers to return after a day trip on the island

You may not know this but Fira is on top of the Santorini caldera. And cruise ships visit Santorini for the day. And the question is this – how do all the passengers get from down there at sea level up to the top of the caldera and the town of Fira?

By cable car is the answer. Or by foot or by donkey. But the Santorini cable car must be the easiest method. And here is a photo of the cable car in Fira, which you can access from the path from Fira to Imerovigli.

And this is clearly something that I had not thought about that much – it was all a bit of a surprise to me! Yes I have to admit that I did not know that there was a cable car in Fira!

Why do I like this photo so much?

Well it is a different subject from the other photos of Santorini that I have shared so far, and the scene tells a different story. This is the story of modern day tourism, of day-trippers visiting this this small Greek Island for a few hours and then going back to their enormous cruise liners.

Not that there is anything wrong with that. If you search the internet you will find endless people complaining about the volume of day-trippers to Fira. This is my take on the subject.

If you don’t like Fira when it is full of day-trippers then don’t go to Fira when it is full of day-trippers. Go at another time. Don’t complain – the people on the ships don’t have a choice in the matter, but if you are based on the island you do.

I didn’t plan the timing of our visit to Fira, but expected it to be busy, it being lunchtime and all that. So it was busy. If we wanted to go when it was dead quiet we would have gone at a different time.

Santorini is popular for a reason – it is a stunning place.

As I said this photo is a bit of a contrast from all the other photos on this website, most of which are taken with no people or signs of people, from locations where I am in complete splendid isolation out on the caldera somewhere.

And I like this photo because it conveys modern tourism on Santorini.

How did I decide on this composition?

Well there is a path from Imerovigli to Fira. And it takes you right past the cable car. And from the path at the time we were there choosing a great composition is secondary to not getting crushed by the passing crowds!

So no science behind this one – I just got the composition I wanted and then moved on. I literally took this one photo and that was that.

I wanted the cable car visible in the corner and the cruise ships on the water – both of these in the image with all that stuff in-bewteen was the story of this image.

Where was the photo taken?

The red tab is the marker for the port in Santorini, which is called Athinios Port Santorini. This is an extract from Google Maps.

And here is the extract from the Map Module in Lightroom Mobile. I took the photo where the number 5 tab is.

Funny – the ship that is both map extracts looks erm identical. I had never even thought that the Lightroom Map Module would use Google Maps. Then again why wouldnt it? I had just never thought about it.

Any way if you were ever in doubt here is the proof!

What time of day was the photo taken?

12:33. Lunchtime. And my was it busy! At times you had to queue to squeeze through the narrower bits of the path. Looking at the photo you can clearly see two enormous cruise liners moored at the port, who had I assume both dropped off their day trippers by the time we got there.

Lunch time. Of course they had.

Who needs to plan things eh? The way I do things you get the authentic experience of the place!

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 24 – 105mm F4 L Lens
- Hanheld – my Manfrotto 190 Go tripod with geared head was in my bag
- Peak Design Everyday Backpack
- Loupe Viewer – yes I still use it even hand-held
- No red hat
- Oakley sunglasses
- Red shoes (feet aching a bit)
- Squeezed against a wall by the passing masses.
- Starving pre-lunch so running on empty!
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture F8
- Shutter speeds 1/1000th second, 1/4000th second and 1/250th second.
- ISO 400
- Back-button focus
- Focal length 24mm
- AV Mode
- 10 second self-timer
- RAW format
I notice that I take a lot of photos with my old faithful Canon 24-105mm lens at 24mm. Interesting. And I tend to use my Canon 17-40mm lens at 17mm most of the time.

Maybe I need to rethink my camera lens selection – sounds like I could do with a 14mm lens!

One interesting fact about the image.

When we got to the cable car from the footpath from Imerovigli to Fira it was a surprise to me. You might have gathered by now that I am not a big fan of research and planning a location that I am photographing. I just like to turn up and see what I find.

The truth is that I did not know that there was a cable from Fira down to the port until I walked into it!

And you can’t see all the people squeezing past as this photo was taken at a stupid time of day!

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

No. As I was squeezed against a wall it was a case of take the photo and move on.

How did I process the image?

This is how.

To be honest there was not a huge amount of processing work to be done. I wanted to make sure that the photo had that warm glow of noon sunshine, and the lovely bright blue water was just that.

I did some local dodging and burning around the foreground to provide a bit of depth to the image and make the cable car bottom right as prominent as possible. And a bit of cleaning up in Photoshop to finish the image.

What could I have done to improve the image?

I would love to go back there at another time, sunset would be cool, and capture this scene with the setting sun and an actual cable car going down to the port. That would be pretty cool!

And what are my thoughts on this image?

It is a travel photography image that tells the story that I want to tell. It also takes me back to that baking hot lunch-time in Fira.

If an image takes me back to the place I took it then it has done it’s job!

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Let me know what you think of this photo, and also let me know of your experiences of the cable or the footpath down to the port, be it by foot or donkey.

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
17/10/2018
Is this the best view of Fira from the path to Imerovigli?
This is the view of Fira, the capital of the wonderful Greek Island of Santorini, photographed from the path from Imerovigli one sunny April afternoon. In this photo you can see how Santorini has developed, with all those white buildings sat on top of the caldera

Santorini is a small island which packs in the views all over the place. We have all seen lots of images on the internet of those famous white buildings of Santorini, but I try to provide slightly different views.

Is this the best view of Fira, the capital of the Greek Island of Santorini? I think so. This really is a spectacular view, which was taken on my Canon 6D on the walk from Imerovigli to Fira.

Why do I like this photo so much?

One thing I like to capture in one of my photos is context. And if you haven’t been to Santorini before you might not appreciate how the famous white buildings of Santorini have developed on the top of the famous caldera.

And this view taken on the main pedestrian route from Imerovigli to Fira shows this perfectly. This is not that common a view of Fira, which surprises me as there were plenty of people on the footpath that day.

Or so I thought.

I realised how quiet the walk from Imerovigli to Fira was when we got to Fira – there were endless people filling the footpaths making the town almost unbearable.

So I like this photo as it gives context and scale to the capital of Santorini.

You can see exactly how the town has grown on the top of the caldera, and also all those lovely white buildings.

And if you look really carefully you can see the cable car cables appearing out of a building!

How did I decide on this composition?

As we were walking along the path I was obviously taking in the views and Fira growing in front of me as we got closer. I waited until I found a white church which I could include as a foreground feature, which you can clearly see.

I also wanted to get the shoreline to show the full extent of the caldera, and ended up getting the concrete structure which is where tourists are dropped off from the cruise for a day on the island. You can either walk or get the cable car – more on that in another post.

Talking of context this photo also shows the scale of the caldera on which all those lovely white buildings have been constructed.

Where was the photo taken?

Right where the number 10 is.

Or to be more precise.Where the number 5 is.

Is that precise enough for you? I couldn’t zoom in any more and make the number 5 go down to 1 for just this image but this is near enough I guess?

What time of day was the photo taken?

12:40pm. We were walking to Fira for an explore and a spot of lunch. I had been on the go since about 4am that day, getting some great sunrise photos from the top of the caldera. And after the cold of the morning on the caldera the daytime heat was a lovely change for me.

It is funny how we can adjust to such varying temperatures in the same day. And to the complete lack of sleep/ rest!

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D – here it is! Well I thought I should show you what it looks like!
- Canon 24 – 105mm F4 L Lens (focal length used 17mm)
- Hanheld – my Manfrotto 190 Go tripod with geared head was in my bag
- Peak Design Everyday Backpack
- Loupe Viewer – yes I still use it even hand-held
- No red hat
- Oakley sunglasses
- Red shoes (feet aching a bit)
- Kasimatis Suites breakfast fuelling me
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture F16
- Shutter speeds 1/500th second, 1/2000th second and 1/125th second.
- ISO 400
- Back-button focus
- Focal length 24mm
- AV Mode
- 10 second self-timer
- RAW format
One interesting fact about the image.

When we got to Fira we found a restaurant right in the centre of the capital of Santorini. We ordered a beer each and sat there. It was right next to one of the main footpaths through Fira. And was it busy!

And we sat there for an age, too tired and hungry waiting for our food to arrive, which took an absolute age. So tired and hungry we just sat there in silence!

When the food finally came it was excellent – chicken gyros with chips. One of my favourite Greek meals!

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

No. But look what we got when we were in Fira. And yet another use for a Peak Design Everyday Backpack. A bottle of Prosecco carrier!

And see that white thing that my camera bag is resting against? That is one of the legacies of the wine cellar days. Kasimatis Suites used to be a wine celler, or as they are known locally, cavana.

There are remnants of the buildings former use all over the place, which make random appearances in other photos on this website.

How did I process the image?

This is another bracketed set of images merged together in Lightroom using the not surprisingly named HDR Merge feature.

This is what I did in Lightroom. Not too much in terms of processing to be fair.

Now you will have noticed there is a problem!

Yes there is some stuff missing. Here is the actual image. When I straightened the horizon I lost some stuff around the edges. I could have used Constrain to crop which would have basically cropped in the image removing the bits of white but I didn’t want to do that.

I wanted the full image, so had to fill in the blanks.

Now if only there was some software that could fix this…..

Time to jump over to Photogshop. I used the Clone Stamp tool to fill in the blanks, and then used the Patch Tool to improve the standard of the edit to the point where you can’t actually tell what I have done.

That is always the intention with my digital image processing – that is looks natural.

What could I have done to improve the image?

Well I could have taken the shot with the horizon level to save me some work in Photoshop, but apart from that this is the view.

Maybe I could have waited for a cruise ship to arrive and get that in shot to the right. That would have balanced things nicely.

And what are my thoughts on this image?

I wanted to get a view of Fira perched on top of the caldera. And that is what I captured.

I like this image, and it tells the story I wanted to tell with a single image.

It tells the story of the capital of Santorini, Fira, perched on the top of the caldera. And of those lovely white buildings.

And the steep drop down to that lovely blue water.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Let me know if you like my photo of Fira from the footpath to Imerovigli.

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
16/10/2018
Santorini architecture at Kasimatis Suites in Imerovigli
Lovely late afternoon light spilling into the reception at the Kasimatis Suites in Imerovigli on the wonderful Greek Island of Santorini. The reception at the hotel is in one of the former white cellars

When you think of Santorini architecture what springs to mind. I bet it is all the famous white buildings of Santorini isn’t it? Well to be fair that’s what I thought before going to Santorini.

There is more to Santorini architecture than those lovely white buildings – how about the reception at the wonderful Kasmimatis Suites in Imerovigli sat on the edge of the Santorini caldera? And what gives the Kasimatis Suites their unusual charm is that these buildings used to be a canava – a Greek wine cellar.

It is not just about the views outside – there are great things to see inside too.

And I have learnt a new word – canava. Which the spellcheck wants to correct to canapé!

Why do I like this photo so much?

Sorry about that. Let’s get back to the photo. I am an architectural photographer. That is my speciality. I photograph buildings for a living in the UK.

Luckily I love photographing buildings. Put me in a place like Santorini though, with that famous Santorini architecture and I am doubly happy.

Great location, great architecture. And great and unusual interiors. And all that lovely sunshine, food, beer and wine!

Why do I like this photo so much? I was going to the hotel reception, and walked into this scene. How utterly fantastic. I needed a quick word before heading off out to explore more of this wonderful Greek Island (after a quick beer). Yes I had my camera with me, well I didn’t go anywhere without it when I was in Santorini to be honest.

And what makes this scene of course is the light. Lovely directional light spilling into the room.

And the fact that this vaulted room used to be a canava, which is a Greek wine cellar. The family who own Kasimatis Suites used the space where the hotel is as their wine cellars back in the day.

That is why the hotel is so different, with strange features littered around the hotel. And also why the reception is this wonderful vaulted internal space.

How did I decide on this composition?

I walked into reception, got to the reception desk, turned round and got my camera out. I took three photos of the scene which are virtually identical but this was the shot – everything is right with this particular composition.

Let’s talk about the elements in this composition. I wish I could say that I had placed them so perfectly but I hadn’t. This is literally what I saw.

Firstly through the door you can see the railing on the edge of the balcony. Just in front of that is the lovely hotel swimming pool featured in another photo.

And then there is one white chair, sat slap bang in the middle of the door!

And then the light spilling into the vaulted ceilinged reception area with that lovely directional light casting a shadow from the table.

The directional light also picks up the texture in the tiles.

And there are the wall lights offering some additional points of interest in the scene. And let’s not forget the grille above the door and the fantastic shadows on the domed roof.

See I know about this architectural stuff!

Where was the photo taken?

At the reception at the Kasimatis Suites in Imerovigli on the Greek Island of Santorini

What time of day was the photo taken?

4:40pm. I had been out and about all day and was proably going to reception to order breakfast in the room again – such a great thing that they do this. I timed my visit to reception perfectly, with that strong directional light shining straight through the doorway.

I would love to say that this was deliberate but it was purely conincidental!

It was defintely pre-drinks by the pool before sunset though.

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 24 – 105mm F4 L Lens (focal length used 17mm)
- Hand held
- Peak Design Everyday Backpack
- No red hat – it was absolutely baking hot
- Oakley sunglasses (on my head)
- Red shoes (feet destroyed by this time). OK i might have been wearing flip flops by now!
- And my wrist strap. I forgot all about that.
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture F9
- Shutter speeds 1/640th second, 1/2500th second and 1/160th second.
- ISO 400
- Back-button focus
- Focal length 28mm
- AV Mode
- RAW format
One interesting fact about the image.

Apart from the fact that I walked in to reception and saw this scene and took a photo of it?

OK – here we go. This is what it looks like late afternoon from the reception at the Kasimatis Suites in Imerovigli.

I alluded to this before. Kasimatis Suites used to be wine cellars, known locallly as canavas. Obviously since tourism has taken off in Santorini this valuable real estate has been converted to a stuning hotel with great views of the caldera.

So the interesting fact is that this is a picture of a former Greek wine cellar.

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

No. As I just walked up to reception, turned round and took the photo no! I would have got rather strange looks doing that. But then again I could have got one of the staff to video me – I think I missed a trick there.

How did I process the image?

Here is the unedited RAW image. I know, I am always amazed by how awful a RAW file can look. This is the base data for an image. I shoot in RAW as I get the maximum data from an image capture which I can work with in Lightroom.

The contrast from the RAW file to the finished image is quite remarkable I have to say. This is the first (correct exposure) image – look how flat, dull and uninteresting it is!

Lovely late afternoon light spilling into the reception at the Hotel Kasimatis in Imerovigli on the wonderful Greek Island of Santorini. Lovely sunshine illuminating the reception giving depth to the room

The first job in Lightroom is to merge the three images that I took using auto-bracketing on my Canon 6D. The three files are exposed as follows
- Image 1 – correct exposure
- Image 2 – 2 stops under exposed
- Image 3 – 2 stops over exposed
I merge these three images together in Lightroom. Lightroom creates a brand new file which contains the data from the three original images. This is the file that I worked on to produce the image in this post.

And here is what I did in Lightroom

I did some additional local editing, dodging and burning and the finshed off the image in Photoshop.

This was like editing an architectural image for a client, which to be fair almost never feels like work to me.

What could I have done to improve the image?

I could have moved the table to the left a little bit so the table is not ovehanging into the shadow.

Someone sat on the chair? Maybe?

I don’t really know – it was a scene I walked in and took a photo of quickly as I don’t want to over analyse it any more than I already have!

And what are my thoughts on this image?

I like it. I like architectural photography. And I especially love interior photography. I love capturing light interacting with interior spaces.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Let me know what you think of this photo of a converted Greek wine cellar. I love it.

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
15/10/2018
The stunning Santorini view walking from Imerovigli to Oia
This is one of the numerous spectacular views from the bit of land to the north of Imerovigl not long after sunrise. You can walk from Imerovigli to Oia in a couple of hours and enjoy endless stunning views of the Greek Island of Santorini

There are many great views when you are on the island of Santorini. I love just walking about on this wonderful Greek Island seeing what I find – this is the best way to find photo locations for me.

I love this stunning Santorini view. This was taken after photographing the sunrise from the caldera. The sun had just reached these two rocks which I was sat near and I just had to take this shot which I absolutely love.

Why do I like this photo so much?

I love the depth in the image, which has been created by the light and how it interacts with the landscape. The sunlight has illuminated the rocks in the foreground, but not the areas around. The rocks were sticking up just enough to for the sunlight to illuminate them for that brief moment just before the sun lit the part in shade in the photo.

This was a fleeting moment that I was thankfully aware of and able to capture as it happened – 30 seconds later and the moment was gone.

I love the depth in this image, with the foreground interest and that lovely morning sunlight and the caldera running away down to Oia in the background.

This is what landscape photography is all about for me – capturing stunning views and fleeting moments lost forever.

How did I decide on this composition?

Quickly! No time to think with this one.

I was sat on these rocks after photographing the sunrise, which was coming in from the right. The rocks were actually my temporary base for this shoot. What I do is put my camera bag on something nice and solid and not too close to the edge of the caldera – accidents happen, especially to someone as clumsy as me!

And this mornnig it was those very rocks that I put my gear on.

I was sat on the rock debating what to do next, and having a rest, when the sun hit these rocks and I knew straight away that there was a photo to be made here.

Composition was quick to capture the fleeting moment which I am so glad I caught.

Where was the photo taken?

Right where the orange tab is.

Right there. How ridiculously precise is this GPS stuff! Zoom in when you are using the Map Module in Lightroom and see just how precise the data is – I could go back to that exact spot if I wanted to – absolutely amazing. And a great example of technology working across devices, the data being recorded on my Canon 6D and turned into meaningful data using Lightroom.

What time of day was the photo taken?

6:31am. Just after sunrise. And just as the sun hit the rocks in the foreground. Obviously.

What photography gear did I use to get the shot?
- Canon 6D
- Canon 24 – 105mm F4 L Lens (focal length used 17mm)
- Manfrotto 190 Go tripod with geared head
- Peak Design Everyday Backpack
- Loupe Viewer
- Red hat – still cold
- Oakley sunglasses
- Red shoes (not aching yet)
- Coke Zero and melted chocolate
Happily for this image I have some shots of some of my gear on location on the Santorini caldera. Here you can see what I am pointing my camera at.

And here is my Peak Design Everyday Backpack next to my Manfrotto 190 Go tripod.

Peak Design Everyday Backpack on the Santorini caldera

What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture F22
- Shutter speeds 1/160th second, 1/640th second and 1/40th second.
- ISO 400
- Back-button focus
- Focal length 28mm
- AV Mode
- 10 second self-timer
- RAW format
I used F22 as I needed the maximum depth of field, as I was pointing my camera down on the rocks which I needed in focus, as well as the end of the caldera.

One interesting fact about the image.

Look how precarious my tripod is. Seriously is that how I actually took the photo? I honestly can’t remember, but it looks rather odd and hardly an example of text book use of a Manfrotto tripod!

Maybe it is just the angle that I took this photo on my iPhone with?

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

Yes. And here it is on my YouTube channel. You can see how much of an afterthought this image is – the rocks appear right at the end of shooting! they just creep in on the right at the end.

That was the point at which I realised there was a potential shot to be made!

How did I process the image?

This is the global processing of the complete image in Lightroom. But for this image I want to talk about something else.

view of Santorini in Lightroom” width=”790″ height=”430″> How I processed this view of Santorini in Lightroom

And the something else is local adjustments. And more specifically one of my favourite tools in Lightroom, the radial tool.

This is the area selected using the radial tool, and you can see what I am doing here to the area in red only.

I am lightening the rocks and adding some clarity to the rocks to bring out the textures just in the rocks.

How I processeed this view of Santorini

This is done to make the rocks more prominent, giving the foreground a focal point before the eye goes into the scene beyond.

The eye is drawn to the lightest part of a picture, and I wanted that to be the rocks n the foreground and not the white buildings on the top of the caldera.

What could I have done to improve this image?

Well that is a question. How could I have improved this image?

Being critical of my composition I could have given more space to the left of the headland and the town of Oia – a bit more sea would have given the image more space. I used a 28mm focal length on my Canon 24-105mm lens so there was some lattitude there but this was clearly a conscious decision to frame this composition.

I try to get the composition just right in camera, and do not like shooting wider than I want to knowing I can crop in later – my mind does not work like that.

In terms of processing I could have removed some of the (natural!) white marks from the rocks, and maybe the pink flower to the right. And the whie buildings in the middle.

I have not removed these things as they are there and for me part of the scene. Not that I am a die hard purist – I have removed bigger distractions than these from my photographs before.

And what are my thoughts on this image?

I really like this image. There a lovely sense of depth to the scene, with the sun illuminating the rocks in the foreground, whilst the adjacent land is still in shade. The southern facing cliffs of the Santorini caldera are the first to catch the morning sun as well as the town of Oia at the end of the caldera.

You can see a few white buildings behind the shaded part of the land which you walk past on the path from Imerovigli to Oia.

All in all an image I am very happy with.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

OK – you have read what I have to think about this image, what do you think? Please let me know, as I love to hear feedback on not only my images of Santorini but also what I have written about my photographic work.

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
13/10/2018
Santorini picture locations – what is the best view of Oia?
A lovely view of Oia from the top of the Santorini Caldera. This photo was taken late morning and shows the lovely flat sea and the reflection of the the colours of Oia on that lovely flat sea. The small Greek Island of Sikinos can be seen in the background

Santorini has many great locations to take photos, and many great locations to take photos of. Oia is one of those locations that is a great subject to photograph.

So what is the best view of Oia? In my opinion this view from the top of the caldera is the best view of Oia, showing the small town perched on the end of the caldera. This is one of my favourite pictures of Santorini.

This is one of the reasons I love taking pictures of the Greek Islands – some of them are small enough that you can photograph a winderful scene and then walk to it!

Why do I like this photo so much?

It is the flat blue water that makes the image for me. The reflections of the white buildings of Oia shimmering off the flat blue sea. And with such a clear blue sky the sea has that lovely deep blue colour symbolic of Greece.

The different textures in the water make this image so appealing to me – I find the scene so wonderfully relaxing. I can imagine being sat on a balcony on top of the Santorini caldera with a cold beer looking out on this scene. And that for me is what travel photography is all about – creating images that make you want to be there.

How did I decide on this composition?

I was trying to get somewhere else to take a photo, but I kept looking over towards Oia, constantly watching the sea as it changed over the course of the morning. I had to stop as the sea had reached this wonderful flat state.

I knew I wanted some different photos in my set of images of Santorini. It is not just about the sunrise and sunset on Santorini – there is much more in-between.

So this was not an intentional photo, I just had to stop to take it.

It was an easy capture – pretty much what you see is what I was looking at and exactly what I wanted to capture. Sometimes I can spend a long time on a composition, and sometimes it is a pretty instant thing, like with this image.

Sometimes we all need to remember that photography is about taking photos, not a technical exercise.

Where was the photo taken?

The GPS co-ordinates were not recorded on my Canon 6D but I know where the photo was taken by back tracking the day’s activities. Here is the location cunningly marked on the screenshot from the Map Module of Lightroom.

Santorini photo location

In the background you can see the island of Sikinos. When I return to Santorini one thing I want to do is charter a boat and have a look at some of these tiny uninhabited islands from which there shold be some great views looking back to Santorini.

What time of day was the photo taken?

9:45am. About 5 ½ hours after I got up. And I was on the move up the caldera to find a location for the next morning. Before I go back for a quick breakfast that is. I was fuelled on snacks and not enough fluid – a point for another time!

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 24 – 105mm F4 L Lens (focal length used 17mm)
- Manfrotto 190 Go tripod with geared head
- Loupe Viewer
- No hat – it was long after sunrise
- Oakley sunglasses
- Red shoes (feet dreading the day ahead)
- Not enough snacks or water
I used the Canon 24 – 105mm lens as I was walking from one location to another. This lens as such a great focal length which is great when walking about – on some trips I have just taken this lens and been absolutely fine so if I need to travel light this is my go to lens.

Im ny Peak Design Everyday Backpack I also had the Canon 17 – 40 and 70 – 200mm lenses.

What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture F16
- Shutter speeds 1/500th second, 1/2100th second and 1/125th second.
- ISO 400
- Back-button focus
- Focal length 84mm
- AV Mode
- 10 second self-timer
- RAW format
One interesting fact about the image.

I took this one photo and that was it. Just one image capture and then I kept on walking.

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

No – I stopped moving from one place to another to get this shot. And at that time the last thing on my mind would have been taking a video!

How did I process the image?

This is the main processing in Lightroom, using the Basic and HSL panels

How I processed one of my images of Santorini

What am I trying to achieve with my processing? I am trying to recreate the scene that I was looking at before I raised my camera to my eye. The scene that made me want to take a photo.

I am not doing anything fancy in Lightroom and Photoshop – I am just trying to make the content of the image look the best I can.

I am trying to enhance the features within the image.

And finally I am correcting all the errors introduced at the time of image capture, and anything that is creeping in at the edges.

And having done all this I want viewers to look at my photo and not think – that was a great job in Photoshop! My image editing should be so subtle and natural that you don’t think of it when looking at one of my photos.

What could I have done to improve the image?

To be honest this is the scene I remember looking at, so I am happy with the photo. But lets be critical here.

Well having the actual GPS co-ordinates would have made it better for me, but that is just me. No-one else cares.

Got it. Over to the right on the top of the caldera is a building which is cut off by the composition. I could have composed it better so there was land at no half building there. And of course I could just remove it in Photoshop.

Would anyone else care? Probably not. I have looked at this image numerous times and only when ansering this question did I come up with this point.

And that is why i have this question in each and every post – it forces me to look at the final image critically as part of my writing – it is important that I do this so I learn for future shoots.

And what are my thoughts on this image?

I like it. It is not one of your run of the mill photos of Santorini. I have looked at lots of pictures of the Greek Islands, and feel that this image represents this part of the island really well.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Let me know your thoughts not only on this image but also my thoughts – do you agree with what I have written about this image, and do you have any questions about the image capture or image processing?

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
12/10/2018
Where are the best places to see the sunrise in Santorini?
The view of sunrise with the church I N Ayiou Mapkou in the foreground which has spectacular views of the east of the lovely Greek Island of Santorini. In the background is the island of Anafi basking in the sunrise

Santorini has stunning sunrises and sunsets. And the bits in-between are that bad either!

But where are the best places to see the sunrise in Santorini? On top of the caldera is where – and one of my favourite places is the area around I N Ayiou Mapkou church which you can see in the photo on this post.

Why do I like this photo so much?

I like this photo for a number of reasons. Firstly, there is a lots going on in the sky, varying densities of cloud and a range of colours.

I love the reflection of some of the sunrise colours from the sea.

For some reason I really like the white cloud central to the image, floating above the church which is barely visibility in the pre-sunrise light.

And if you look to the right you can just see the famous white buildings of Santorini just being illuminated by the first light of a new day.

And lets not forget the island of Anafi just visibile on the horizon peeping out above the morning mist.

Most of all though it is the feeling of this photo that I like – it really is this dark on the Santorini Caldera before sunrise, and I don’t remember seeing that many sunrise photos that convey this mood and feel, which to me is natural and reminds me what it as like being there.

How did I decide on this composition?

I had been to this location the day before, and had a pretty good idea of the composition I was looking for.

I set up my camera in pretty much complete darkness, as the cloud cover completely blocked out the moonlight.

I composed using the viewfinder and Live View. Although I have to say I prefer the viewfinder when it is so dark as I find the LCD screen affects my vision – I get used to the darkness and my eyes adjust.

It was a case of framing the church and Anahi in the background – I knew where the sun would be rising and the clouds were changing so quickly I discounted them from my composition.

The two primary Elemis of this photo were the church and the rising sun.

Where was the photo taken?

On the top of the caldera near I N Ayiou Mapkou church, which is, and forgive me for repeating myself, one of my favorite places to see the sunrise in Santorini.

There is more than one photo taken from this location that is featured in the images on this website.

You can see the location on the screen shot from the Map Module in Lightroom. The orange tag with the number 5 is the actual location at which this photo was taken.

What time of day was the photo taken?

5.35am.

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 17 – 40mm F4 L Lens (focal length used 17mm)
- Manfrotto 190 Go tripod with geared head
- Loupe Viewer
- My thick red hat
- Oakley sunglasses
- Pepsi Max – althugh coffe would have been better
- Red shoes with thin socks (cold feet today)
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture F16
- Shutter speeds 1/320th second, 1/1250th second and 1/80th second.
- ISO 400 to get the fast moving clouds. ISO 400 on the Canon 6D really isn’t a problem – the sensor can give a super clean image at this sensitivity. To be honest if I took a photo at ISO100 and the same picture at ISO400 you would struggle to tell the difference.
- Back-button focus
- AV Mode
- 10 second self-timer
- RAW format
I used F16 to get as much depth of field as possible. I only use F22 if I am super close to the foreground, or if I am trying to get a starburst effect – other than that the smallest aperture I will use is F16.

I mention this as the aperture is the only variable whan I am photographing a sunset. AV Mode means that the shutter is selected by the camera to match the chosen aperture. I will have set the ISO before shooting at a particular location.

One interesting fact about the image.

This is one of a series of images taken from the same spot with my camera mounted on my Manfrotto 190 Go tripod. I photographed the entire sunrise, and chose this photo.

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

Yes. And a photo taken on my iPhone of the actual set up and the view. Ignore the fact it is so bright – it wasn’t when the photo in this post was taken.

And here is the video.

How did I process the image?

This is another HDR shot, composed of three separate images. The first image os the correct exposure, the second image is 2 stops under exposed, and the third image is two stops over exposed.

The three images ar emerged together in Lightroom, creating a single new Dng file.

Here are the adjustment settings in Lightroom for this image.

Processing was done using the Basic and HSL panels. There are some other adjustments, but these are the same for every image, adn are applied on import to save me time and give me a consistent set of images.

In addition did localised dodging and burning to add to the highlight sand the shadows giving the image additional depth.

I finished the image in Photoshop removing blemishes, sensor dust spots and irritations in the foreground, bits of plants and twigs and stuff that detracted from the overall scene.

What could I have done to improve the image?

Being critical I could have come up with a different composition. I could have moved more to the right and done a much tighter shot of the church and the sunrise – that would have worked nicely.

That is not better, just an alternative point of view.

And I have chosen this image from a long sequence of images of that sunrise.

And what are my thoughts on this image?

I like it. It is not your run of the mill Santorini sunrise photo – it has darkness, mood and depth to it. I always try to create something a bit different, and also to convey the mood and feel of the place at that precise moment, which I think I have done here.

Sunrise can be a dark and sinister time, especially on top of a caldera on your own with the clouds flying by, the wind blowing over the top of the island and the sound of barking dogs in the distance!

And that is why I love being out and about on my own before sunrise – I am normally the only person inthat palce at that time.

Can you feel these things looking at this photo? This for me is a really good image for conveying that time and that moment, which is all I want to achieve with my photography.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Let me know your thoughts on the photo of a Santorini sunrise – do you like it? Is it too dark? Do you like the composition?

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
11/10/2018
Santorini photo locations – walking from Imerovigli to Oia
This is the view looking towards Oia from the top of the Santorini Caldera. Thirasia can be seen in the background. This photograph was taken from the footpath from Imerovigli to Oia, a very enjoyable and manageable walk

Santorini is a small island but there is lots to see walking around the island. I love exploring islands like this on foot – it is the only way for me.

If you walk from Imerovigli to Oia this is the view you get from mext to the Church of Panagia – now this is one of my favourite Santorini photo locations without a doubt. The church is behind me by the way, but more of that later.

Why do I like this photo so much?

Well this photo tells a story of Santorini. It shows Oia in the disatnce, with the white buildings standing out against against the natural background. As you can see Oia is located at the very end of the main caldera. You can see Thirasia in the background, once part of the island before the massive voclano.

You can see the rocky terrain of the caldera, and there are late afternoon colours bursting out from beyond the overhead clouds.

How did I decide on this composition?

You can’t see it on this photo but there is a church right behind where I took this photo, the Church of Panagia. I didnt want the church in this photo – this photo was going to be all about the terrain of the caldera.

I decided to include the rocky terrain in the foreground to show what the terrain is actually like. And the footpath running down from the bottom right hand corner taking you into the image in a subtle way.

And then you get to the white buildings of Oia, sat on the end of the caldera.

The sotry of the caldera is completed by the next piece of land, Thirasia, disconnected from the island years ago.

And this is nicely complimented by a different sky, with clouds over Santorini but clearing to the west where the warmth of the sun is visible.

Where was the photo taken?

Church of Pagania is shown on the blue tag. I don’t have the GPS co-ordinates in Lightroom – my Canon 6D did not record them.

It can’t be the lack of signal from the satellites – there was nothing in the way! Either I didn’t turn on the GPS or it just didn’t work. Thankfully I take photos on my iPhone so I have a backup of most locations where I have taken photos.

The walk from Imerovigli to Oia is a pretty fantastic walk I have to say, going through lots of fascinating and varied terrain. I could have spent a very long day taking photos on this walk. This post is about Santorini photo locations – the walk in itself is just that!

What time of day was the photo taken?

3:12pm on the walk from Imerovigli to Oia. The walk took us a couple of hours, longer than it should of done as I kep stopping to take photos of course!

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 24 – 105mm F4 L lens
- Handheld
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture – F16
- Shutter speeds – 1/50th second, 1/200th second and 1/15th second
- ISO – 400
- Focal length – 24mm
- AV Mode
- Back button focus
- Auto bracketing
- Handhed
Whilst I took three bracketed images I have only used one of the images. The problem was the car with the headlights showing bottom right on that stretch of road visible.

The car was moving too fast for my chosen shutter speeds – I was photographing the landscape after all and not fast moving cars!

When I merged the images in Lightroom the car was blurry. Sure I could have just removed the car in Photoshop but I wanted to keep it in the photo. It is a point of interest to me and relevant to this scene.

I used F16 to get sharpness from the foreground rocks all the wya through to Thirasia and even the island inthe background, which I believe to be a uninnhabited island called Christiana.

One interesting fact about the image.

There is a church right behind where I took this photo. And this is the church on the top of the caldera which you can see in another photo on this website.

Here it is.

This is the church on the top of the caldera on the island of Santorini that you walk past on the walk from Imerovigli to Oia

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

Well there is a video of the location showing the Church of Panagia and the views all around. The video is terrible quality I have to say, but you get the idea of the location. You can view the video here.

If there is one learning point that comes from my photography trip to Santorini it is to vastly improve the quality of the videos I take.

How did I process the image?

As I said earlier the HDR Merge did not work so the image you are looking at is a single image processed in Lightroom and finished in Photoshop.

This is what the main editing looks like in Lightroom.

I also did some localised dodging and burning to give the image a touch more depth.

You can see the sensor spots in the sky which I removed in Photoshop.

On the subject of editing photos, I always finish off an image in Photoshop removing any sensor dust spots, and stuff that creeps into the edges of an image. That is normally as far as my editing goes in Photoshop.

What could I have done to improve the image?

I tried getting the view from the end of the path which you can see in this photo but the compostion was much worse so I had to walk back to get this capture. It tells the story that I wanted to tell so all is fine with me.

And the sky was changing, the band of sunshine warmth coming and going so I was on borrowed time – always a problem in landscape photography.

And what are my thoughts on this image?

I remember being there. The walk was just fantastic – it was as though the walk in itself was a tour of some of the best Santorini photo locations – just walking from Imerovigli to Oia.

And that for me is when a photo works – when it take me back there and brings back such vivid memories. It was cloudy that day and windy on the top but warm when you sat down for a rest. And by the time we got to Oia the sun had reappeared and the clouds had gone.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Please let me know what you think of this photo of Santorini, even if you don’t like it. And if you have any questions about Santorini then please get in touch with me and I will be happy to help if I can.

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
10/10/2018
Where are the best views from swimming pools on Santorini?
Picture of the lovely swimming pool at the Kasimatis Suites in Imerovigli on the Greek Island of Santorini. The pool has spectacular views across the Caldera towards Thirasia where the sun will set in about an hour from when this photo was taken

Views from swimming pools on Santorini. I know – that is quite a demanding ask now isn’t it?

We work hard all year to enjoy our breaks, so there is nothing wrong with asking the question “Where are the best views from swimming pools on Santorini?”

Well this view from the pool at the Kasiamtis Suites is my favorite so far – what a view of the pool, the balcony and in the background a little bit of the caldera!

Why do I like this photo so much?

I did take a photograph from the balcony but something was missing. So I took a step back from the view from the pool to get a photo of the view of the pool if that makes sense) and that lovely burst of Santorini sunshine.

And I managed to get a bit of the view from the pool and the deckchairs – hopefully you get the idea from this photo.

And a band of orange as the sun begins to set on another wonderful day in Santorini.

How did I decide on this composition?

Simple. I wanted the pool, the area to the front of the pool, a bit of the background and of course that big bright burst of golden sunshine. And the reflection off the pool was something I had pre-planned.

That is the beauty of staying in such a photogenic hotel – just by being there you get used to the movement of the sun, the shadows, the little things that when added together can make a photo.

Well you do if you are like me. I am always looking for things to photograph. On a shoot like this many of the compositions come to me when I am walking around doing innocuous things like walking to breakfast (on the day we did not have breakfast in our rooms that is).

Being aware of your surroundings and constantly looking out for photos might annoy the family but for me is an occupational hazard I’m afraid!

Where was the photo taken?

This photo was taken at the swimming pool of the Kasimatis Suites in Imerovigli on the Greek Island of Santorini.

We were stopping at the Kasimais Suites, and had to walk past the pool and this view just to get to reception. Awful I know!

What time of day was the photo taken?

Late afternoon in April, just after 4.30pm. The sun has begun to drop, having traversed from the left to the right – yes this is the prefect photographic orientation.

I took this photo having returned from a long day consisting of sunrise on the caldera, a lovely breakfast in our room and a good investigation of the capital of Santorini, Fira. I did an early afternoon wander and got back in time to get this shot by the pool.

After this I have to confess to having a couple of beers and photographing the sunset from our room. Yes I was that tired!

As I have said before sunset can be a bit of an anti-social time of day, clashing with evening drinks.

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 24-105mm F4 L Lens
- Handheld – no tripod required
- And probably a pair of sunglasses
- My loupe viewer
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture – F22
- Shutter speeds – 1/800th second, 1/3200th second and 1/200th second
- ISO – 400
- Focal length – 24mm
- AV Mode
- Back button focus
- Auto bracketing
- Handhed
- Live view
A quick word on the camera settings. F22. Why use that aperture? Simple.

F22 on my Canon 24 -105mm lens gives me that lovely starburst effect. F22 is the minimum aperture, ie the aperture which lets the least light in, as the opening through the aperture blades is at its smallest.

Try shooting into the sun (with care so you don’t damage your eyes) and try all the apertures and see what you get with your gear.

Which leads me onto the next point. When I am shooting straight into the sun, I use the Live View function on my Canon 6D. Much safer. And even then I will have my sunglasses on.

Unless I am using my loupe viewer.

One interesting fact about the image.

Erm. I didn’t go in the pool? All I can remember is that the sun was blindingly bright and I was desperate to sit down and have a drink but did not want to miss a second of that spectacular day.

I was tired, thirsty and loving it!

One bit of irrelevant advice – if you want to make a living doing photography it is best that you absolutely love it as it is hard work.

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

No. I think people who take videos around swimming pools with people in the vicinity sunbathing are approaching creepy.

Swimming pool/ people = no video!

How did I process the image?

Very well thank you. To be honest once I have processed the first couple of images from a days shoot a lot of the processing is the same, or fairly similar.

I want the images to look like a coherent set of images after all, so the color treatments and other stuff need to compliment other images.

The difference is with the local adjustments, which are individual to each and every image I produce.

I am talking here about
- Dodging and burning
- HSL adjustments
- Radial filter
What could I have done to improve the image?

A higher viewpoint would have made the composition stronger. If I could have got my camera higher I would have been able to include more of the caldera view in the background.

Unfortunately I did not have my stepladders with me, nor my 5m painters pole, and I could not move back any further (from recollection).

Yes lets just say that I was constrained by the buildings around me. I will just have to go back to Kasimatis Suites and do a better job next time!

And what are my thoughts on this image?

I really like this image, I have captured a lovely flat swimming pool illuminated by the sun. I have managed to include a snippet of the view of the caldera, but more importantly the deckchairs on the edge of the balcony.

And I love the colors in the sky, that lovely bright blue transitioning into the orange of the setting sun.

The bright vibrant colours are an essential part of my travel photography work.

And there are no people in the image which is both good and bad.

All in all an image that I am happy to share on my website and write about.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

You have read what I have to say about this photo of the view of a swimming pool at Kasimatis Suites in Imerovigli – what do you think of the image, and do you have any questions for me?

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
09/10/2018
How high is the Santorini Caldera – check out this photo
The view of the Caldera photographed from near Imerovigli showing the scale of the natural caldera. There is a single white building on the top of the Caldera, a small Greek Church.

I was excited to get to Santorini to explore and photograph the wonderful landscape created by a volcanic eruption years ago.

And there was a question I had asked myself before I arrived – how high is the Santorini caldera? This photo shows how high it is. Ok well it doesn’t, but it gives you an idea of the scale.

And in actual numbers, the highest point of the Santorini caldera is 367 metres high (which in old money is 1,204 feet).

Why do I like this photo so much?

The simplicity of the image. The mass of the caldera and one small white building on the top.

And the fact that it was visually answering the question “how high is the Santorini caldera?” – one of the questions I took with me in my confused head all the way from England to the stunning Greek Island of Santorini.

This contrast is a metaphor for the relative stature of humans and the planet, the natural world against the man made world.

I sometimes include people in my photos is to provide a sense of scale – here the small white church does just that.

How did I decide on this composition?

When I am out on a location shoot I look all around me to see what other possible compositions there are. I often do this once I have made my sunrise composition and am sat there waiting for the sun to rise.

Once I have captured a sunrise that is that image capture done. I move on to the next thing. And that includes taking advantage of that early morning directional light giving scenes like this depth and dimension.

And of course possible compositions for later in the day.

I actually spotted this church as I was walking away from the sunrise shoot, and was rather taken with the view, but the light was not right at the time.

I returned after lunch, and the sun had moved round enough to give some pleasing light.

The white church was prominently illuminated by the early afternoon sun. It was then that I was struck by the significance of the one white building – when I looked at the composition on my LCD screen the white building stood out, whilst at the same time looking so insignificant and small.

This was the point of interest for me in this composition – the tiny white Greek Church dwarfed by the caldera formed by a volcanic eruption years ago. This picture answered that question nicely for me.

And the picture also conveyes the precarious nature of the development of Santorini – small buildings placed on the top of that massive natural structure.

Where was the photo taken?

Right there where the number 54 is. Yes this was a great location clearly.

What time of day was the photo taken?

Twenty past two in the afternoon. This part of the caldera was in shade at sunrise but by early afternoon the sun had moved around enough that the light was directional enough to give the shadows you can see. At sunset this part of the caldera would be in shade.

This puts paid to the incorrect general view that you should only shoot in the hours around sunrise and sunset – utter nonsense. You should shoot any scene at the time at which the light works to compliment the scene.

Or at the time when you can get there – life is not that simple for us mere mortals.

What photography gear did I use to get the shot
- Canon 6D
- Canon 70-200mm F4 L lens
- My hands
- Loupe viewer
- Red shoes
- Water
- No hat required
What camera settings did I use?
- Aperture – F8
- Shutter speed – 1/1000th second
- ISO 400
- Focal length – 169mm
- AV Mode
- Back button focus
- Single image capture
- Hand held
One interesting fact about the image.

It was taken after lunch. Not long after 2pm, when the sun is at its highest. And it’s hotter! I really noticed that.

Yes the time they all say you shouldn’t be taking photos, with that flat dull overhead lighting.

And also the fact that I used my telephoto lens for this shot. I normally carry it around paired with my 17-40mm lens for scenes just like this one.

Is there a behind the scenes video of this shoot?

No – not for this shot. I was getting rather tired, as I had been on my feet since 4am without any kind of break. I had a beer when I got back and a little sleep before sunset though!

The shot was hendheld – not even I can video myself taking a photo handheld! Well I could have used my tripod….

And this is an ever rarer shot being a single image and not an HDR capture.

How did I process the image?

Well I was starting with a single image, so I had to make it look and feel like the other images in this set – I didn’t want it to stand out or look different.

I did global adjustments in the Basic Panel in Lightroom, and then local adjustments, mainly dodging and burning.

I dodged the white building, giving an exposure increase and moving the whites slider to the right.

I dodged and burned parts of the face of the caldera to emphasize the lights and the darks, giving the image more dimension and depth.

Dodging and burning is the term used to selectively lighten (dodging) or darken (burning) parts of an image. The term originated in the film days, and was a technique used in printing.

What could I have done to improve the image?

If I had lowered my camera slightly I could have excluded the island in the background, which I believe is the small Greek Island called Sikinos.

Sure I could remove this in Photoshop, but I haven’t done so as this was the scene I photographed. I only tend to remove blemishes and imcomplete things in Photoshop, not whole islands. And every now and then I have to add things in after a drastic correction of the horizon!

And I could have taken the shot in portrait mode, zooming in more to make more of the relative sizes of the caldera and the church.

That would have not necessarily made for a better image, but would have given a different perspective.

I used my telephoto lens, using a focal length of 169mm. It is easy to forget that one of the best lenses for landscape photography is actually a telephoto lens.

And what are my thoughts on this image?

It works for me. I wanted to convey the scale of the caldera, which I have done I feel with the inclusion of one white Greek Church.

It is a single image catpure, fine for daylight shooting where there is slightly less dynamic range to capture.

And this photo visually answered the question about the height of the Santorini caldera.

Enough of me – what do you think of this image?

Please let me know your thoughts on this image – have I achieved the objective I set out to achieve? have I conveyed what I have written about in this post?

One last thing

If you want to buy this image, or want to speak to me about future collaboration email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk.

Rick McEvoy ABIPP – Photographer, writer, blogger
05/10/2018