Photographing Weddings - The Fun Way
I don’t often photograph weddings. But when I do, I enjoy doing so because weddings can many times be, what I call “high energy places”.
A bride is seen dancing in her white wedding dress, with her friends are dancing and having fun around her.
I don’t often photograph weddings . But when I do, I enjoy doing so because weddings can be what I call “high energy places”.
High energy places, are situations of intense social energy. A protest, a concert, a birthday party, a Sunday barbecue, or a wedding. While the ceremony is usually more formal, demanding people to be a bit more stiff, leading to stiffer images, the party after the ceremony is something else. It is there that people loosen up, drink, dance, sing and occasionally go crazy.
So I just love it when i am hired to photograph in these type of after-ceremony wedding parties. I usually use a handheld flash since the light conditions in most venues are poor. But also do that to freeze action. I combine the flash with slow shutter speeds to also use some of the ambient light of the space but also, have some extra layer of actions in the background. I feel that catching the right moment like this, can really capture energy of the party and leads to fun photographs that the couple and guests can have as a souvenir for a lifetime.
These are some of the images from the latest wedding I got assigned to photograph in Iceland.
Nature's Rare Spectacle: Volcano Eruption Meets Northern Lights
The stars aligned last night and I was able to capture an image I was waiting for a long time now, the erupting volcano with the Northern Lights, the rare phenomenon, where the fiery force of the Earth meets the celestial dance of the sky.
This extraordinary convergence is exceedingly rare. Volcanic eruptions, driven by tectonic forces beneath the Earth's crust, are unpredictable and often violent. In contrast, the Northern Lights are a delicate, atmospheric phenomenon caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. For both to occur simultaneously is a unique event, requiring precise conditions—clear skies, high geomagnetic activity, and an active volcano.
Photographers and nature lovers cherish such moments, as they offer a glimpse into the incredible forces that shape our planet and beyond. This image of this dual spectacle, for me not only captures a fleeting moment of natural wonder but also serves as a reminder of the powerful and beautiful forces at play on Earth and in the universe.
A night to remember.
Volcanic eruption of Sundhnukagigar in Iceland and the future of Grindavik.
A series of portraits and images I did for the NZZ, documenting the recent volcanic eruption of Sundhnukagigar in Iceland and how it has impacted the residents of Grindavik.
A series of portraits and images I did for the NZZ, documenting the recent volcanic eruption of Sundhnukagigar in Iceland and how it has impacted the residents of Grindavik.
On November 2023, a series of intense earthquakes shook the town of Grindavik, a small town known for its proximity to the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland. The earthquakes continued throughout the next days, changing the town once and for all. Fissures opened, splitting roads in half, houses started sinking and cracks appeared on the walls of many houses. Just a few weeks later a volcanic eruption began in Sundhnukagigar , just a few kilometers from Grindavík, creating significant geological and environmental impacts. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that the eruption, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, followed an intense period of seismic activity characterized by over 8,000 earthquakes, some reaching magnitudes of 4.0 and higher (Icelandic Meteorological office).
The eruption began in the early hours, with tremors felt across the Reykjanes Peninsula, a region already known for its frequent seismic activity. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) had been closely monitoring the area due to increased seismicity and magmatic movements detected in the weeks leading up to the eruption.
As lava began to flow, authorities swiftly moved to evacuate nearby areas to ensure the safety of residents and tourists. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, thanks to the rapid response and effective communication from emergency services.
In the aftermath, the focus remains on monitoring the volcano's activity and assessing the damage. The eruption serves as a reminder of Iceland's volatile environment, shaped by the constant interplay between its tectonic plates. For now, Grindavik's residents and the broader Icelandic community remain vigilant, adapting to the challenges posed by living in one of the world's most geologically active regions.
Explorations of shape, form and colour, with Donna Carnow
Portrait session with pole dancing artist Donna Canrow, Reykjavik, October 2022.
Portrait session with pole dancing artist Donna Carnow, whose skills and strength truly defy gravity. Here’s some of the images we created through our recent collaboration.
Interested in the flow of movement during dancing acts and the way this can be captured through photography, I mostly used slow-shutter speeds to capture the flow of Donna’s movements and emphasize on the overall movement rather than instants of it.
We used a single LED light with variable colour hues for the most part of the shoot, and combined it with a few speedlight flashes for some of the images to freeze motion. I wanted the color palette for the shoot to be vibrant, bold and always changing like the motion in most pole-dancing acts.
Donna Carnow (she/her) - is a Brooklyn-based pole dancer, aerial pole artist, choreographer, teacher, performer, national pole champion, and human pretzel-tornado.
Donna’s performative abilities have been celebrated in the New York Times, Variety, The New Yorker, The New York Post, Theatermania, and more. She is the Pole Sport Organization 2022 US National Pole Art Champion where “she POLE the show” (New York Post). Donna is also known for starring in the off-broadway show Seven Deadly Sins NYC in Bess Wohl’s play, LUST, voiced by Cynthia Nixon. Her performance was described as the “production’s true showstopper” (New York Times). Currently, Donna is a soloist in Company XIV’s production of Nutcracker Rouge, a resident artist at The Slipper Room, and a regular performer in nightlife, circus, and competition spaces + productions worldwide.
Book a shoot or get in touch to learn more about the services I offer
Event Photography - Sóðabrók
Event photography assignment for Sóðabrók, Reykjavik, September 2022.
Assignment for the burlesque performance team of Sóðabrók, Reykjavik, September 2022.
Book a shoot or get in touch to find out more about the services I offer
Merafjall volcano eruption in Reykjanes peninsula. Iceland, August 3rd, 2022.
A new volcanic eruption in the Meradalir valley in the Reykjanes peninsula has given rise to the newly formed Merafjall volcano. Footage from the first night of the eruption.
Intense seismic activity has lead to a new volcanic eruption in the Meradalir valley in Reykjanes peninsula giving rise to the newly formed Merafjall volcano.
Footage from the first night of the eruption. Available for licensing and further field assignments.
The Spectres of Mersin
A sea turtle (Chelonia Mydas) moments after laying its eggs in a beach near Mersin, Turkey.
A year has passed since the day I arrived in Turkey.
A year has passed since I witnessed beaches littered with amounts of plastics and garbage previously thought unimaginable.
A year has passed and so much has changed but also so little. The beaches still polluted, the turtles still struggling to access their rightful land and place to lay their eggs.
Like specters, they come out of the sea, crawling through the wet sand at night, pushing against bottles, rotten foods, cigarette buds, aluminum cans, diapers and all kinds of plastics to give lay their eggs. Pushing against all odds to create life.
I spent almost two months last summer, volunteering for the organization Third Eye Mersin, last summer, which works towards the protection of sea turtles and their nesting grounds close to Mersin, Turkey. Time to start sharing some of the images that we created and share the dramatic story of the sea turtles which come to lay their eggs in the Easter Mediterranean.
Image: A sea turtle (Chelonia Mydas) moments after laying its eggs.
Photographic Diary - Hiking at the Fagradalsfjall Volcano in Iceland
The earth shakes and rumbles under the Reykjanes peninsula with many indications pointing that another volcanic eruption is imminent. Whether that happens or not, the Fagradalsfjall volcano is one the best places for a daily adventure/hike, and it can be done easily from Reykjavik.
Hiking at the Fagradalsfjall Volcano
Words: Evelyn Edward
Images: Odysseas Chloridis
The earth shakes and rumbles under the Reykjanes peninsula with many indications pointing that another volcanic eruption is imminent. Whether that happens or not, the Fagradalsfjall volcano is one the best places for a daily adventure/hike, and it can be done easily from Reykjavik.
The volcano itself is about an hour's drive away from the city, but with lots to see along the way it won't feel like a long drive at all. Four of us from the HI Iceland team set off on a sunny Sunday evening to make the most of the long summer days and make our way up the volcano.
Getting to Fagradalsfjall is a relatively smooth journey along paved road- on our way, we stopped at Lake Kleifarvatn to watch swimmers brave the cold water, as well as Seltún geothermal pools, where water boils from the ground and sulphur stains the ground orange yellow and blue. With the drive taking you through diverse landscapes from snowy mountaintops to grassy plains and moss-covered, rocky landscapes, it feels like you have touched down on another planet.
While the flow of the volcano has slowed down now following its eruption in March 2021- there is no hot rushing magma or crater explosions- it is perhaps even more impressive to see the smoldering lava and let your imagination run wild with what lies under the tall dark rock.
In preparation for the summer high season the infrastructure surrounding the area has had to adapt rapidly- please note there is now a car parking charge- and several routes to viewpoints have been signposted. These vary in length and difficulty- we opted to head up a large hill with a zig-zag path marked out. While fairly easy underfoot, there is a lot of loose gravel that can slip you up- make sure to bring shoes with a good tread.
We trekked our way up to the viewpoint (following Path C towards Langihryggur), slowly but surely while the sun slid behind the mountains. As we got higher we could see more of the valley than before- the lava rock went on for miles, a black, sprawling mass upon the rocky landscape. When we arrived at the top (comfortable but slightly out of breath) we had the best view of the lava steam rising through the cracks in the rocks, creating a contrasting soft white layer over the land. We stood there for a while, taking in the scenery.
On the way down we faced amazing views of the ocean and all the way over to Grindavik- the small fishing town that faced three weeks of earthquakes before the eruption. The sea was so calm and the area so quiet that it was almost hard to believe that hundreds of meters below us, the earth was violent with energy, shifting and reforming itself.
Iceland is a country with a constantly shifting landscape- whether it's the extreme seasons, weather or geographical changes- and we saw that on a mass scale on our trip to Fagradalsfjall. And who knows- with more and more volcanic activity being recorded in the Reykjanes peninsula, the next Fagradalsfjall could happen sooner than we think.
Photographic diary - Ukraine, Lviv March 2022.
Pavel woke up trembling from what seemed like it would be a regular night's sleep, trying to find his documents, some cash and pack his bag with shaking hands, at the first hours of Russia's invasion at Ukraine from the bombs falling around Kharkiv.
Pavel woke up trembling from what seemed like it would be a regular night's sleep, trying to find his documents, some cash and pack his bag with shaking hands, at the first hours of Russia's invasion at Ukraine from the bombs falling around Kharkiv.
He spent the next ten days on an underground shelter, waiting for an evacuation caravan that could take him and other Ukrainians out of the city. He could hear the blasts and feel the tremors of the bombs falling above but had no idea what was happening as it was too dangerous to get out.
The lack of fresh air, sunlight, and the humid conditions of staying underground for so long, damaged his respiratory system.
His bag-pack is now carrying his only possessions. He knows that he might never be able to return home. Kharkiv is leveled to dust and heavy fighting in the city, continues to this day.
I met him in Lviv, as we stayed at the same host through Couchsurfing. He was a lucid dreaming instructor before the war erupted. With dreams, friends, plans, a home.
Now he is stuck in limbo. Like the world of dreams he is so greatly inspired from, he is stuck in an in-between phase. He can't leave Ukraine but neither can stay, as he no longer has a home. On his horizon the only thing that dawns and sets are shades of uncertainty. With nowhere to go, no place to call home, only wait until this ends, only wait until he wakes up from this nightmare.
Lviv, March 2022.
A Night with the Gods
What's magic? For me it's something like the night we spent at the alpine lakes of Flega. Mountaintops, stars, moonlight, fire and alpine lakes coming together to form a spectacle that is unlike anything else.
All of nature’s elements coming together to create a magical experience
It’s been only a month and yet it feels so distant.
It’s been only a month and yet it feels so strange, so far off from the reality we are now into.
I am talking about the recent adventure that I and some friends made at Valia Kalda and more specifically, the mesmerizing night we got to spend at the plateau of the Flega alpine lakes.
That magical night we spent under the stars, listening to the sound of the howling wind and staring at the fire’s primal dance.
It was a long hike. Around 16 km, since we decided to reach the lakes through the long trail that starts from the Valia Calda Mountain Shelter just outside of Vovousa. We got up around 07.00 am and had a quick breakfast before starting our journey. From its beginning, it was clear that this was going to be an epic hike. The valley of Valia Calda is famous around Epirus for its stunning views, waterfalls and colors, especially in Autumn, but I won’t speak much about it, since the national park deserve an article of its own.
After passing through the river of Aoos multiple times, swimming in the natural stone carvings created by its waters, witnessing gigantic primordial trees and hiking until we could no longer feel our legs we reached the plateau.
Surrounded by the nearby mountain tops and standing beneath the Flega peak (from where their name derives), the two lakes offer a view that you seldom have the pleasure of viewing. We usually see lakes on lower altitudes, and in my case, most I have seen were on valleys or at the base of mountains.
But these two sit at the top of a plateau, offering an outstanding view - in front of the lower lake where there is no surrounding land - of tens of other peaks that go as far as the eye can see. It’s a landscape that seems like it was born out of a fairy tale, two mystical lakes hidden underneath the mountain, a place where fairies would come and bathe under a night with a full Moon.
It was already late so we had to set up camp fast. We put up our tents and lighted a fire. The sky was turning into a beautiful deep-blue pallet of colors. Twilight was upon us and it’s my favorite hour to shoot - especially when there is a fire in the scene. The radiant, blazing orange of the fire seemed like a hearth of comfort, a sanctuary of some sort, against the cold but beautiful silence of the surrounding landscape.
We baked some coffee and sat down to enjoy this moment of connection with nature.
As the last rays of the sun started disappearing, the cold air embraced us, but gently, making the body feel an invigorating rush due to the low temperature. We could feel fragrances of pine, coffee, and the smell of burning wood feeling our nostrils. Oh, the smell of burning wood, I just love it. It brings a feeling of coziness in my mind, one that I had longed to feel again.
And the fire. This radiant spectrum of reds and oranges, roaring fiercely with its burning embers. Caressing the body with its warm touch. It’s been a companion of humans for almost 2 million years and its effect on our gaze stands as concrete proof for the role it has played in our evolution and survival. We stood there, watching it tirelessly, devouring its ever-changing colors and tones, as it devoured the wood that we fed it.
Going a bit further away to take some pictures, I turned back and looked at the scene.
It almost looked like a pagan ritual. Three figures standing around a pyre, moving, shouting, playing music, in the middle of nowhere. When witnessing scenes like this my mind goes back, thinking about the first of our species who harnessed the power of fire.
I think of how important it must had been for them to be able to gather around a source of warmth in the relentless cold they had to face. And how beautiful the landscape around them must have looked. Pure and wild, without any of man’s technological interventions, pollution and destruction. Like the scene we had the privilege of enjoying that night - if you exclude our tents of course.
I look up at the night sky. The stars are shining brightly. Another scene we have come to treasure deeply due to its rareness. The night sky that our cities offer is usually home to tens of stars in the best-case scenario. In the wild you see hundreds, thousands or millions. In places with no light pollution and nights with no Moon it can feel like there is more light than darkness up there, and that’s something that words or images can hardly describe. Only your eyes can make you feel the true sensation of witnessing a proper starry night sky out in the wild.
I believe that looking at a night sky full of stars is of paramount importance. It allows our minds to wander off freely, without constraints and borders. It’s a place where reality and fantasy blend into an opaque mix of light and darkness. A place of total detachment from the hustles of everyday life that allows us to get lost on our thoughts, embracing them fully with their light and darkness.
One of the few scenes we are able to observe and actually feel the grandness of the unknown. A liberating source of visual magnificence, reminding us how vast this world we live in is, how little we know about it, how small we are, but at the same time how lucky we are to be alive right now, right here, enjoying this moment.
And for me this is a source of creativity, liberation, and introspection that rejuvenates me like nothing else.
After a few hours the moon started appearing behind a nearby mountain top, dimming the star’s light and filling the sky with its silver radiance.
The water’s surface on the upper lake started glimmering with beautiful shades of green, cyan, blue and grey. If there is a place where dryads lived this would probably be it, and I could almost see them emerging from the lake bathing themselves with water and moonlight.
My roaring imagination was halted by the shivers of my body. The cold had started to become unbearable and it was time for me to go to my tent.
I went back to our fire and stood there for a few minutes warming my hands. A feeling of appreciation filled my mind for the scene we got to experience this day. The stars, the moonlight, the trees, the mountaintops, the sound of birds chirping, the strain on the body’s muscles after a vigorous workout, it’s all things we need but have come to enjoy so seldomly, especially this year with the lock-downs imposed due to COVID-19.
I put out the fire as I started to prepare to go to sleep. Before going in I decided to check it again, making sure it’s properly extinguished. I threw in some water and it made a loud, hissing noise. I looked down at the last burning embers. They looked like sprinkling stars shining out in front of the background of black coal. I looked up the actual night sky and saw the resemblance.
I guess there is beauty everywhere, I thought, you just need to have the eyes to look for it.
The New Normal
The curfew measures imposed by most governments have started getting lifted across the world and with them, a new reality unfolds.
Only time will tell if this “new normal” is good or bad and how long it will stay. What matters is that it’s shifting how our society works, and its important that we as photographers, document this (probably) pivotal change of our society for future reference.
Photographs of the New Normal in Thessaloniki
It was tough, it was strange but we came out of it.
The curfew measures imposed by most governments have started getting lifted across the world and with them, a new reality unfolds.
A new reality with masks, gloves and lots antibacterial hand gels. International travel has been to put a pause. Events, meetings and educational seminars have quickly adapted and moved into digital form.
It still seems surreal, considering how fast this all happened. The world around us has changed and I am eager to see how long this change will last.
Only time will tell if this “new normal” is good or bad and how long it will stay. What matters is that it’s shifting how our society works, and its important that we document this (probably) pivotal change of our society for future reference.
Hair salons were the first to open after the quarantine and barbers were some of the first to face the new reality of having to wear a mask while working.
Children started going out again, enjoying the lovely weather that our city offered for the first days after the quarantine.
Churches are open once again but disinfections have to be carried out to keep places of worship clean and safe.
My little sister taking her school classes through Zoom. Digital video calls became the new normal, replacing traditional school classroom lessons.
A fast-food restaurant employee, looking at the camera. People who work in restaurants and cafes are some of the ones affected the most, as they have to wear masks through long shifts, while working in conditions with high temperatures.
A woman feeding stray cats. People who fed stray animals played an crucial role in keeping cats and dogs on the street alive during the curfew.
Believers sitting on plastic chairs outside of the church of Agios Demetrios to hear the Sunday chant.
Antibacterial hand gels are everywhere.
Many small businesses were brought to their knees during the curfew, seeing their revenue drop to almost zero. Others face the unfortunate possibility of permanently going out of business. The full economic impact of COVID-19 on the Greek economy though remains to be seen.
Many people still to choose to spend time outside by themselves to avoid possible infection or spreading of the disease.
Shoppers have to face long lines outside of almost every shop in the city center.
Two women look at the sunset while keeping a safe distance from each other
Lovers met again, some after 2 months of quarantine.
As the risk for another lock-down continues to stay imminent, I am curious to see if these images will become a relic of the past, reminding us of an odd situation we all faced or become something else, become the new normal.
P.S. A big thank you to my friends at RAW Society for inspiring me to do this short photo essay and helping photographers worldwide develop their skills and visual thinking.