My photo in the “Monochrome” exhibition

One of my black and white photos (the one you see above) was selected in an international photography contest to be part of the “Monochrome” exhibition at the Blank Wall Gallery in Athens. Apart from being very excited about the distinction, I am also very proud to be exhibiting alongside some truly talented photographers from across the globe.

At the opening night I happened to overhear a conversation that resembled that of a friendly wager for the location at which my photo was taken. One person was saying that it must have been at a sports stadium, another was sure it was at an ancient amphitheatre. In fact, they were both wrong!
I approached them to ask what led them to believe that it was taken at either of these places and they pointed to the steps reflected on billboard surface. While one was seeing bleachers suggesting a stadium, the other was seeing the round shape of the stairs alluding to an ancient theatre.

Sometimes when you see something it’s difficult to unsee it. I had snapped this photo in Rome, more specifically, in a tunnel while exiting Vatican City. Obviously, having been at the actual scene, I had never noticed the roundness of the steps that were a mere result of the converse surface they were reflected on. This gave me a new perspective on this photo and made me reflect upon the different ways one can see and interpret an image based on their personal experiences. 🙂

The exhibition runs until March 8th and it is really well curated, so make sure to stop by and travel through the black and white prints of many fantastic photographers from around the world.


55 Fokionos Negri Street
11361 – Athens – Greece

Tibidabo Dream Come True

 

It’s hard to imagine, but even after 4 years of living in Barcelona, I had never visited Tibidabo. I would see it across the city practically every day when I’d walk my dog around Montjuic, and I had walked and biked in the Carretera des Aigues, but never actually made it up there.

Until on one of my visits back, when my dear friend asked me what I’d like to do when I arrive, I boldly replied: I want to go to Tibidabo! So we did. And it was great! 😀

 

 

Of course the church is beautiful…

But the amusement park and the views are breathtaking!

By the way, we got there just as the amusement park was closing, so maybe next time I’ll actually make it to some of the rides too! 😉

Toledo

Characterized as “Imperial City” or “City of three cultures”, Toledo’s medieval flair and intrinsic history lives up to UNESCO’s World Heritage title.

 

Madrid… ¡está fetén!

Madrid: the capital of Spain, the country’s geographic centre, a cultural and political hub. This city is a lot of things and there’s definitely something there for everyone.

I must have been to Madrid about 5 or 6 times, yet every single time has been different from the last. I could come back a hundred more times and probably still enjoy it just as much. So I wonder, what makes this city so unique?

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you by talking about all the monuments, architecture and touristic attractions that could easily fill a couple of weeks if you plan to visit them all. I won’t deny though, that there are some amazing sites that appear in most tourist guidebooks and they’re well worth your time and money, but there’s a different dynamic that makes Madrid special.

Even though it’s the third largest city in the European Union, Madrid has somehow managed to harmonically introduce modern infrastructure while preserving the ambience of many of its historic neighbourhoods. Perhaps that’s what’s so particular about Madrid. The neighbourhoods, each one with its own character, somehow create mini cities within a larger city, providing a totally unique experience to the visitor, depending on where they stay and in which area they move around.

There are 128 barrios in Madrid that belong to 21 districts, all very well connected to each other with public transport. Think about that. From the historic barrio of La Latina known for its lively streets and nightlife, to Goya with the WiZink centre for sports matches and concerts, the city is full of little surprises for the visitor and local alike.

Sure, you can find sunny squares, tapas bars with cold beer and delicious delicacies, and bustling bars in other cities as well. To be honest, Madrid would be just another large city if it wasn’t for the madrileños. After all, what’s a city without its inhabitants? The Madrid locals really do wonders when it comes to winning you over, because it’s just the way they are: open, friendly, talkative, pleasant, cheerful.

So is that it? Interesting neighbourhoods with a lot to discover and great locals? Maybe… Or maybe I just need to go back to Madrid to figure it out. 😉

está fetén = wonderful (Madrid slang)
barrio = neighbourhood, ward
madrileño = from Madrid

Görüşürüz Istanbul

Such a vibrant city with incredibly friendly locals and so many things to discover!

My time in Istanbul was short, so I have not said goodbye… Görüşürüz Istanbul! See you soon. 🙂

Humans for Change Live @ Impact Hub Istanbul

On January 26th, I joined seven other young changemakers at the Impact Hub in Istanbul for the Humans for Change Summit. The aim of the Summit was to share personal stories about how each of us initiates and creates social change in their local community and to engage the attendees in workshops that will help them develop their own ideas locally.

Below is the live video of the changemaker stories. Each story is very unique and inspiring, but if you’re curious to hear what I had to say about how photography can contribute to social change, go to 31:30′. 🙂

I hope you enjoyed it and that you were even a tiny bit inspired to contribute to your local community as well.

#bOObs on Instagram

The #bOObs project is live on Instagram!

Follow #bOObs on Instagram for tips and insights on self awareness and breast cancer awareness, share your personal stories, and get to know awesome women through their photos and their journey. Be sure to tune in for Instagram Stories with behind the scenes pics and to discover other cool accounts.

If you’d like to be part of the #bOObs project, contact me via email.

Halloween photoshoot

Happy Halloween everyone!

Check out these spooktacular photos of my vampire model and keep your major arteries covered.

 

Alberto & Caterina’s Wedding

Alberto and Caterina’s love story could be something out of a Hollywood script. A young and beautiful Italian actress travels to Barcelona and meets a successful young lawyer. They fall in love and Caterina decides to take a bold step and move to Barcelona. Over time their love grows and the bond becomes stronger. During a trip to the USA, Alberto proposes to Caterina in a National Park and the rest is history! ❤

These two love birds took their vows at the beautiful church of Sant Feliu in Alella, a few kilometers from Barcelona. Friends and family from Spain and Italy joined them in celebration at the magnificent restaurant of Mas Coll, followed by a vivid party. The attention to detail and exquisite taste filled the entire evening with charm and elegance.

Take a look at the graceful Caterina and the handsome Alberto on their special day… as they lived happily ever after.

Nikos & Maria: The day after

You might remember the lovely couple, Nikos and Maria from their traditional wedding in an urban setting.

Well, the day after their wedding, they invited all their friends to brunch. Many of them had come from far away for the wedding and they might not be able to meet again soon, so this was a perfect opportunity for some good laughs and group shots before I got my private time to photograph the happy couple.