Practical tips on how to get the most out of your Santorini off season photoshoot

January 29, 2019February 4, 2019Posted in About Santorini, Anniversary, Engagement, Photo Session, Photography, Tips, VacationTagged engagement photo shoot, santorini, santorini based photographer, travel and tourism, traveling in greece, winterLeave a comment

Practical tips on how to get the most out of your Santorini off season photoshoot

Santorini weather is often a mystery – there are contrasty warm and cold days during off season, and that usually makes couples pretty confused about what to wear on shoot day. Fear not, here’s some tips from a Santorini photographer!

Let’s begin with defining the off season – I would say it’s the winter months from December till March. That’s the time when the weather gets a bit more chilly, and you can take advantage of no crowds of tourists to really explore the whole island of Santorini and it’s small villages and streets. Not to mention it makes for beautiful romantic photoshoots!

The main thing to remember is not to rely on stable weather. It’s really so unpredictable that it might be 18 or 4 degrees outside during your trip. So just be ready and bring a warmer layer of clothing for an unpredictable temperature drop. Dressing in layers is a really good idea for this season, because you can easily adapt by just removing a layer of clothing if it gets too hot.

If you’re one of the couples facing a really cold shoot day, no worries – the weather is still sunny most of the time, so you can wear your flowy dresses etc., just make sure to take a jacket to wear in between locations for maximum comfort. And you can always rely on a cup of hot coffee to get you warm fast ;)

And the last thing to keep in mind is planning. Since the weather is really fluctuating these days, it is best to plan the time of your photo session in the beginning of your trip. This way you can always reschedule if there’s some unpredicted weather change.

Hope this helps, see you in Santorini soon!

Santorini photo sessions in low season with Anna Sulte

Highlights of 2018.

January 9, 2019January 9, 2019Posted in Anniversary, Engagement, Honeymoon, Photo Session, Photography, Post-wedding shoot, Proposal, Solo Traveler, Vacation, WeddingTagged anniversary, engagement photo shoot, pre-wedding photo session, proposal, santorini, santorini based photographer, Santorini sunset, santorini vacation photographyLeave a comment

This year has been a roller coaster. I got to wake up before sunrise, shoot in crazy winds and say ‘hello’ to the magic of city lights. So fun getting to work with new clients and old. Really really grateful for this journey and a big thank you to anyone who has let me into their life to document all these beautiful moments.

Engagements, proposals, post-wedding and anniversary photo sessions by Anna Sulte, photographer located on the island of Santorini.

Enjoy some fine beer and learn more about brewing it in Santorini

December 18, 2018Posted in About Santorini, Culture, Greek food, Photography, TipsTagged cyclades, santorini, santorini life, travel and tourism, traveling in greeceLeave a comment

Enjoy some fine beer and learn more about brewing it in Santorini

Apart from the classic well known tourist attractions that Santorini has to offer all the wonderful people that flock to the Island of Love every year, there’s also some more hidden and niche things to do around here. One of such is definitely is the amazing Santorini Beer Company visit in Thera. Santorini Brewing Company.

This brewery opens its doors to everyone interested and provides a deeper look into their craft beer brewing process as well as some fun facts about the local beer brewing scene and enjoying a cold one in general.

Apart from soaking all the knowledge, this is also one of the best and cheapest ways to enjoy some high quality local beer. If you compare it to the prices you would get in a restaurant, this is definitely the spot to visit and try all the types of Santorini Donkey beer.

It’s also open till late hours, so it can be a nice experience before or during your pub crawl evening around the island :) – it’s ready for you all week long from 12PM to 12AM – just make sure to call them beforehand and check availability.

Photo credit to: Adriana Yampey

Blog post by Anna Sulte photographer on the island of Santorini, Greece

A little walk with Andy & Christy

May 29, 2018May 25, 2018Posted in Engagement, Honeymoon, Photo Session, Photography, VacationTagged destination, engagement photo shoot, holiday, honeymoon, honeymoon photo shoot, Oia, santorini based photographer, travel and tourism, traveling in greeceLeave a comment

A little walk with Andy & Christy

The other day I met the nicest couple from Singapore – Andy and Christy. From the very first seconds I could see that they share a very special connection. We met up in Oia and head on to Imerovigli.

And oh boy, do they look good together. These two hours flied by in seconds, it was truly a great experience. Here are some shots, I just hope that they do this wonderful couple justice. They have an aura of their own in their presence.

For me it’s always such a joy to meet loving people from other cultures – it teaches me that love is universal and even though we’re so different in the ways we act and experience our cultures, we still all love the same way. Singapore has become this special place for me and I have a deep admiration of their culture.

It’s always heartwarming to hear something back from the couples:

Hello Anna !

Thank you for v being such an amazing photographer and making the shoot so comfortable! We love the photos very much! Thank you! Will def recommend you if any of our friend need any

photographer in santorini!

Santorini photo session by Anna Sulte

The dreaded dilemma – Santorini vs Mykonos.

September 25, 2017September 25, 2017Posted in About Santorini, Photography, Places, TipsTagged destination, santorini based photographer, santorini life, santorini vacation photography, traveling in greeceLeave a comment

The dreaded dilemma – Santorini vs Mykonos.

Let me just start off with pointing out that you will have a great time on both of these Greek islands, no doubt! And now let’s get ready to rumble!

In the right corner of the ring – Mykonos:

This is considered the best party island in Greece. If you want to dance till sunrise with your buddies, this is definitely the place for you!
They have clubs with such awesome names as Paradise and Super Paradise which are filled with super high quality thumping club music. These attract famous DJs whose sets usually run into the next day.
Sandy aches with clear water to rejuvenate you after the parties.
Not too family friendly, it will be harder to find things to do for the little ones.

And in the left corner of the ring – Santorini:

Mostly known as the best destination for loving couples, many even arrive to the island from abroad to get married in its scenic destinations.
More cafes and restaurants with a quiet and chilled vibe.
Swimming pools with STUNNING views, like infinity pools that end on the edge of cliffs overlooking the Volcanic Lagoon.
All types of interesting and different beaches, like black beaches formed from volcanic sand.
More family friendly, you can for example go on horse rides and go to a waterpark. If you take kids, double check that with your hotel – some hotels are on a Cliffside and they do not allow children for safety reasons.

The winner: Well, nothing in life is easy. You decide it’s subjective and depends on your needs. But this should help clear up your mind, at least. Whatever you do, make sure to come to Santorini someday. See you there.

Santorini photographer Anna Sulte

FIRST ANNIVERSARY TRIP ADVENTURES

April 6, 2017March 30, 2017Posted in Anniversary, Honeymoon, Photo Session, PhotographyTagged honeymoon, Oia, santorini based photographer, santorini vacation photography, travel and tourismLeave a comment

FIRST ANNIVERSARY TRIP ADVENTURES

Santorini keeps on attracting the loveliest couples and I am tremendously grateful for the chance to meet them here! This couple arrived all the way from Atlanta, USA for their first anniversary trip. They said that this was purely by chance, just because they got a great deal on airfare tickets, but I say it was just meant to be – Santorini finds ways to suck in all the lovers of the world.

The plan was clear – Sara wanted all the best Santorini had to offer. Aegean Sea, Caldera, blue and white architecture and cool doors.

So we set a date, they arrived to the Ikies Traditional Houses in Oia to enjoy the island and yet there was a plot twist…the local ferry operators decided to go on strike. What difference does it make? If they wanted to get off the island, we had to change plans and operate on a tight schedule – Sara called me and we came up with a plan, we had to act fast and meet in the morning of the planned date, do the photo shoot and send them off packing before the ship leaves.

Not a problem! We had to hustle a bit to make it to our meeting place, but I would say this might have filled the photo shoot with extra energy and smiles! The result – pictures that illuminate their positive view and never ending love.

Photo shoot on the island of Santorini.

THE MEANING BEHIND THE POPULAR GREEK SOUVENIR – THE BLUE EYE

January 17, 2017Posted in Culture, Photography, PlacesLeave a comment

THE MEANING BEHIND THE POPULAR GREEK SOUVENIR – THE BLUE EYE

If you have ever been to a Greek souvenir shop or plan to go to one, you will most definitely run into the kind of blue eye that is made in glass. It’s a very popular symbol and it almost always is from Greece when you ask some person wearing it in a necklace, key chain, earrings or a million of other ways. It is popular all right, but few know that it has more than the iconic and classic looks – this souvenir has a very distinct meaning as well.

They call this το μάτι (to máti) in Greek, and it is actually an “evil eye” – an amulet that is supposed to protect you from a curse that is said to be cast by envious people. Whether you believe such things or not is up to you, but if you decide to buy it now you’ll at least know that this is not just an ordinary piece of pretty Greek glass.

SANTORINI VOLCANO – WILL IT ERUPT ANY TIME SOON AND HOW TO GET TO IT?

November 22, 2016November 22, 2016Posted in About Santorini, Culture, Photography, TipsTagged destination, holiday, santorini life, santorini vacation photography, travel and tourism, traveling in greeceLeave a comment

SANTORINI VOLCANO – WILL IT ERUPT ANY TIME SOON AND HOW TO GET TO IT?

Hi, welcome back! Well, I must admit that the part about the eruption was a bit of a cliff hanger. To calm all vacationers, the Santorini volcano IS an active volcano, but experts say that it won’t be erupting any time soon. Besides, if it becomes unusually active, people will be notified well in advance – such places are monitored by scientists nonstop.

Nevertheless, the Santorini volcano is the very reason we have the island of Santorini. The whole island and surrounding smaller islands were created by a massive volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. This is the reason why Santorini has some of the weirdest beaches that the world has to offer, for example the Black and the Red beach, whose volcanic sand have taken a special colour.

Visiting the Santorini volcano is a special moment. You get to feel the power of the earth beneath your feet. When you go on the volcano tour, you take a boat and your final destination is the small uninhabited island Nea Kameni, which is entirely comprised out of relatively new volcanic ash and lava material – this is the place where scientists have placed their equipment for tracking the seismic activity of the volcano. From the moment the boat stops on the island, you can feel the different aura of this place. The active volcano craters are only some 15 minute hike away.

As you stand there next to the crater from which light smoke and sulphur smell emerges, you are once again reminded of the power of nature and the fact that you are but a small and magnificent piece in the bigger puzzle of the universe.

Santorini based photographer Anna Sulte.

HIGHLIGHT of 2015

December 30, 2015December 30, 2015Posted in Anniversary, Engagement, Honeymoon, Photo Session, Photography, Post-wedding shoot, Proposal, Solo Traveler, Vacation, WeddingTagged church, cyclades, engagement photo shoot, holiday, honeymoon photo shoot, Oia, photoshoot, post-wedding photo shoot, pre-wedding photo session, proposal, Santorini sunset, traveling in greeceLeave a comment

A Look Back in photos 2015.
So many amazing new friendships with the couples I was lucky enough to capture. A huge thanks to everyone!
It’s all about you!

We had sessions all around Santorini, at Oia, at the Santorini heart, Firostefani, Fira, Imerovigli and more.

HOW TO PRINT YOUR OWN IMAGES

August 24, 2015December 16, 2015Posted in Photography, TipsTagged engagement photo shoot, honeymoon photo shoot, santorini vacation photographyLeave a comment

HOW TO PRINT YOUR OWN IMAGES

Many of my clients return home and print their Santorini photo session photographs there, so I thought I should give you some basic info on how to achieve the best results. In this case I am doing the photography part i.e. capturing the images and you have the responsibility for picking the right kind of printing — both are equally important to get the best final result. Here are the two basic points to remember:

Don’t expect that very cheap printing will be good quality. If you’re printing your images at Walmart, dollar store etc. don’t expect very good quality. Of course, the price might be tempting, but they’re able to offer the same service at a fraction of the price because they save money on ink, printers and paper — that obviously has an effect on the final outcome.
The resolution of the original files you submit for printing matters — make sure you use the best quality images! If you’re unsure about image sizes, pixels etc., just check the file size of the photograph on your computer — better quality images generate a larger file size. If you’re ever asked to specify a number for ‘’dots per inch’’ or ‘’dpi’’, you should know that 300 dpi is standard and anything below that is considered low quality printing — usually print shops will indicate the image size in pixels they need.

Here you can see how big your printed files would look like on your wall.

On a side note, if you want to print a photograph on a canvas, the print quality might be less than 300 dpi due to the specific material and it will still look good!
Actually, that’s it! If you keep this in mind, you will most definitely get better prints. Happy printing!

To reach this printing quality, but if you’re unsure, you can use this link for guidelines.

Santorini portrait and vacation photographer.

Stormy photo session in Santorini

October 7, 2014December 3, 2014Posted in About Santorini, Honeymoon, Photo Session, Photography, Post-wedding shootTagged photoshoot, santorini based photographerLeave a comment

DON’T WORRY ABOUT RAIN RUINING YOUR PHOTOSHOOT

I get it – rain can be frustrating some times. However, if you have a photo session planned on a rainy day, take it as an opportunity to have more creative shots!

I have now prepared for any kind of weather, including those rainy days (which have a beauty of their own). Rainy days in Santorini actually aren’t that bad – you might even think that they’re very refreshing after the heat! Plus, these days open up new opportunities for more expressive and romantic shots! Don’t worry about getting wet, I have prepared for these kinds of occasions and I can bring my umbrella for you!

Be brave and come outside and you’ll find that the rainy days of Santorini are magical. Even more, the rain usually stops very rapidly and after that the heat and bright sunshine returns. Coming to such a photoshoot gives you an opportunity to have a wide range of different photographs.

So, don’t be sad if you see those rain clouds coming just before your photoshoot. Instead, embrace the day and you’ll find that the rain is actually pretty nice. See you soon!

Photography by Anna Shulte, photographer located in Santorini, Greece

A quick and easy tip for photographing in bright sunlight

August 21, 2014December 3, 2014Posted in Photo Session, PhotographyTagged holiday, santorini vacation photographyLeave a comment

A quick and easy tip for photographing in bright sunlight

Seeing how hot and sunny the summer days are this year, I thought I would like to share a quick and easy tip for capturing your sunny moments in Santorini! Again, this is a tip for those of you who are interested in getting decent photographs of your vacation with little hassle, not an online course in professional photography.

Usually your point and shoot camera will calculate the settings automatically when you press the button. It works fine most of the time, but when facing the bright Santorini sunlight, many cameras get those settings wrong. Let’s imagine you want to take a picture of your friend in front of the sunny Mediterranean Sea. You push the button and the sea looks great but your friend is all black. That’s because the camera calculates the settings based on the full frame of the picture, and most of it is really sunny. The camera does not know that it’s important for you to see your friend’s great smile as well. The solution of this problem is really simple actually, but it seems a bit confusing for some. Just turn your flash on! It seems counterintuitive (why would you need flash in this magnificent, ultra sunny day!?), but it really works. The best thing, however, is to place your friend in some sort of shadow (from a building, a tree, a fence, anything really) and try to make a portrait of your friend keeping the flash on – ideally the flash should produce enough light to dissolve the shadow and make the foreground (your friend) as sunny as the background (sunny ocean, meadow, sky etc.) – this way you keep more detail in your photographs, the midday sun is really harsh and it is generally not the best time for taking photographs.

Professional photographers use the same principles, only their equipment is much more powerful and they have more control of the process. Following these steps should get you decent images most times!

You can view more photos from engagement photo shoot with Jennifer and Jonah in Santorini village Oia.

Should you keep the unedited photos of your photo shoots?

August 6, 2014August 25, 2015Posted in Photo Session, Photography, Solo TravelerLeave a comment

Should you keep the unedited photos of your photo shoots?

Recently there has been a lot of fuss going on about if you should get the RAW file versions of your photographs after photo shoots. You see, most people that are not much into the photography business tend to think that RAW images are an unedited versions of their photographs. Well, not quite so. You see actually RAW files are used by photography professionals only, one RAW file takes much more space then JPG and most likely you won’t even be able to view the files on your computer, let alone print them or share them with your friends. Photographers use special software to handle these files, and they won’t do much good for the client.

Santorini vacation photographer Anna Shulte

SUNSET & NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

July 8, 2014December 3, 2014Posted in Photography, TipsTagged architecture, Santorini sunset6 Comments

SUNSET & NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

I’ve noticed that a lot of people want to capture the magnificent sunsets and nights that cover the small Greek villages when visiting Santorini. Photographing low lit areas can be challenging, so I figure I could give you some quick tips. Off course, the technical possibilities of tourists differ and not all my readers are very much into the technicalities of photography, so I will try to stick to the basics and not trouble you with difficult terms this time J To my mind, it all comes down to three rules:

Think ahead

Sunsets are very brief, actually. That’s why the best photographs come out of good planning. Scope some interesting places while walking around Santorini, notice where the sun sets. Try to make a mental list of the places that might look awesome in sunset or night-time. Off course, the colours are wonderful anywhere during these times of day, but the reality is that the colours themselves are rather boring – you need to find buildings, streets, beaches, trees or anything else to have something more in the shot. Photography is also a mental process; the more you invest preparing the shot, the better the odds of you nailing it.

Keep your camera steady

A tripod works best. If you do not have one, try putting your camera down on a ledge, the roof of your car or any other flat surface and using a timer to take you shots. If that’s not possible, try leaning against something and keep your hands as still as possible. That being said, investing in a tripod really goes a long way. Even a small tabletripod can save your shot sometimes if you find the right spot to place it.

Play around with the settings

Depending on the camera you’re using, you still can improve your shots if they still turn out blurry. If you’re using a simpler point-and-shoot camera, try looking up a night photography or sunset photography mode and hope one of these automatic modes will do their magic. If you have the ability to control the camera’s settings, try a faster shutter speed. Like I said, I won’t get super technical, but you might be able to guess the right settings by just playing around with your camera a bit just don’t lose hope and be persistent! I constantly see people pointing their cameras at something, taking a single photo and deciding to leave it because it does not look good without trying harder. Let me tell you a secret – even professional photographers take loads of photographs and choose one or two perfect shots at the end.

Greek tradition : Burning of Judas!

April 22, 2014June 10, 2014Posted in PhotographyTagged santorini life, travel and tourism1 Comment

First of all, Happy Easter friends :)

Sunday we went to Perissa village and saw Greek tradition : Burning of Judas!

The Burning of Judas is a folk custom done in various places throughout Greece and other places. It is typically perfomed after the midnight service on Easter Sunday. At Perissa, Santorini, the local tradition is to hang an effigy of ‘Judas’ and burn him by shooting him.

Greeks love to celebrate with noise, all Easter night there were fireworks. The boys were throwing petards starting from Friday.

Here is small gallery from Perisa village shooting Judah.

Santorini, the local tradition is to hang an effigy of 'Judas' and burn him by shooting him

The Burning of Judas is a folk custom done in Santorini

Greek tradition : Burning of Judas! Petards

Photos by Anna, photographer based in Santorini

Practical tips on how to get the most out of your Santorini off season photoshoot

Share this:

Engagements, proposals, post-wedding and anniversary photo sessions by Anna Sulte, photographer located on the island of Santorini.

Share this:

Enjoy some fine beer and learn more about brewing it in Santorini

Blog post by Anna Sulte photographer on the island of Santorini, Greece

Share this:

A little walk with Andy & Christy

Santorini photo session by Anna Sulte

Share this:

The dreaded dilemma – Santorini vs Mykonos.

Santorini photographer Anna Sulte

Share this:

FIRST ANNIVERSARY TRIP ADVENTURES

Photo shoot on the island of Santorini.

Share this:

THE MEANING BEHIND THE POPULAR GREEK SOUVENIR – THE BLUE EYE

Share this:

SANTORINI VOLCANO – WILL IT ERUPT ANY TIME SOON AND HOW TO GET TO IT?

Share this:

A Look Back in photos 2015. So many amazing new friendships with the couples I was lucky enough to capture. A huge thanks to everyone! It’s all about you!

Share this:

HOW TO PRINT YOUR OWN IMAGES

Santorini portrait and vacation photographer.

Share this:

Share this:

A quick and easy tip for photographing in bright sunlight

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

First of all, Happy Easter friends :)

Share this:

A Look Back in photos 2015.
So many amazing new friendships with the couples I was lucky enough to capture. A huge thanks to everyone!
It’s all about you!