When people talk about the Greek Island of Santorini, they often say that it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. In my opinion, all of the positive things people say about this Aegean paradise are one hundred percent true. From the scenery, to the food and wine, to the wonderful attitudes of both the residents and visitors, Oia is simply spectacular from every angle.
Though there are dozens of beautiful vantage points all over town, this is probably one of the most popular and iconic views that can be captured of Oia. It’s also the main viewing area where thousands of people gather every single night for the chance to witness a famous Santorini sunset. It’s a crowded area to say the least and once the sun dips below the horizon, the entire town joyously erupts into cheers and applause.
This spot is beautiful to experience every day but most often the skies around Santorini remain a constant stark blue. If you’re lucky however, there are a few times during the season when you can capture the town of Oia under beautiful dramatic clouds. I spent 10 days patiently waiting for this opportunity and on my third to last day, that patience finally paid off. 🙂
Technical Mumbo Jumbo
Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 14-24 f/2.8 (Shot at 22mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 at f/8
2 exposures: 6 Seconds and 13 Seconds
Location: Shot in Oia, Santorini – September 2013 and post-processed in Taipei, Taiwan – March 2014
Hardware: 15” 2013 Macbook Pro Retina, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet
Software: Lightroom 5, Photoshop CS6, Nik Color Efex Pro 4
Post-processing: A very straight forward blend of the 13 second exposure for the main scene and the 6 second exposure for the extreme highlights. The colors were naturally vibrant and beautiful so I only made small tweaks using a combination of adjustment layers and Nik Color Efex Pro. Sharpening was applied using a high pass filter.
Espresso: Unfortunately, I’m almost fresh out of Lavazza and I’m leaving for Shanghai tomorrow. I better stock up in Taipei before my flight!
