photography Archives - alexandra taylor

With its golden sunsets and sweeping caldera views, there’s a good reason why Santorini is considered one of the most beautiful and iconic islands in Greece. Simply wander the white-washed streets of Santorini and you’ll find endless photo opportunities everywhere you turn. From the famous three blue domes to the crystal blue waters of Amoudi Bay, I’ve put together a guide of the 5 best photo locations in Santorini, Greece that should definitely be on your radar while visiting this stunning place.

Sunset At Oia Castle

One of the most popular spots to take photos in Santorini is from the Byzantine Castle Ruins in Oia, particularly at sunset. The ruins offer a beautiful view overlooking the white-washed buildings of the caldera and the ocean.

Pro Tip: If you want to catch sunset here, you must arrive at least 2 hours early to secure a spot since it gets packed. I usually buy some snacks beforehand like cheese and crackers and also some drinks to pass the time and enjoy while watching the sun go down. Trust me, this view is well worth the wait.

Location: Byzantine Castle Ruins, Oia 847 02, Greece

The Famous Three Blue Domes

The famous three blue domes should definitely be on your list if you’re wandering the streets of Oia. There’s a beautiful staircase that leads down to them, which makes for a perfect photo opportunity. If you do choose to take photos on the staircase, please be respectful to guests staying in the area.

The 5 Best Photo Locations in Santorini, Greece - Allie M. Taylor

If you want to get a different angle of the blue domes like you see above, then head to this spot here. It’s close to the other blue domes and equally as beautiful in my opinion.

Pro Tip: I know I’m repeating myself here, but go early when taking photos of these iconic places! The cruise ship groups tend to arrive around 9 a.m. and that means floods of people will fill the streets, making it that much harder to get the photos you want.

Location: Three Blue Domes, Oia, Greece

From the main shopping street in Oia, turn left at the alley way next to the jewelry store called Apollon Gallery. Once you see the church bell towers on the left take the path on the right towards the blue domes and then you should be able to find the stairway.

The Church Bells in Oia

Right next to the three blue domes in Oia are a pair of church bells that are set against the blue waters of the Aegean sea and the white facades of the caldera buildings. This makes for an incredible photo backdrop, especially during sunset when the light is golden.

Location: Oia Church Bells, Oia, 847 02, Greece

If you’re already on the path to the three blue domes, it’s easy to stop here for some photos before going down the stairway on the right to the domes.

Amoudi Bay

Amoudi Bay is one of my favorite places to hang out during the day and go swimming to beat the blazing summer heat. Just around the corner from the docks is an amazing swimming hole, where sun bathers spread out their towels on every inch of red rock possible to soak up the sun. There’s also some amazing cliffs here if cliff jumping is your thing.

If you’re a fan of seafood then don’t miss out on a meal at one of Amoudi Bay’s incredible restaurants serving the fresh catch of the day. I’ve heard nothing but good things about all the restaurants here, but my personal favorite is Dimitris Amoudi Tavern where you can find some of the freshest seafood in Santorini. Plus you can’t beat that waterfront dining view.

Location: Unnamed Rd,Ormos Ammoudiou 847 02, Greece

To get to Amoudi you can either hire a taxi to the bottom (about 10 euro) or walk 1000 steps from the end of Oia village. If the walk back up is too steep, you can also hire a donkey for 5 euros to take you back up to the top.

Kastra Oia Houses

The “pink house” that you see all over Instagram is actually the Kastra Oia Houses located at the end of Oia village. You can stay here in one of their spacious suites featuring terraces and even hot tubs overlooking the Aegean Sea. There’s also an incredible restaurant owned by the same owners as the hotel, where you can dine on traditional Greek food from from breakfast till dinner. However, you don’t have to stay or eat here to get a beautiful shot of the hotel’s beautiful pink facade. Plus, it’s right off the path if you’re headed down to Amoudi Bay via the stairway route.

Location: Kastra Oia Houses, Oia 847 02, Greece

Do you have any other favorite spots for taking photos in Santorini? Let me know below in the comments.

A xx

Instagram Stories are one of my favorite ways to connect with my audience and show them a more authentic, “behind the scenes” version of my life and the photos I share on Instagram. As Instagram stories continue to be a monumental tool for promoting your brand or business, it’s important to create stories that stand out. Creating beautiful Instagram stories goes a lot further than just sharing quality content. If you’re looking to up your Instagram story game, but aren’t sure how, I’ve put together a list of my top 7 favorite apps I use to create stunning Instagram stories.

1. Unfold

One of the most common questions I’m asked is “What app I use to get the white border around my stories?” The answer is Unfold.

This is one of my favorite apps I use to edit my Instagram Stories and the one I use by far the most. Unfold is a free app that allows you to place photos and/or videos of your choice in easy-to-use templates to create beautiful, minimalist layouts. You can also add text to set the mood and share more context of the story you’re sharing. While the free version alone offers plenty of great templates, I’ve purchased a few other template packs for $0.99 each and the film pack (my personal favorite) for $1.99.

Download for Iphone | Download for Android

2. Over

While Over has always been known for it’s ability to add text over a photo, it also has a powerful feature that allows you to overlay images on top of each other. This makes it great for making collages or creating a story from your photos. While there are millions of different creative templates you can choose from, you can also create your own templates from scratch when you want more flexibility. The app is packed with lots of other “Photoshop-like” tools that make it easy to create images that stand out for your stories. The app is free with the ability to upgrade to a pro version that is $15 a month or $100 a year.

Download for Iphone | Download for Android

3. Hype Type

Hype Type is a great app for adding animated text over photos and videos. It’s an easy way to give your stories that extra touch to make them more engaging. For me, I like using this app to announce new posts on my blog. I can easily give my story an animated title by selecting from a variety of fonts and animation styles. And if you’d like, you can even add music over a video or crop a clip to your desired dimensions. While this app is free initially, you must pay for the features in the premium version and to remove the watermark.

Download for Iphone | Download for Android

4. Storeo

If you’ve ever tried to make an Instagram story while talking that’s longer than 15 seconds, then you know what a pain it is when you get cut off mid-sentence. Storeo solves that problem and makes it easy to create seamless videos. Just import a video of any length you’d like into Storeo and the app will slice the video into 15 second slices for you to upload to Instagram Stories. Now you can stop worrying about the 15 second countdown timer and, instead, focus on what you have to say. The app is free, but you have to pay a small fee if you want to remove the watermark when you export the videos you create.

Download for Iphone

5. VSCO

VSCO has been around since almost the birth of Instagram, but the ability to edit videos with their filters is quite a new feature. I love using this app to make my photos and videos more vibrant and polished for my stories. For example, if a video is too dark, I can simply increase the exposure or even fix the white balance if the colors look off. You can also create your own preset formulas, which I love to use to bulk edit my stories if I’m in a rush and want them to look consistent. The app is a $19.99 yearly subscription fee, which is worth it considering all the tools you get access to.

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6. 8mm

Ever wondered how I get my Instagram stories to look like they were recorded on a vintage camcorder? 8mm is the app you’re looking for! While the app does cost $1.99, it’s highly worth it in my opinion to give your videos a unique, retro look. Simply point the viewfinder at what you want to capture and bring the beauty and magic of old school vintage movies into your very own videos. There are also several filter settings you can choose from depending on the vintage feel you’re going for.

Download for Iphone

7. InShot

InShot is a great app for editing photos and videos on your phone and creating cool layouts. I like using this app to add unique backgrounds to my photos or add another photo behind an image. You can also create collages by adding your desired photos to pre-made templates that are offered within the app. InShot is also really helpful for editing videos. You can add effects like filters, change the speed, and make other edits before uploading your videos to Instagram stories. One thing to note when using this app is to make sure to set the canvas ratio size to 9:16 (Instagram story ratio).

Download for Iphone | Download for Android