All roads lead to death. Enjoy the journey.

Short story:

My most sold and printed photograph was a result of a 2-minute flight over Santorini while the model was on her period.

Long story:

While you see an OCD-satisfying artwork, I see and vividly remember the freezing December cold and the effort that went into making it possible.

Let me explain.

It was December 12th, my birthday, which I never celebrate, so I decided to go out for a quick walk. I remember grabbing the drone bag at the last second before I closed the door. It’s my curse to witness the best sunsets every time I leave my camera behind.

Winters in Santorini are very slow and peaceful, the time of year we locals get to enjoy the island. Those who have visited during the winter know what I’m talking about.

That day, I flew my drone over Imerovigli to collect some stock footage I planned to use later. Near the end of the flight, just as the low battery warning kicked in, I spotted a beautiful pattern of gray and white stairways. The hotel was closed for the season, so the area was dirty, and the pools looked like swamps. Yes, there’s actually a pool in this shot.

Somehow, inspiration struck while the drone hovered midair at 13% battery, on the verge of emergency landing.

I saw it in my mind: the top-down shot of a girl lying down at the center of the yard. I asked her to take off her clothes and lay down at the bottom of the main stairway. She thought I was joking!

It was 3 p.m., 10°C (50°F), and people were walking by. On top of that, she was on her period.

Somehow, I managed to convince her to do it.

Every second counted. I didn’t have time to finesse the pose. I was shouting, “Play dead!” and “Relax your wrists!”

Seconds later, the drone initiated an emergency landing. I had taken just one shot.

Did I mention I had only one battery with me?

I went back home, hoping I could salvage the image.

I reviewed the shot, unsure if it could be saved. The hotel’s off-season state left the image cluttered with imperfections, dirty stairways, a murky pool, and bags full of debris. Over the next two days, I worked on the photo, cleaning every detail in post-production. This wasn’t about shortcuts or AI edits (which weren’t even an option at the time). It was about long hours of manual work.

This picture has become my most sold and printed photograph to date, earning multiple international photography awards.

Want to dive deeper? Read about the making of ‘I Won’t Forget You’.