Our DIY Santorini Report

[JediGuy415]

Greetings: My wife turned me on to your posts because she loved your photos and knows that I'm a photo buff and thought I might learn a few things from you. They are fantastic photos and I suspect my wife was right in that I have much to learn from your experience.

 

On that subject, I was wondering if you hand held for these photos or did you bring a tripod? I am taking my 7D and recently purchased the 24-105 lens that you used (I've rented it several times and find it to be an outstanding lens). I will also have the 16-35 2.8 which I am renting.

 

Which cpl do you use? I was thinking of buying a B+W one because the brand has a great reputation.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Steve

 

Again: beautiful work!

[VirtualRain]

Greetings: My wife turned me on to your posts because she loved your photos and knows that I'm a photo buff and thought I might learn a few things from you. They are fantastic photos and I suspect my wife was right in that I have much to learn from your experience.

 

On that subject, I was wondering if you hand held for these photos or did you bring a tripod? I am taking my 7D and recently purchased the 24-105 lens that you used (I've rented it several times and find it to be an outstanding lens). I will also have the 16-35 2.8 which I am renting.

 

Which cpl do you use? I was thinking of buying a B+W one because the brand has a great reputation.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Steve

 

Again: beautiful work!

 

Thanks Steve.

 

I handheld all these photos. I only use a tripod in fading light when longer exposures are necessary.

 

Those lenses will serve you well but are both designed for full frame and thus you may find yourself swapping lenses more than you might like. If you're sticking with your 7D for the long haul you should look at the 17-55 f2.8 EFS it has L-quality optics in an ideal zoom range for APS-C sensors. However if you plan to upgrade to full frame at some point you have ideal lenses already.

 

I use B+W filters. I got mine from a HK dealer...maxsaver.net. They use to be much cheaper, not sure if that's still the case.

 

Besides good gear, I believe spending time in post with Aperture or Lightroom is critical to getting the most out of your photos. See my earlier in the thread for more insights on this.

 

Good luck, and be sure to share some of your photos when you get back. :)

[sgcc2866]

I'm still struggling with when and how to proceed in Santorini and wondered if anyone could help me out with practical tips? I'm arriving on the NCL Jade in October from 2:30-10:00pm and sunset is planned for 6:45pm. It's limited in terms or time, so we want to make the very best use of what we have. As well, we will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in Santorini which is especially memorable. We're not into food and drinks, but more interested in sights and photography!

From what I'm reading it seems that if you don't have an excursion with the ship you are ported in Old port and need to take the cable car, walk or donkey and you may be in the line for more than 1 hr. We are arriving later, and wondered what others have experienced in terms of delays? It may be possible to book a low cost excursion with the ship if time is valuable. If not, is it best to rent a car or ATV prior to arrival? I've read that the bus is unreliable and may not be the best option.

My wish list is to see Oia (take lots of pics), Fira, black beaches and sunset. Not interested in museums or shopping. Love seeing how "real people" live so just wandering around.

 

Sorry for all the questions.

Edited March 17, 2013 by sgcc2866

[sgcc2866]

Thanks. I'm glad you found this helpful.

 

I'm actually jealous of your itinerary... I would love to experience a Santorini sunset and evening. The hour just before and following the sunset should make for some spectacular photos, never mind the sunset itself.

 

If I had the chance to be there at the hours you mention I would spend the early afternoon in Fira and then head to Santorini with a desire to be there for those two hours around sunset taking photos. I would make a dinner reservation upon arrival at one of the restaurants there that strike your fancy in case it gets busy later.

 

If your husband has a portable tripod, I'd encourage him to take it as the photos of Oia in the dying light would probably be awesome.

 

After sunset, I'd grab dinner and then head back to Fira and the ship.

 

Good luck and if you remember, be sure to post back with your own experience and photos. I'd love to see Oia in the evening! :)

 

Thanks Virtual Rain,

Did you experience any delays getting off the ship? If we go to Oia later in the day, would you suggest renting an ATV, going to the beaches, then to Oia and leaving at what time? How much time should be allot to get back to Fira, return a vehicle and make the cable car?

Thanks

[VirtualRain]

Thanks Virtual Rain,

Did you experience any delays getting off the ship? If we go to Oia later in the day, would you suggest renting an ATV, going to the beaches, then to Oia and leaving at what time? How much time should be allot to get back to Fira, return a vehicle and make the cable car?

Thanks

 

While every ship probably handles tendering priority slightly differently, generally, it's a first come, first serve basis. Just be alert for what the process is on the Jade and be prepared to queue up early so you're among the first off. Also check cruiseTT.com for the port load (ships/passengers) for Santorini on the day you're there. That will give you an idea of how busy things will be. For example, on the day we were there, we were the only ship that arrived in the morning, and only one other came in the afternoon, meaning lineups for donkeys or the Gondola were never long. It would be a very different situation if 5 ships all arrived at the same time.

 

You already have my recommendations both in a post above and from my original post... But one other bit of advice from me... I would skip the beaches. Unless you are super passionate about beaches, there is much more to take in on the cliff side of the island. A trek to the beach side is a waste. You can see beaches any where, but you can't see some of the unique aspects of Fira and Oia anywhere else. As I said above in post #43, I would spend the first part of the afternoon exploring Fira, then rent a car or ATV and head to Oia, enjoy the late afternoon and sunset there, have a romantic dinner overlooking the amazing scenery in the dying light, and then head back.

 

I would allow 1hrs to drive back, return the car, and catch the Gondola down if you're the only ship leaving at 10PM... Add an additional 30min if there's more ships. So if the last tender is at 9:30, I would leave Oia no later than 8:30, but I would probably add an extra 30 min to be safe, and leave Oia by 8PM. Alternatively, if there's a lot of ships all departing around 10PM, you could go to Oia first (early in the afternoon) and finish your evening with dinner in Fira instead so you have a bit more flexibility in terms of catching the Gondola down.

[sgcc2866]

Thanks Virtual Rain!

I did check and from my review it looks like we are the only ship, so just the passengers of the Jade. I explored tours for the island, but too expensive, so will be doing the DIY, which you and everyone else seems to think isn't difficult at all. I hope so! :)

We will definitely follow your suggestions and make sure we have time to make it back for the ship. Your help has been invaluable and thanks again!

[VirtualRain]

Thanks Virtual Rain!

I did check and from my review it looks like we are the only ship, so just the passengers of the Jade. I explored tours for the island, but too expensive, so will be doing the DIY, which you and everyone else seems to think isn't difficult at all. I hope so! :)

We will definitely follow your suggestions and make sure we have time to make it back for the ship. Your help has been invaluable and thanks again!

 

If you're the only ship, that's golden! Have a blast.

[vintagelove]

Hi VirtualRain,

 

Your DIY report is amazing! I read in one of your responses about checking out the site, cruisett.com, to see how many other ships will be at the port on the same day. We're about 5 months away from when we will be arriving in Santorini so I was just wondering how accurate this website is. Right now, there's only one other ship arriving into Santorini when we will be there. I'm curious to know if it's common that as our sailing dates draws nearer, the website will be adding more ships that dock in each port as to keep it up to date.

 

This will be our first cruise outside of the Caribbean so forgive me if I sound very lost! Santorini has been on my travel wish list for years now so I'm really looking forward to visiting there.

 

Also, I'd like to get your thoughts about doing a DIY trip if we're scheduled to dock from noon - 8PM. I'd love to explore the city on our own without the cruise excursion but am concerned that the wait lines to get up to Oia will be long by the time we arrive.

 

I greatly appreciate any advice you have to offer! :)

[trav25]

FYI: When we were there a few years ago, it was the line trying to get back to the ship that was the problem. We stood for a couple hours while waiting. People a ways behind us finally ran down the donkey paths. We caught the last tender back. The couple that ran down, got in the tender with donkey dung all over their shoes.

 

We are going back again in May and we aren't worried about up but are worried about down.

[VirtualRain]

Hi VirtualRain,

 

Your DIY report is amazing! I read in one of your responses about checking out the site, cruisett.com, to see how many other ships will be at the port on the same day. We're about 5 months away from when we will be arriving in Santorini so I was just wondering how accurate this website is. Right now, there's only one other ship arriving into Santorini when we will be there. I'm curious to know if it's common that as our sailing dates draws nearer, the website will be adding more ships that dock in each port as to keep it up to date.

 

This will be our first cruise outside of the Caribbean so forgive me if I sound very lost! Santorini has been on my travel wish list for years now so I'm really looking forward to visiting there.

 

Also, I'd like to get your thoughts about doing a DIY trip if we're scheduled to dock from noon - 8PM. I'd love to explore the city on our own without the cruise excursion but am concerned that the wait lines to get up to Oia will be long by the time we arrive.

 

I greatly appreciate any advice you have to offer! :)

 

Thanks.

 

I'm not sure how accurate CruiseTT is... It has been accurate for me in the past (several months out), but that's no guarantee. As far as I know, it scrapes cruise schedules from all the major lines websites, so it should be accurate many months in advance and shouldn't change much, if any, as the date draws nearer. The only issue may be an error in collecting data from one or more cruise lines sites, or the complete absence of some major lines, but again, it has been accurate for at least my past 4 cruises (two Medi, and two Caribbean).

 

For an afternoon and evening in Santorini see posts 43 & 55 where I was discussing his with another person. It's an envious itinerary. You should have a good time... Especially if you're the only ship in port at that time. You won't have any trouble getting down if you don't try to head back at the very last minute (never a good idea at any port that involves tendering).

 

Enjoy!

[librarylady19]

Thanks for your very helpful and detailed report. We are very interested in renting an ATV - do you need an international drivers license?

[VirtualRain]

Thanks for your very helpful and detailed report. We are very interested in renting an ATV - do you need an international drivers license?

 

No you don't really need an international drivers license/permit (IDP) in any Euro jurisdiction I'm aware of... I've never been asked for it in any country where I've rented cars (Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, UK). However, it is a good thing to have with you when travelling, if for no other reason than to show local Police you're prepared in the event you get stopped. It's essentially a standardized and translated version of your govt issued drivers license, making it easy for foreign police to figure out what type of vehicle you're licensed to operate. So, even if you don't really need one, it doesn't hurt to get one and carry it with you.

[PHCM]

Thanks for your tips on Santorini! I absolutely "HATE" organized bus tours, following a bunch of fat, sunburned Yanks who are, in turn, in lock-step with a guide waving a flag is certainly not my idea of an enjoyable trip!

 

I like to plan my own tours and to travel like I want to. In fact, if it was not for the fact that a Greek Islands Cruise has always been my wife's dream, I would have opted to skip around the islands on a Greek Ferry.

 

IMO, the problems with cruise ships are:

 

1. No very early or golden hour photo opportunities

2. Too short time in any one port

3. The hoards of tourists that are disgorged from the ship or ships.

 

Anyway, I am reserving an ATV with Markos for our time in Santorini. This seems like the best way to travel around for photographic purposes...

 

Your images are just great and I am lloking forward to capturing some of my own...

 

Thank you for posting!

[VirtualRain]

Thanks for your tips on Santorini! I absolutely "HATE" organized bus tours, following a bunch of fat, sunburned Yanks who are, in turn, in lock-step with a guide waving a flag is certainly not my idea of an enjoyable trip!

 

I like to plan my own tours and to travel like I want to. In fact, if it was not for the fact that a Greek Islands Cruise has always been my wife's dream, I would have opted to skip around the islands on a Greek Ferry.

 

IMO, the problems with cruise ships are:

 

1. No very early or golden hour photo opportunities

2. Too short time in any one port

3. The hoards of tourists that are disgorged from the ship or ships.

 

Anyway, I am reserving an ATV with Markos for our time in Santorini. This seems like the best way to travel around for photographic purposes...

 

Your images are just great and I am lloking forward to capturing some of my own...

 

Thank you for posting!

 

Haha... Great post. Thanks and I totally agree with cruise itineraries not being ideal for photographers. But I look at cruising as a great way to skim a lot of interesting places very comfortably. And the photo opps are still pretty fantastic. We also like to spend additional time in places we love (eg Rome) pre or post cruise or even on land trips. Santorini ranks as one of those places I will be going back to. It's worthy. ;)

[eman845]

Virtual, your pics are simply awesome. Do you use polarizing filters in any of these shots ( here or in Athens) or is the light contrast good enough without?

[VirtualRain]

Thanks!!! I use a polarizer as much as possible... Always on sunny days.

[delraydoll]

Pls pass on any info re renting the ATV. We're thinking of spending 3 nites in Santorini May 2014 before our Black Sea cruise. Want to stay in Oia. Send any info direct to my email cyr13408@yahoo.com. Many thanks.

[VirtualRain]

Pls pass on any info re renting the ATV. We're thinking of spending 3 nites in Santorini May 2014 before our Black Sea cruise. Want to stay in Oia. Send any info direct to my email cyr13408@yahoo.com. Many thanks.

 

Everything I know I put in the first post.

[montycjv]

Haha... Great post. Thanks and I totally agree with cruise itineraries not being ideal for photographers. But I look at cruising as a great way to skim a lot of interesting places very comfortably. And the photo opps are still pretty fantastic. We also like to spend additional time in places we love (eg Rome) pre or post cruise or even on land trips. Santorini ranks as one of those places I will be going back to. It's worthy. ;)

 

You may very well be the best photographer we have seen! We will be in Santorini this July on a Monday from 1:30 -10:00 pm. Based on those unfortunate evening hours, we may not be able to fit everything in.

 

Do you still recommend an ATV rental. We want to see "everything" you posted above and the dining and wine sound amazing too, but we might be short on daylight. Please let us know your thoughts! Thanks! :)

[VirtualRain]

You may very well be the best photographer we have seen! We will be in Santorini this July on a Monday from 1:30 -10:00 pm. Based on those unfortunate evening hours, we may not be able to fit everything in.

 

Do you still recommend an ATV rental. We want to see "everything" you posted above and the dining and wine sound amazing too, but we might be short on daylight. Please let us know your thoughts! Thanks! :)

 

Wow... thank you very much!

 

I'm actually jealous of your itinerary there... apparently a Santorini sunset is to die for and Oia or Fira in the fading light must be something to see! Anyway, I wrote more about how I might spend an afternoon/evening there in posts #43 and #55... check those out. As for the ATV, I'm not sure I'd rent an ATV if I was going to be riding around at night. I'd probably opt for a proper car, or a Smart car or something that I know has headlights etc. The public bus is another option which may be fine depending on how many ships are in port at the same time as I hear it can get packed and frustrating to wait when there are many ships in port together.

Edited April 25, 2013 by VirtualRain

[Toronto2013]

Hey VirtualRain,

 

Thanks for sharing your DIY report and pictures.. Your review is very helpful and has convinced us to see Santorini on our own.

 

We are from Canada and will be getting an IDP for car. Had a couple of questions:

1. Is it easy to drive an ATV on Santorini? I drove one in Aruba and had a hard time turning it..

2. I think we'll be more comfortable driving a scooter... But would need a bike license to do so :-( An alternative is to get a scooter with our car IDP without insurance...

3. How's the traffic? Are the roads steep? Are you aware of any random checks done by police?

 

Thanks a ton!

[compulady]

Great images, thanks for the Map.

[VirtualRain]

Hey VirtualRain,

 

Thanks for sharing your DIY report and pictures.. Your review is very helpful and has convinced us to see Santorini on our own.

 

We are from Canada and will be getting an IDP for car. Had a couple of questions:

1. Is it easy to drive an ATV on Santorini? I drove one in Aruba and had a hard time turning it..

2. I think we'll be more comfortable driving a scooter... But would need a bike license to do so :-( An alternative is to get a scooter with our car IDP without insurance...

3. How's the traffic? Are the roads steep? Are you aware of any random checks done by police?

 

Thanks a ton!

 

Great... glad this was useful.

 

ATV's are difficult to turn on a dime, that's for sure... but I don't have a lot of experience with ATV's and found getting around one one to be easy. I feel it's safer than a scooter which is why I'd always opt for one when I have the choice.

 

Some places in Fira also offer a Smart Car which is probably even safer, although I suspect it's a lot more expensive.

 

There wasn't a lot of traffic on the roads but when there was some, I would pull to the side to let them pass me as I was often slower mostly because the ATV I had was gutless compared to a car. I didn't see any police the day we were puttering around.

 

I don't think you need a motorbike license to rent a scooter. As far as I know, the use of scooters is permitted under any driver's license in most jurisdictions that I'm aware of.

 

By the way, I think a lot of people are under the misconception you need an international driver permit to rent vehicles in Europe. I've never encountered any rental agency in Europe (UK, Germany, Greece, Italy) that wanted and IDP. They were perfectly happy with my home drivers license. I believe where an IDP may be important is when the police demand to see your driver's license. In this case, having an IDL is probably wise, although I don't know this part from personal experience. (knock on wood) :p

Edited May 1, 2013 by VirtualRain

[Toronto2013]

Thank you - this is very helpful!

[Swissguy69]

VirtualRain, we're heading to Santorini as well in a few weeks. Just curious how you got the great contrast in your shots. Are you using a polarizing filter?