Questions, answered first
Forty questions couples ask before booking a photographer in Santorini, with the short answer first. Every price and policy here is the one we work by; if something is missing, WhatsApp us and we answer within 24 hours.
Cost and value
How much does a photographer cost in Santorini?
Independent photographers in Santorini charge about €150 to €300 for 30 to 60 minutes and €350 to €700 for two to three hours. We charge €349 for one hour with 60 or more edited photos, and every extra hour adds €150 and 50 photos. Weddings start at €890 for a three-hour elopement.
How much does a Santorini photoshoot cost?
Our couple and honeymoon sessions cost €349 for one hour, €499 for two hours in two villages and €649 for three hours across three villages with transport included. Prices are per group of up to four people, with no payment until we confirm your date.
How much does a proposal photographer cost in Santorini?
The Secret Proposal package costs €349: Alexandros photographs the moment from a hidden position, then shoots 20 minutes of portraits. You receive 50 or more edited photos within two to three days. Add a next-morning couple session for €549 in total, or a proposal film for €390.
How much are engagement photos in Santorini?
Engagement and pre-wedding sessions use the same ladder as couple sessions: €349 for one hour and 60 or more photos, €499 for two hours in two villages and 110 or more photos. Delivery within one week in a private online gallery.
How much is a wedding photographer in Santorini?
Our wedding coverage costs €890 for a three-hour elopement, €1,490 for a six-hour half day and €2,290 for a ten-hour full day. A second photographer is €350 and a wedding film starts at €1,490. Galleries arrive in four to six weeks with a sneak peek within 48 hours.
How much does an elopement photographer cost?
€890 for three hours, which covers a short ceremony on a caldera terrace or in a chapel plus portraits at golden hour, with 150 or more edited photos. Most elopements also add the 60-second reel (€120) or drone footage where permitted (€200).
Is it worth hiring a professional photographer in Santorini?
If you want photos of both of you at the right spot in the right light, yes. Phone photos from the busy viewpoints rarely work: the light is behind you, the crowds are in the frame and nobody is in the picture together. A local photographer knows which terrace is empty at 19:10 and which path catches the last light.
Are Santorini photo tours worth it?
A private photo tour gives you two hours of walking through Oia, Imerovigli and Fira with a photographer who knows the quiet corners, plus 110 or more edited photos. It replaces a guided walk and a photoshoot with one booking, which is why couples on a short visit choose it.
What extra costs should I budget for?
Almost none. Add-ons are optional: extra hour €150, express 48-hour delivery €90, drone footage €200, 60-second reel €120. A few church courtyards charge a small entry fee, and taxis or transfers between villages are yours unless you book the three-hour session, which includes transport.
Is the price different if friends come along?
Couple sessions are priced per group of up to four people, so two friends can join at no extra cost. Families of up to six book the Family Session at €349; beyond six people we add €40 per extra family. Larger groups get a quote.
Do you charge hourly or by package?
By package, and every package follows one rule: one hour costs €349 with 60 or more photos, and each extra hour adds €150 and 50 photos. That makes the two-hour session €499 and the three-hour session €649. Weddings have their own ladder.
Do you offer a discount for weekday or sunrise sessions?
No. Prices are the same every day of the week and at sunrise, which is already the cheapest way to get empty streets in Oia. We keep the ladder simple so you always know what a session costs before you ask.
Booking and logistics
How far in advance should I book?
Four to eight weeks ahead for June to September, when sunset slots fill first. Two to three weeks is usually enough in spring and autumn. Last-minute requests are welcome; we answer within 24 hours and often the same day.
Do I need to book in advance?
Not necessarily. If a slot is free you can book the day before. Surprise proposals need a little more lead time so we can agree on the spot, the signal and the timing with you in private.
What happens if it rains?
We move the session to another time or day at no cost. Rain is rare from May to October, but strong wind is not, so we decide together the day before and switch to a sheltered village or a later slot when needed.
How long is a session?
One, two or three hours for couples, families and tours. A surprise proposal takes about one hour including 20 minutes of portraits after the yes. Elopements run three hours, weddings six or ten.
How many photos will I receive, and are they all edited?
60 or more for one hour, 110 or more for two hours, 160 or more for three hours, 50 or more for a proposal. Every delivered photo is edited for color and light. We do not deliver RAW files.
How and when do we get the photos?
In a private online gallery with full-resolution downloads. Proposals arrive within two to three days, sessions within one week, weddings within four to six weeks with a sneak peek inside 48 hours. Express delivery within 48 hours is a €90 add-on.
We arrive on a cruise ship. Can we book?
Yes. We time the session to your tender hours and meet you in Fira or Firostefani, a few minutes from the cable car. One hour is enough for the caldera path and a rooftop; two hours adds Imerovigli. Tell us the ship and its departure time when you request a date.
How many people can join?
Up to four on couple packages and up to six on the Family Session. Beyond six we add €40 per extra family, and larger groups such as wedding parties get a quote.
Is hotel pickup or transport included?
Transport is included in the three-hour Grand Session, which moves between three villages. For other sessions we meet at the first location, which is always a short walk or taxi ride from the main road. We can help you plan the ride.
Are you a licensed professional?
Alexandros Sirigos has worked as a professional photographer in Santorini since 2014, with more than 500 sessions for couples from more than ten countries, and he is an EASA-registered drone operator.
Timing and light
What is the best time of day for photos in Santorini?
The last 70 minutes before sunset, when the light turns gold and the white walls glow. Sunrise is the alternative for empty streets in Oia. Midday works only on shaded terraces; the sun is too hard and high for faces.
Sunrise or sunset?
Sunset for color and the caldera glow, sunrise for silence. At sunrise Oia's streets are empty and the light is soft, but the caldera side is in shadow until about an hour after. At sunset the views are at their best and so are the crowds, which is why we start away from the viewpoints.
What is the best month?
May, June, September and early October: warm light, calm evenings and fewer people than July and August. April and late October are quieter still, with a small chance of wind or rain and an earlier sunset.
What time is sunset in September or October?
In early September the sun sets around 19:40 and by the end of the month around 19:05. In October it sets between 19:00 and 18:20, with the clock change in the last week. The booking calendar shows the exact sunset and golden-hour times for your date.
Which side of Santorini does the sun set?
The west, over the caldera. Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani and Fira all face the sunset, which is why the whole island gathers on that edge every evening. The east coast beaches (Kamari, Perissa) see the sunrise instead.
Locations
What are the best places for photos in Santorini?
The castle, windmills and blue domes of Oia; Skaros Rock and the chapel terraces of Imerovigli; the caldera path and Three Bells in Fira; Akrotiri lighthouse at sunset; Vlychada's sculpted cliffs; Pyrgos and Megalochori for quiet alleys. Our locations guide ranks them by hour and crowd level.
Where are the blue domes and how many are there?
The three famous domes stand in Oia below the main walkway, and Oia has about a dozen more. Imerovigli and Firostefani have their own blue-domed churches with far fewer people. We know the terraces that look straight at them.
Oia or Imerovigli?
Oia for the famous postcard, Imerovigli for space. Oia has the domes, the windmills and the castle, and in summer it also has the crowds. Imerovigli has Skaros Rock, the chapel terraces and the widest caldera view, with almost nobody in your frame.
How many locations fit in one session?
One village per hour is the honest answer. A two-hour session covers two villages, usually Imerovigli and Oia, and the three-hour session covers three with transport in between. Inside a village we move between four or five spots on foot.
Can we shoot on a catamaran or at our villa?
Yes. Villa terraces and hotel pools are among our favorite private spots, and we regularly photograph proposals on catamaran cruises below the cliffs of Oia. Catamaran proposals are quoted individually because the boat is booked separately.
Outfits and posing
What should we wear, and which colors?
Soft, light colors or earth tones that sit well against white walls and blue sea: cream, sand, sage, terracotta, pale blue. Avoid large logos and neon. Long dresses move beautifully in the wind, and flat shoes handle the steps better than heels.
Can we change outfits?
One change is easy on a two-hour session, usually between villages. On one-hour sessions we suggest a single outfit so the time goes into photos rather than logistics.
Do you help with posing?
Yes, gently. You get a few simple directions, mostly about where to stand and what to do with your hands, and the rest comes from walking, talking and looking at the view. Most couples say it felt like a walk, not a shoot.
Rules and drones
Are there photography rules or permits in Oia?
Oia asks visitors and photographers to keep the pathways clear and to respect residents and church property. Some church courtyards are private and may be closed to shoots or ask for a small contribution. We follow the rules on the day, keep a low profile and never block a path for a photo.
Can you fly a drone in Santorini?
Only where it is permitted. Alexandros is an EASA-registered drone operator, but the village centers, crowds and the airport zone are off limits, so drone footage is possible on open terraces, cliffs and at sea rather than above Oia. We tell you in advance whether your spot allows it.
Proposals and weddings
Proposal or engagement shoot: what is the difference?
A proposal shoot captures the surprise itself, photographed from a hidden position, with portraits right after. An engagement shoot is a planned couple session once you are already engaged, often the next morning. The bundle covers both for €549.
Can you also film it or bring a second photographer?
Yes. The proposal film (€390) adds a one to two minute edit, with drone footage where permitted. For weddings a second photographer costs €350 and a wedding film starts at €1,490.
Still a question?
Send it on WhatsApp or email. We reply usually within hours, always within 24.