Calliope Chatzantonaki, Rethymno

Tell us a few things about yourself, so we can get to know you better: your full name, your age and date of birth, your zodiac sign, the place you grew up at, where do you live now and what do you do for a living (and your next project, if there is one).

My name is Calliope Chatzantonaki, I am 24 years old (16/9/1995) and a Virgo. I grew up in Athens and for the last couple of weeks I have been living in Rethymno, Crete. I have a Maritime Studies Degree and I love photography. I started it as a hobby, and I have put a lot of work into it over the years. The project that I am creating is called “Shadows N Lights”.

All images © λ3 by Calliope Chatzantonaki

Which is the place you love going to the most, and how often do you go there (and a couple of reasons why) ?

I come from Crete, and I actually love this place. I used to visit mostly during the summertime, for vacations! I believe that Crete is a beautiful destination, no matter when you’ll visit. There is a lot of things to see and experience, whether you are with family or friends.

Describe yourself in three words (or less)

Persistent and perfectionist.

What is your favourite colour, your favourite taste and your favourite hobby?

My favourite colour is blue, my favourite flavour is coconut, and my favourite hobby is bowling.

What makes you get out of bed each day?

The thought that I can create a lot of different things.

Through your love of photography, what do you love the most about this activity and which image you remember the most?

Through photography I learned to have a lot of patience and to create close relationships with other people. For me it’s a means of communicating, express myself and feeling. I want to capture moments, faces and people’s everyday life.

All images © λ3 by Calliope Chatzantonaki

Tell us a couple of things about your project “Shadows N Lights”. How was it created, by whom, what’s it about and what purpose does it serve?

I was inspired to create this project by a fashion photographer, called Lindsay Adler. I started this all by myself, and the concept is to highlight the intense emphasis through light and shadow that I can create (either naturally or artificially) in a person or an object. I chose to go down that road because I love to take pictures of portraits, and there are a ton of different symmetries in each person that I want to highlight and process.

All images © λ3 by Calliope Chatzantonaki

Tell us a couple of things about your life in Rethymno, and how is it to live there?

The truth is that I just recently moved here, just two weeks ago. My day-to-day routine is mostly outside, where I go for walks and explore places through photography. I also meet a lot of new people. It’s very different than Athens, there is no chaos here and the people are much warmer and communicative.

What do you like/dislike?

I like being near the sea, the sound of the waves is really relaxing to me. There are so many new places to photograph, so I have a chance to highlight the beautiful places of my island.

Why is Crete so impressive and how is it unique?

Crete is very special because the people are very close to one another. There is little, to no, xenophobia here, and that is something that I truly admire.

Which place or scenery do you like the most?

My favourite place in Rethymno is the Fortetza hill, the fortress and the stunning view.

All images © λ3 by Calliope Chatzantonaki

All images © λ3 by Calliope Chatzantonaki

Which activities would you propose to a friend that had 48 hours to spend in Rethymno?

They should definitely visit Fortetza, it’s really worth it. The lighthouse at the Old Venetian Harbor is also an ideal place for a nice walk.

All images © λ3 by Calliope Chatzantonaki

Tell us about a unique local recipe or a product, and what makes it so special?

The so-called “kaltsounia” are a delicious Cretan delicacy that has been very popular for ages! The herbs that they use, mainly the Mediterranean hartwort, or “kafkalithra”, make this a very tasty treat!

Which habit of the local people amazes you the most?

The wonderful, traditional feasts and the local dances!

Which is the most beautiful trip you ever took and which image do you remember the most?

The trip that I will never forget is the one I took to the Netherlands, in Amsterdam. I was 19 years old and it was my first trip abroad, outside of the “Greek bubble”.