This shot holds a very special place in my heart. I’ll never forget the moment I took this photo. Looking back, it was probably one of the most beautiful moments of my life — considering the view I had before my eyes at the time.

There’s something about this image that I find hard to describe. As if it holds a fragment of a memory, mixed with something more — an emotion that stayed with me from that day.

At first, I thought the photo was a complete failure. It was dark, almost unreadable. I wasn’t sure if there was anything I could salvage — whether I could pull any sense, color, or even a trace of what I saw out from the shadows.

After several failed editing attempts, I finally managed to achieve a result I was truly happy with. But before that happened, the photo sat untouched on my hard drive for quite some time. No matter what I tried, nothing seemed right. I lost heart for it. It wasn’t until much later, with a fresh perspective, that something clicked. For this particular image, I decided not to use the oil painting effect — it simply didn’t suit it.

I took the shot on one of those days when fate tests your patience. We were on the road leading to the top of Skopos Mountain, where you get a panoramic view of almost the entire island. At some point, a dark cloud started forming, and we were already pretty high up. We got there on a quad bike — though it wasn’t as easy as it might sound. The road was challenging, at times even dangerous.

After about 15 minutes of driving, you reach the point of decision: go further or turn back. And if something happens — you’re on your own. I don’t recall seeing a single living soul along the way. My general rule is: if you’re not completely sure about something, better not to risk it. But this time, I had never been more certain that I wanted to get there. That was why I came.

Around us — only silence or the sound of cicadas. Stones and abandoned villas scattered across the hillsides. They looked as if they’d been left behind by time… or by landslides. There was something raw and authentic about this place.

This photo was taken during one of our longer stops — we were already very close to the castle, which was our intended destination. That moment gave me the chance to pause, look around, and capture the beauty I saw then.

When we finally reached the spot, the castle grounds themselves appeared closed off. The path to the castle was overgrown with tall, dry, unwelcoming grass. In places like this, you always wonder what might be hiding there: snakes, scorpions, or who knows what else. You can never be too sure. For a brief moment, I considered trying to get inside… but sometimes, you just have to know when to let it go.

To me, this image is more than just a scenic view from above. It’s a record of a moment when I paused — somewhere along the way, before realizing that the goal I was heading towards was out of reach. One of those moments that stays with you longer than the destination itself.

And that cloud I mentioned earlier? It caught up with us later that evening — in full force this time. While we were on the beach, the sky turned heavy and ominous. Nobody knew what might come of it, so we decided to leave early. Even then, we didn’t make it in time — it reached us faster than expected. The whole thing lasted maybe half an hour, with the rain itself barely five minutes — but it was intense. Heavy and fast, driven by gusts of wind — short, but unforgettable. I wouldn’t call it a storm, but nature definitely showed its claws.