Featured Photographer - Elena Haralabaki

I am Elena Haralabaki, and I've been a wedding photographer since 2010. I live with my boyfriend and my dog in the suburbs of Athens in Greece, near the sea. When I don't photograph, I play beach volleyball, go swimming and do water sports, meet friends and watch movies.

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HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY?

When I was a teenager I used to photograph everything - my friends, my family, my dog, my teachers during the lessons :) and people on the streets. Of course, I didn't have a smartphone but only a film camera (Canon AE1). I was also very good at painting and a good student generally, so my parents wanted me to become an architect. I took many courses in drawing in order to enter the university, but at the last minute I changed my mind and I realized that I wanted to study photography. So, I got my bachelor degree in photography at Athen's University in Greece and my Master's at Venice's Higher School of Fine Arts in Italy. After that, I also studied Marketing and Business Administration at Greece's Open University for 4 more years. During that time I worked as a photographer in several fashion magazines in Greece. I wasn't happy enough in the studio as I always loved documentary photography. So, I decided to become a wedding photographer when a good friend, who was a wedding photographer then, asked me to photograph a wedding with him.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?

Artistic and creative. My goal is to capture the real story of the wedding day in the most artistic and creative way, showing the real characters, their true essence and the unique moments that the couples and their families are experiencing on their wedding day through my photos.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN AN IMAGE?

Emotion, light, composition. But, more importantly, photography is clearly a language, so I love images that have something to say!

WHAT INSPIRES OR MOTIVATES YOU?

I study the works of the greatest photographers and painters, watch and learn from movies, travel a lot and understand what a diverse world we live in and of course, collaborate with people I admire, who are not necessarily photographers.

WHAT CHALLENGES YOU?

I know very well that a wedding is not a photoshoot and thus a wedding photographer struggles with a lot of difficulties. So, I would say that a difficult situation during the wedding day is a challenge for me and that's when I try to think even more creatively and I never quit too easy.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOMENT OF A WEDDING?

All the priceless and special moments that arouse our emotions!

OF ALL YOUR IMAGES, DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ONE?

It is difficult for me to choose a favorite photo from my portfolio. So, even though I really love documentary photography and my favorite photos are those who represent authentic moments, I also have some favorites with more artistic elements, regarding the light and the composition.

ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ELENA?

I have a passion for animals and nature! I am quite adventurous and I always seek new experiences in life. I am a hard worker and I constantly keep learning new things but I mostly want to be a better person for me and people around me.

TELL US ABOUT DVLOP

DVLOP makes my life easier :) It is not only the precious time I win in editing but also the amazing result I get in my photos with just a press of a button! Thank you so much DVLOP for making the editing process a pleasant experience!