marina's blog

This evening I decided to re-visit the pictures I shot during the summer. So I came across a group of photos I have entitled as 'details' that do pretty much what it says on the tin. Knowing Zakynthos so well and having taken numerous of pictures over the years I am absolutely thrilled to discover a new outlook to my beloved island. For me this highlights the immense possibilities in creative exploration driven just by a curiosity about things, people and landscapes without trying to explain, interpret or dramatise reality.

If I had to choose my favourite smallest creature residing on the island it would definitely have to be the gorgeous hemidactylous turcicus best known as Mediterranean gecko, wall lizzard or 'samiamidi' in Greek. This lazy, nocturnal reptile can often be seen hanging around lamps and small insects, such as ants, mosquitoes, spiders and even moths. For such a laid back fella the gecko actually moves very fast allowing only a small chance for its pray to react. I could spend minutes watching their little belly move rhythmically with each intake of breath and admire their tiny little feet and rather big (in proportion to the rest of the head) eyes. Their still presence helps them to blend in with their immediate environment giving them a strong vantage point towards any unsuspecting passer-by insects and bugs.

Surrounded by all sorts of visual equipment, wires, plugs, software, memory cards, tripods, lenses, laptop etc. I am absolutely shuttered. Today was our first official day of shooting. We got up relatively late 7am and got into the town just before 8am. It was not long before we realised our mistake as the sun was very quick to work its way up, above our heads, and burn the living days out of us! By 10.30 am we looked like two fried mummies roaming the peaceful streets of San Marco square.