01. Studio

There’s no such thing as a fascinating life.
Only fascinating moments.
Áylo in Greek means incorporeal, not composed of matter.
It is also the name of our multidisciplinary creative photography studio.
We do so much more than turning moments into shots.
We transform them into stories, no matter what it takes.
We do it through photography, videography, fashion, arts, get-togethers, exhibitions, productions, and campaigns.
We are skipping the obvious, ignoring the norms, and showcasing the unpretentious.
Because we all need more moments to think of, be inspired from, and live for. For us, it’s all that matters.

02. Profile

Dimitris’ work is synonymous with excellence and originality. Whether it’s a portrait or a wedding shooting, he never fails to amaze everyone over the last two decades. He dreams of a creative hub where all sorts of professionals would work in the same building, mingling and inspiring each other. Sometimes, he even daydreams about it. Based on his persistence and commitment, it is just a matter of time before seeing it happen -while he’s awake.

Myrto’s encounter with Dimitris took place inside a photography studio -not his. Her Psychology studies were her main focus. All it took for her to see the bigger picture was a series of hands-on experiences -from mundane Photoshop tutorials to inspiring shootings for original projects. For her, being part of Áylo is a never-ending work in progress. And what amazing progress that is…

Áylo is the amalgamation of the mindset of these two people. While each brings a different set of skills and know-how, they share the same belief: When it comes to photography, there’s so much more to it than meets the eye. Beyond posing, eccentric props, or state-of-the-art equipment, every shot, every project, should be a manifestation of authenticity. Everything less is just what any other studio would do…

03. The Hideout Project

Dimitris loves hearing and sharing stories. He tries to save them and keep them close to him in any possible way, as memories. His stories come from the faces and the houses of people. That’s why he is a wedding photographer. That’s why he created hideout. Because of his constant search for reasons that bring him closer to the world. I believe that his need to get to know people better, comes from his need to confirm his belief that everyone is good deep down, everyone has a kind heart. Sometimes he succeeds. He will see the good in you first. He will want to know what you do, how you see and live life, what kind of coffee and wine you drink – if you drink. All of us who have ever worked with him, will see him get emotional behind the camera, when he is photographing the bride kissing her father, while he is tearing up. When we are going to take photographs for Hideout, he hardly ever speaks. He may not even photograph. He sits and listens carefully. Later he will talk to you about things he noticed that you did not pay even the slightest of attention to.

The Hideout Project started as a need to meet new people. People opened their houses to us. We were their guests. They did not expect anything in return and neither did we. After some necessary phone calls, each and every one of them welcomed us in their home, either barefoot or wearing slippers, either with music playing throughout the whole house or not. Upon our entering, we all tried to break the ice of the first minutes of meeting someone new. On our way out, we said goodbye as if we had known each other for a very long time. One house was full of colors and works of art from the ‘60s, the other was full of family photos and petit fours as treats and the next one was full of mugs from all around the world. One citizen of the world, the other one devoted to Greece and its islands. Different stimuli, different smells, views, music, activities. As we left their homes, we remained silent for about an hour and I think that each of us was taking their time to sort out what we had just heard and seen. To store them carefully not to forget them. A couple of hours later, while we were still feeling emotionally charged, we would talk about the things that impressed us the most.

Our job may deprive us of summers, weekends, family gatherings, public holidays, evenings. It has deadlines, overtimes, misfortunes that cost. But it gives us the opportunity to meet people. People we would never meet in any other case. We knock on their door and they open it to us delightfully. We travel through the stories of all these people, which they tell us as we are photographing them. It is those photos you take of them while they are speaking and their face is full of passion. But you stop them and ask them to smile to take the photo.