Street Photography in Athens

Monastiraki is where I'd start. The square sits under the Acropolis, next to a metro exit, and it is full from morning to night with tourists, vendors, buskers and locals cutting through. f.d. walker calls it his favorite starting point, because every direction leads somewhere different: ruins on one side, graffiti and flea market lanes on the other. Stand at the edge of the square with the Acropolis behind the crowd and wait for one person to separate from the flow. The flea market streets toward Avissinias Square are best on weekend mornings. Keep your bag zipped. Pickpockets work this square and the metro.

Ermou runs about a kilometer and a half from Syntagma Square down to Monastiraki. It is the city's main pedestrian shopping street, so it has shoppers, street musicians and office workers at every hour. The small Kapnikarea church sits in the middle of the street, and people flow around it on both sides. That is a good frame: the old stone church against shop windows and shopping bags. Late afternoon puts the sun low down the street and backlights the walkers. It is crowded, so work close with a wide lens and let people fill the frame. Watch for scooters crossing at side streets.

The central market on Athinas Street is the rawest light in the city. In the meat hall, carcasses hang under bare bulbs, and butchers shout prices across the aisles. f.d. walker describes the atmosphere as surreal, and the Athenian Explorer says the same about the meat section. Go in the morning, when trade is busiest, and expose for the lit meat and faces, not the dark aisles. A fast prime helps. The fish hall floor is wet and slippery, and vendors are working, so do not block the aisle. The market is closed on Sundays.

Psyrri is a few minutes north of Monastiraki. It mixes old metal and leather workshops with bars and some of the most painted walls in Athens. By day, look for a craftsman in a doorway against a mural, or a delivery scooter passing a wall of tags. At night the lanes fill with people eating and drinking outside, lit by shop signs. That is good for slower shutter speeds and silhouettes. The Athenian Explorer points out that the area blends old Athens trades with current street culture. Some streets are quiet and dim after midnight, so stay on the busier ones.

Omonia is where the city stops performing for visitors. f.d. walker found it one of the most interesting areas for character and one of the dodgier ones. The streets around the square are multicultural, with a Pakistani market that local photographer Eva Balasi compares to another continent. Archaeologist and photographer Alexis Efstathopoulos likes the old arcades for architecture and light. Go in daylight. Work the arcades, where people walk from shade into sun. Be discreet here. Do not photograph people who look like they would rather not be seen, including drug users, and keep your camera close.

Plaka is the old neighborhood wrapped around the base of the Acropolis. Anafiotika, above it, was built by workers from the island of Anafi, so it looks like a Cycladic village: whitewashed walls and blue doors, with cats on the steps. The lanes are tiny and fill with tourists by late morning, so go early or near sunset. I'd pick one white wall with a strong shadow and wait for a person or a cat to walk into it. Remember that people actually live here. Keep your voice down and do not point a lens into windows.

Exarcheia is the political and student neighborhood north of the center. The walls are covered in posters and stencils, and the square and cafes are full of locals day and night. The Athenian Explorer calls it the place where the city's raw side becomes fully visible. It is strong for graffiti with people passing in front of it. It is also a place where some residents are wary of cameras and of being identified. Ask before any close portrait. Put the camera away if a protest or a police operation starts.

Lycabettus is the highest point in central Athens. You can walk up the paths from Kolonaki or take the funicular. At the top you get the whole city spread out, with the Acropolis in the middle, and a crowd of people watching the sunset. That crowd is the street picture: silhouettes of couples and phones against the orange sky. Arrive 45 minutes before sunset to find a spot on the wall. A short telephoto compresses the Acropolis behind the city. The path down is dark after sunset, so bring a light or take the funicular.