Living on the edge of a volcano

Tom goes in search of colour in the Greek island of Santorini, but he didn’t have to look far as the colour eventually came to him

- Tom Mackie

As I stood on the cliffside at Fira watching the sun dip below the horizon into the Aegean, I couldn’t help thinking that this is one of the most beautiful and fragile places I’ve photographed.

Fragile because the island of Santorini is situated on the edge of a large volcanic caldera. The last eruption was in 1950, but it is regarded as the most active part of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. Hopefully, it won’t erupt anytime soon as I’d like to go back, this is my third time here and I’m sure it won’t be my last. So what is it that keeps bringing me back to this particular Greek island? It’s the Cycladic architecture built into the cliffs that makes it a magnet for photography and the stunning views over the sea, not to mention the sumptuous seafood.