光與味之間:一位台灣攝影師移居聖托里尼經營餐廳與創作對話 Between Light and Taste: A Taiwanese Photographer's Soulful Journey and Creative Dialogue in Santorini Greece
來自台灣的攝影師 Toto,用光與時間構築了他在希臘的生活與創作。她的故事,不只是異地生活的寫照,更是一場關於「存在」與「觀看」的哲學探索。
English version see below :
靈魂的遷徙:一位台灣攝影師在希臘聖托里尼的光影人生
這段旅程對我來說不只是地理的遷徙,更像是靈魂的一場長途旅行。第一次來到希臘,是一種直覺的吸引:那種光的質地,島嶼上的時間感,和台灣完全不同。我記得我第一次踏上聖托里尼時,是黃昏,整個島就像一幅畫。
文化鬆動的藝術:學會與希臘一起呼吸
文化的適應是一種深層的「鬆動」。台灣的節奏比較快,講究效率;而希臘人有他們自己的節奏與哲學,"siga siga"(慢慢來)是他們的口頭禪。一開始很不習慣,但後來我學會放下控制感,讓自己也成為這個節奏的一部分。最大的挑戰,反而是在語言之外的那種「文化語境」,如何在一場餐會的沉默裡理解一種幽默、或是在目光交會中辨識善意。
在光中靜觀:希臘如何改寫我的攝影語言
光,它不只是照亮物件,而是揭示物件之間的空間感、時間感。我開始學會用更簡單的構圖、更克制的色彩,去捕捉那種「存在的溫度」。我的作品慢慢從敘事走向一種「靜觀」,像一種冥想。
記憶的溫度:一次在風雨中的婚攝故事
有一次拍攝一對台灣新人,他們堅持不想拍「標準的風景照」,只想捕捉兩個人在異地旅行的狀態。那天天氣不好,灰濛濛的。但我們還是拍了。我拍到他們在屋簷下躲雨、在咖啡館窗邊靜靜地看著街景。後來他們說,那是整段旅程最美的回憶。那時我才真正明白,攝影的價值,不在光線完美,而在那份「記得」的情感厚度。
難忘的拍攝故事:一場只屬於她自己的婚禮
在聖托里尼,我曾為一位女性拍攝一場單人的婚紗照。這樣的請求乍聽之下有些突兀,卻在她輕聲說出:「我這輩子可能不會結婚,但我想嫁給自己。」
她穿著白紗,獨自走在藍白相間的小巷裡,沒有伴侶,沒有親友,只有風、陽光,還有她自己。那是一種極為私密的儀式,一種關於自我承諾的行動詩。她用婚紗這個傳統的象徵,去表達一種非傳統的力量:不再等誰來愛,不再依賴關係定義自身,而是對著鏡頭、對著自己說:「我就是我生命中的伴侶。」
作為攝影師,我在快門背後沉默地注視著她的每一個動作。她在教堂前閉上雙眼深呼吸,在斜坡上旋轉讓裙襬飛揚,她的臉上沒有悲傷,只有一種近乎靈性的平靜。那是一種從愛自己中生出的光,我不必用太多技巧,只需誠實地記錄她的存在。
那天,我重新思考了婚姻、儀式與攝影的本質。攝影從來不是只為了記錄某種標準的「幸福」時刻,它更是一面鏡子,映照出人們最渴望被世界看見、被自己承認的樣子。而她,選擇在這座愛情聖地,完成一場只屬於自己的婚禮,也讓我拍下了我人生中最溫柔卻最強韌的一組作品。
這個故事提醒我:攝影,不只是捕捉別人的故事,更是讓每一個人,有勇氣寫下自己生命的詩。
Karma 的誕生:一間靜靜說故事的餐廳
我和希臘先生一起經營的餐廳叫 Karma,坐落在 Oia 的巷弄中,不是那種有壯觀日落的打卡景,但我們有一個安靜的花園和手工製作的每一道菜。我們希望創造一種「像家一樣的味道」,是台灣的親切與希臘的自在混合出來的場域。我們做一些傳統希臘料理,也會用台灣的方式重新詮釋,比如用台灣芝麻油加入我們特製的沙拉醬以增添風味和香氣,或者加入九層塔去增添帕瑪森起士的香氣。
食物的文化對話:從台灣走進希臘的味蕾記憶
我覺得料理就像攝影,是一種文化的對話。我不會刻意讓它們「混血」,而是讓它們自然遇見。例如希臘的慢燉肉丸,我會用台灣的滷汁方式去處理;或是在調酒和現做飲品中加入台灣手搖飲文化,使用台灣茶葉,甚至加入薑的風味。這不是創意料理,是思鄉的味道與土地給我的食材之間的對話,這是回憶與當下的交會點,是味蕾上的詩意。
了解更多我和希臘先生經營餐廳的故事請點選此處
如果你也想移居希臘:給靈魂準備一點空白與等待
先學會放慢,聽懂寂靜的聲音。希臘不是一個「立刻」回報你熱情的地方,還有,尊重這裡的生活方式,它不是效率導向,而是「存在」導向。
這裡是一個浪漫的民族,不追求效率與物質,而是活在當下的感受中。他們重視存在的質感,重視每一餐、每一場對話、每一次凝視的深度。
只要你願意尊重這樣的生活節奏,願意聆聽。
這是我在希臘的故事——一段與光共舞、與文化相擁、與自己對話的旅程。
Between Light and Taste: A Taiwanese Photographer's Soulful Journey and Creative Dialogue in Santorini Greece
When we talk about travel, we often think of moving across maps. But for some, true travel is a turning of the soul. Toto, a photographer from Taiwan, has built a life and creative path in Greece through light and time. Her story is not just a tale of living abroad—it's a philosophical exploration of presence and perception.
A Soul's Migration: A Life of Light and Shadow in Greece
For me, this journey wasn’t just a geographical move—it felt like a long pilgrimage of the soul. I originally studied visual arts in Taiwan, but photography slowly became my calling. My first visit to Greece was drawn by intuition: the texture of light, the island’s sense of time—completely different from Taiwan. I remember arriving in Santorini at sunset; the whole island looked like a living painting.
Cultural Softening: Learning to Breathe with Greece
Cultural adaptation is a kind of deep “loosening.” Taiwan moves quickly, with an emphasis on efficiency. Greeks, on the other hand, have their own rhythm and philosophy. "Siga siga" (slowly, slowly) is their mantra. At first, it was hard to adjust, but eventually, I learned to let go of control and become part of their rhythm. The hardest part wasn't the language, but the cultural context—understanding a joke in silence at dinner, or recognizing kindness in a passing glance.
Silent Observation: How Greece Rewrote My Visual Language
Greek light is deeply philosophical. It doesn’t just illuminate objects; it reveals the space and time between them. I began using simpler compositions, more restrained colors, trying to capture what I call the “temperature of presence.” My work shifted from storytelling to still observation—almost meditative.
The Warmth of Memory: A Rainy Wedding Shoot
Once, I shot a Taiwanese couple who didn’t want standard landscape shots. They just wanted to capture the feeling of traveling together in a foreign place. The weather was gloomy, but we continued. I caught them sheltering under a roof, quietly watching the street from a café window. Later, they told me it was the most beautiful memory of their trip. That’s when I realized: the value of photography isn’t in perfect light, but in the emotional weight of remembering.
An Unforgettable Story: A Wedding Just for Herself
In Santorini, I once photographed a woman who requested a solo bridal session. At first, the idea seemed unusual, but then she softly said, "I don’t think I’ll ever marry, but I want to marry myself."
She wore a white gown, walking alone through the blue-and-white alleys—no partner, no guests, just the wind, the sunlight, and herself. It was an intensely private ritual, a poetic act of self-commitment. Using the traditional symbol of a wedding dress, she expressed a nontraditional strength: no longer waiting to be loved, no longer defined by relationships, but saying to the sky and to herself, "I am my own partner."
As a photographer, I watched her silently from behind the shutter. She closed her eyes in front of a chapel and took a deep breath; she spun on a slope and let her dress fly. There was no sadness in her expression—only a spiritual calm. It was a light born from self-love. I didn’t need fancy techniques—just honest documentation of her presence.
That day, I rethought the meaning of marriage, ritual, and photography. Photography isn’t just for capturing standard "happy moments"—it’s a mirror reflecting the version of ourselves we most want the world to see, and the one we long to acknowledge. She chose to have her own wedding in this land of love, and I captured one of the most tender yet resilient series of my career.
This story has become a quiet star in my heart. It reminds me: photography is not just about telling others’ stories. It’s about giving people the courage to write their own.
The Birth of Karma: A Restaurant That Tells Stories in Silence
Our restaurant is called Karma, tucked in the alleyways of Oia. It’s not a place with iconic sunset views, but we have a peaceful garden and dishes crafted by hand. We aim to create a feeling of “home”—a blend of Taiwanese warmth and Greek ease. We serve traditional Greek dishes, but we reinterpret them with Taiwanese touches.
A Culinary Conversation: From Taiwan to Greece, One Bite at a Time
I see cooking like photography—a cultural dialogue. I don’t force them to “fuse,” but let them meet naturally. For example, infuse Taiwanese tea culture into our cocktails and fresh drinks, even using ginger notes. It’s not “fusion cuisine.” It’s a conversation between homesickness and the gifts of the local land. It’s memory and presence meeting on the palate—a form of edible poetry.
To check out more about Karma Greek Restaurant in Oia click here.
Think positive, say nice things, do good for others, eat healthy and tasty food. Everything comes back .
If You Dream of Moving to Greece: Leave Room for Silence and Waiting
First, learn to slow down. Learn to hear silence. Greece won’t immediately reward your enthusiasm—but it will gradually give you things: friends, stories, seasons, tenderness. Respect its way of life. It’s not about efficiency, but about being. The Greek people are romantic souls—they don’t chase productivity or materialism. They live in the moment, cherishing the texture of presence, the depth of each conversation, each gaze, each shared meal.
If you’re willing to respect this rhythm, and listen—
Then Greece will open its arms.
This is my story in Greece: a journey of dancing with light, embracing culture, and listening to myself.
All photos by Toto Kuo
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