Villa Bel Air

The brief

I photographed Villa Bel Air for its owner in Porto Heli, in the Peloponnese, Greece. The villa’s white architecture, generous glazing and poolside terraces give it a clear visual identity. Inside, a restrained palette of white and warm neutrals is punctuated by a lime-green kitchen, natural timber and woven lighting. My aim was to present these spaces as a connected experience, showing how the rooms open towards the terraces and how the character of the property changes from bright daylight to evening.

The photographic challenge

The extensive glazing is central to the villa’s relationship with its surroundings. It brings daylight into the living areas and offers views towards the pool, garden and landscape, while creating a substantial difference between interior and exterior light. The photographs needed to retain this openness without losing the quieter details of the rooms.

Outside, the white planes, horizontal terrace openings and reflective water called for careful attention to geometry and exposure. Strong sunlight defines the building’s lines and casts long shadows across the tiled floors. I wanted these elements to remain legible, with controlled perspective and natural colour. Evening introduced a different balance: the illuminated interiors and blue pool lighting needed to sit comfortably within the darker surroundings.

My approach

The sequence begins with a frontal view of the villa and swimming pool. This composition establishes the white facade, broad glazed openings and arrangement of the terrace, while the green parasols introduce a colour that reappears inside. A closer poolside view brings the viewer towards the building, followed by the garden, where a mature olive tree, stone walls and shaded pergola place the architecture within its setting.

The entrance courtyard offers another scale. Timber double doors soften the white surfaces, and planted borders give context to the outdoor dining area. A closer study of the facade and its Luna Cinema sign adds an individual detail to the architectural story.

Inside, I followed the connection between rooms and outdoor spaces. The bedroom is seen across its open threshold towards the shaded terrace, bringing the relationship between rest, light and the poolside setting into one frame. Wider living-room photographs describe the circulation around the fireplace and the position of the seating beside the glass. Sunlight across the floor gives depth to the neutral interiors, while timber doors, woven lamps and small decorative objects provide warmth.

The green kitchen and adjoining dining area bring a more expressive note to the collection. The island, glass table and garden-facing doors describe an open arrangement of everyday spaces. Evening views revisit the dining and living rooms, allowing the woven pendant lights and illuminated pool to change their atmosphere. The closing outdoor photographs follow sunset reflections across the water and the entrance courtyard after dark.

The result

The 14-photograph collection gives the owner a cohesive visual presentation of Villa Bel Air. Architecture, interiors, garden and pool terraces are shown through their relationships, with daylight and evening photographs offering complementary impressions of the property. The result is a clear, atmospheric portrait of the villa in Porto Heli, retaining the simplicity of its white architecture and the warmth of its living spaces.