FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO
A selection of work from my content for Nomia Nomad
Foreword:
In June 2025, I made the decision to take a break from my television contract and embark on a solo journey - a chance to reconnect with creativity and explore new ways of telling stories.
I set out with the intention of finding a place that embraced adventure, culture, food, and community. For me, Greece felt like an obvious choice; it ticked all the boxes. When I typed “Greece climbing nature retreat” into Google, Nomia Nomad appeared at the top of the list - I immediately knew it was the perfect step I needed to take.
Nomia Nomad is a company located in the heart of the Peloponnese, dedicated to inspire and connect people to nature. Finding a space that aligned so closely with my values and goals felt serendipitous. Without a clear plan or structure, only curiosity and a sense of connection, I booked my ticket and took the jump.
I spent the month living in Leonidio, a rural town along the coastline of mainland Greece. By living like a local and immersing myself in local life, it allowed me to connect with the community and learn about the stories living beneath the surface. What began as a period of uncertainty and unfamiliar faces, soon evolved into a vibrant network of friendships and shared experiences.
Creating content for Nomia Nomad and documenting the community initiates in Leonidio was a privilege - an experience that has profoundly shaped me as a person.
Below are selected stories from my time there - moments that reflect the warmth, creativity, and spirit of this special place.
Blogs, films, and photographs will be shared on the Nomia Nomad website.
ILLIAS & THE HONEY BEES
Stories of the productions from the markets and understanding the traditional honey harvesting practices
I came to Leonidio without knowing anyone aside from my connection to Nomia. In order to learn about Leonidio and the people that live there, the Monday market was the space that first guided me. It’s the place where everyone comes together and connects.
Tables pilled with mountain tea, home-made creams and oils lined along the tables and vibrant vegetables dressed together to create a colourful display. A simple act of asking people about their produce opened my world and experience to an immersive adventure - enabling me to see the real Leonidio and meet the special people who live here.
As I immersed myself further into Greek life, connections grew naturally. One evening, while sharing stories with new friends, I mentioned my wish to document local traditions so that travellers could learn about them. Someone smiled and said, “I have a friend who’s a beekeeper.”
That’s how I met Illias. He has a stall at the Monday market, and one day he invited me to join him - to see where the honey comes from and to learn about the bees behind each jar. Meeting Illias reminded me what happens when you simply say yes to life’s slower rhythm.
Encounters like his are at the heart of what I hope to share through my content for Nomia Nomad; stories that showcase local culture and celebrate the wonderful people who are working hard to uphold them.
The ancient language of the Peleponese: TSAKONIAN
THE PROJECTS
“It’s our roots… We go forward - we’re not stuck. If you speak about tradition and you don’t do anything about it, it’s a dead thing. But tradition for me, is a way of life. So it goes even in today’s life.”
When you drive through Leonidio, you’ll be met by large blue road signs with two types of text: one in blue and the other in gold. It was only when I was introduced to Eleni Manau, that I learnt about this intrinsic part of life here in Leonidio.
Tsakonia is the oldest living language in Greece which stems back 3,000 years. The speakers are descendants of the iconic ancient Greek state, ancient Sparta. The language has been taught down through generations but it’s at risk of becoming forgotten.
With modern Greek becoming the national language in 1976, it led to this ancient language deteriorating and UNESCO listing it as “critically endangered” due to it now only being spoken by a few thousand people - mostly whom are elders. In order for the language to survive, it’s essential that it is taught through the community .
To help support this important mission, I filmed two friends having a conversation in Tsakonian which was given to the Tsakonian Archives to help their mission in preserving this ancient language and assist with future learning.
I worked closely with Eleni Manou, a teacher and author, who is passionate about preserving the Tsakonian culture. With Eleni’s help, I created content to help Nomia Nomad promote their existing project - ‘Nomia Experience’; an initiative with the aim educate and connect people with the local culture through immersive activities.
Creating content for community initiatives who are working hard to keep this ancient culture alive
Language: An immersive experience to learn about the Tsakonian language. Each Sunday, the community holds weekly lessons for individuals to learn how to read and speak the ancient language, hosted in a beautiful old local building.
Food: Nomia Experience hold cooking classes hosted by Eleni Manau with the aim to teach people about the history of the receipes, stories of local produce and the food culture that lives in the region.
Textiles & Art: Tskakonia is home to a beautiful tradition of textiles making, passed down through generations. Through the Tsakonian Archives, a local institution that aims to preserve the historical, linguistic and cultural heritage of Tsakonia, courses are held to teach the community the traditional techniques around making textiles and the stories that live within the artwork.
VASKINA: A STORY ABOUT CHEESE & COMMUNITY
Nestled up high in the mountains behind Leonidio is the village of Vaskina. This is home for Kokotas Restaurant; a family run restaurant which prides itself on it’s fresh local food and community culture.
The restaurant is covered in beautiful vines that climb the walls and hang themselves across the ceiling. On arrival, you feel like you’ve been welcomed into someone’s home as trays of treats are brought out and there’s a feel of tranquility. A group of old friends sit around a table. A table which feels like it’s been their meeting point throughout the many chapters of their life. To me, Kokotas Restaurant is an anchor in the heart of the community, bringing people together and serving traditional fresh food.
I spent the morning with Metaxia (translates as ‘silk lady’) and her family who run the restaurant. Nomia Nomad offer cheese making workshops so I wanted to support them in capturing this process to help their digital promotional campaigns.
It’s when you take a step off the main tourist path, that you get to experience the heart of a place - this is what Nomia Nomad strives to do.
EXPLORING THE MOUNTAINS IN THE PELOPONNESE WITH
NOMIA EXPERIENCE
Walking through ancient pathways, foraging fresh fruit & drinking mountain tea
Up high in the mountains that surround Leonidio, are ancient pathways that shepherds used to walk across the landscape. Over time, and with the development of modern life, these paths have become immersed into the wild life that lives amongst the mountain floor and the routes are now overgrown.
These pathways act as a connector to the neighbouring villages and Nomia Experience are working with the community to re-open these routes in a mission to bring people together and encourage visitors to see all that the local area has to offer.
The hike is a true immersive experience - as you walk beneath the trees, it feels like a fairytale land. Brightly blue and yellow butterflies dance around you as you make your way through the forest. We took a rest by the stream, and it was there where we boiled fresh running water with a local delicacy; “mountain tea” or in Greek, “Tsai Vou Tounou”.
