Last Updated on 22 November 2024 by Vanessa
From cats traversing the labyrinth of whitewashed houses in Santorini to lazy felines basking in the warm sunbeams filtering through the open doors of souvenir shops, our furry friends can be found in every nook and cranny of Greece. You’ll find pictures of all this and more in the newly released photography book Cats of Greece & Scenic Places.
Traveling Cats spoke to photographer Marisa Meisters about her passion for photography and travel, what inspired her to create this book, the benefits of self-publishing, and the best spots in Greece to discover lots of feline friends.
Cats of Greece & Scenic Places by Marisa Meisters
About Marisa Meisters
Marisa Meisters is a photographer and traveler from Milton, Georgia (about 35 miles from Atlanta, USA).
Her passion for traveling started when she was little. “I remember taking road trips with my family as early as I can remember,” Marisa recalls. “Most of the road trips took two days of continuous driving to get to our destination. This was before children had cell phones to distract them. I just enjoyed watching the changing landscapes and weather. Even if we were traveling by plane, I always insisted on the window seat (and I still do) so that I could look out and observe everything.”
Since growing older, her passion has evolved for seeing wildlife in its natural environment and capturing that in photographs, too. Her favorite place for observing many different kinds of wildlife, including cats, is sub-Saharan Africa.
Marisa also plans custom tours around the world, especially to Africa, to see wildlife and visit historic places. Her company is called WorldwideXplorer.
Marisa’s passion for photography began in her early teens.
“My dad had an amazing camera that he would always bring along on vacation. I also wanted to take photographs that looked as good as his,” Marisa recalls.
“My first cameras were disposable ‘point & shoot’ 35mm ones. They never took good photographs. It was frustrating because I would stand right next to my dad, and take virtually the same photograph, but it never came out as well. However, he had to set up everything manually with his camera, which is why his photos came out so much better than mine. Years later, I upgraded my own equipment and sharpened my photography skills.”
Marisa adds, “Traveling and photography have been intertwined for me since my teen years. Since that time, I’ve always traveled with a camera.”
Cats of Greece
Marisa went to Greece for a week in November, 2023, with her husband, daughter, sister-in-law, and close family friends. It was their first time there, and they loved it.
She got the idea for the book Cats of Greece & Scenic Places within her first day or two of being in the country.
“I noticed cats everywhere and found myself taking numerous pictures of them, alongside the main attractions. I was struck by how well-fed and healthy they appeared. None of the ones I encountered seemed to be starving or injured,” Marisa says.
“I love sharing my photographs, so creating a book was a logical next step. It offers something different from the usual travel photo collections,” Marisa explains. “I’m hoping to reach fellow cat lovers and photography enthusiasts around the world. It is intended to be a coffee table piece but should appeal to people of all ages. I can imagine children enjoying the pictures of these diverse and incredible cats as well.”
Where to find the most cats in Greece?
“I saw a lot of cats at the historic sites in Athens,” Marisa shares. “You cannot visit any of these places without seeing cats in the area.”
She also found a lot of cats in the village of Oia on Santorini island. “We stayed in the village of Oia, so that may account for why I had so many cat sightings there,” she explains.
However, her favorite encounter was eating breakfast at an outdoor cafe one morning in Fira, Santorini. “There was already a cat sitting on the bench, so I sat next to her. She remained curled up the whole time, minding her own sleeping business.” (By the way, the cat she’s talking about is in the book, on pages 22 and 23.)
“I recommend these places for cat lovers, and also for anyone who enjoys historic, charming places,” Marisa says. “I truly enjoyed each place I visited. For me, the cats were only the frosting on the cake; they added extra charm to each area.”
Marisa adds, “One place that really struck me was the UNESCO World Heritage Site Delphi, with its rich history and gorgeous mountain charm. It’s not on most of the main tourist itineraries. That makes it even more special because it is less crowded. I also loved the charming little fishing town of Galaxidi, on the Ionian Sea, which we visited on the same day. We only spent a short time in Galaxidi, but even there we saw cats.”
Why did Marisa decide to self-publish?
Cats of Greece and Scenic Places is not the first book by Marisa Meisters. In 2013, she self-published the children’s book Adventures of Pachy: New Beginnings. It features a young elephant and is based around many of her photographs from Africa.
“Self-publishing is so much easier than trying to secure a deal with a major company,” Marisa explains. “The goal is to share my photographs, not to create a best seller. Naturally, there are drawbacks to self-publishing, like lacking the marketing power of a big company and missing out on book reviews in major outlets. However, you get to be hands on in every part of the process, and I find that to be very rewarding.”
Conclusion
Did Marisa’s beautiful photos and the story behind them pique your interest? You can support her work by sharing this article with your friends and on social media, and by purchasing her newly released book Cats of Greece & Scenic Places. The hardcover edition is out now and available from Amazon for only $29,95.
Disclosure: I received a PDF copy of Cats of Greece & Scenic Places from the photographer, Marisa Meisters, for the purpose of writing this article. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on the links, Traveling Cats will get a small commission.
2 responses
What a nice idea for a book. Can’t beat a cute cat photo on location
Pretty photos, and pretty putty tats!
Thanks for joining us at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-rare-book-collection.html