From Adelaide to Royal Albert Hall – The Greek Herald

From growing up in Adelaide’s Greek community to photographing some of Greece’s biggest music stars in London, Zara Drousas is turning a lifelong passion into an international career.

When Greek Australian photographer Zara Drousas stood inside London’s Royal Albert Hall on 22 October, camera in hand, she was capturing a performance she once could only have dreamed of witnessing from behind the lens.

On stage was Greek superstar Konstantinos Argiros, performing his Athina Mou show at one of the world’s most celebrated concert venues. For Drousas, who grew up in Adelaide surrounded by Greek music, family traditions and a love of photography, the occasion represented a remarkable milestone in a career that had taken her from local community events to the international music scene.

Yet it was a moment of unmistakable Greek emotion that left the greatest impression.

“The moment that stood out most was when ‘Athina Mou’ came on. It was a pivotal moment in the show, and you could feel it,” Drousas told The Greek Herald.

“Everyone was on their feet, and the whole venue was electric with excitement, passion and joy. It was really beautiful.”

When Argiros began dancing the zeibekiko beneath a visual representation of the Parthenon, Drousas knew she was witnessing something special.

“I have some photos of him doing it with the Parthenon above him. It just doesn’t get any more beautiful than that. Moments I will cherish forever.”

A childhood shaped by Greek heritage

Drousas grew up in Unley, Adelaide, attending Unley High School and St Spyridon Church, with her Greek heritage woven into everyday family life.

Her paternal grandparents came from Geraki in Laconia, while her maternal grandparents originated from Argos and Corinth. All four migrated to Adelaide, where Drousas was fortunate to grow up knowing them well into adulthood.

That connection to Greece would eventually influence not only the artists she photographed, but the way she approached photography itself.

“It’s influenced my whole life. It’s my cultural identity,” she said.

“It’s influenced how I photograph people, because I always think about what emotion I can show through an image.”

She traces that instinct partly to photographs of her grandparents and their lives in Greece and Australia.

“They weren’t perfectly curated, high-quality images, but they had so much feeling. I love how light and shadow fall on people’s faces, and I think being able to evoke emotion through photos is so important.”

Music was equally important in her upbringing, with her parents introducing her to Greek artists while she developed an enthusiasm for international performers and music videos.

Her fascination with concert photography began long before she considered it a profession.

At a Destiny’s Child concert in Adelaide in April 2005, she took photographs from her seat using a small digital camera. Two years later, she did the same at Beyoncé’s The Beyoncé Experience tour.

Those early experiences planted an ambition that would remain with her.

“Whenever I went to concerts I’d think, ‘I wish I had a camera to shoot these people. It would be incredible.’”

From Adelaide’s Greek community to the concert stage

Although Drousas had been interested in photography since childhood, her professional journey into live music photography began much more recently.

In November 2024, the late DJ Stelio gave her the opportunity to photograph Greek singer Josephine Wendel at the Crystal Function Centre in Port Adelaide.

It was her first opportunity to photograph a concert professionally, and one she remembers with gratitude.

“I also always loved Greek music growing up, which my parents introduced me to, so it felt natural to support Greek music and my own community when I decided I wanted to be more serious with a career in music photography,” she said.

As her experience grew, Drousas began working with Greek performers including Argiros, MELISSES and RACK.

She also photographed engagements, weddings, baptisms and community celebrations in Adelaide, many involving Greek Australian families.

Earlier this year, she donated her photography services to the Greek Consulate in Adelaide for its 25 March Greek Independence Day celebration.

For Drousas, these experiences reinforced the connection between her creative work and cultural identity.

“It’s been really special being involved in all these different events, celebrating Greek culture,” she said.

Taking a chance on London

Moving overseas had been an ambition since her teenage years, but it took determination to turn that dream into reality.

London offered access to a thriving international music industry, alongside the opportunity to travel more easily to Europe and Greece.

“I wanted to test myself alongside the incredible photographers here and the amazing work they do, and push myself to be the best I possibly can,” Drousas explained.

Starting again, however, meant leaving behind the professional and personal networks she had spent years building in Adelaide.

In London, she found herself attending events, reaching out to people through Instagram and LinkedIn, and working to establish new relationships.

“The biggest challenge has been building a network again,” she said.

“Growing up in Adelaide, I naturally had one just from living there. Here, I’ve had to put in a lot of effort.”

There were also the inevitable adjustments to London’s weather and lifestyle.

But the move brought unexpected rewards, particularly the friendships and professional connections she developed with people from around the world.

“The biggest reward has been the different kinds of people I get to meet,” she said.

A dream realised at Royal Albert Hall

Within months of arriving in London, Drousas secured the opportunity to photograph Argiros at Royal Albert Hall.

The breakthrough began with a simple message to the concert promoters.

“It started with a DM, then we had a phone call, and then they offered me the chance to come along and shoot the show, which was incredible,” she recalled.

Having previously photographed Argiros in Adelaide and Melbourne, she was familiar with the singer and his team’s approach to live performances.

But Royal Albert Hall presented an entirely different challenge.

The concert’s immersive, 360-degree staging meant the audience surrounded the performance area, requiring Drousas to navigate staircases, corridors and constantly changing vantage points to capture the atmosphere.

“Usually you’re shooting from one end of an arena or venue, but with the crowd all around the stage, I was doing a lot of walking up and down stairs, running down corridors and moving around, probably more than at a typical show,” she said.

“It was physically tiring, but incredible.”

Beyond the spectacle, the performance carried a personal significance: a Greek Australian photographer who had grown up listening to Greek music was now documenting one of its biggest contemporary stars on an international stage.

And the experience has strengthened her determination to continue building her career.

Building a career across borders

Drousas has also recently photographed Greek American singer Evangelia at London’s XOYO, an opportunity she secured by contacting the artist directly.

Having followed Evangelia’s career since 2020, she described the experience of working with the singer and her team as particularly rewarding.

Her growing portfolio reflects both a willingness to approach new opportunities and an understanding of the relationships that underpin the music industry.

“I think the biggest thing in the music industry is who you know, and also how you treat people,” she said.

“You need to be polite, direct, easy to work with and easy to communicate with, someone they want to have around.”

Reliability, she added, is just as important as creative ability, particularly when working with promoters managing major international performances.

Looking ahead, Drousas hopes to photograph more artists in Greece, continue working across London’s music scene and eventually pursue opportunities in the United States.

She also dreams of photographing magazine covers and collaborating with musicians on the visual direction of their albums and releases.

For someone who once considered travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne or Sydney a significant professional step, her progress has exceeded even her own expectations.

“Absolutely not. I’ve always had wild dreams, but reality is very different to that, so I never imagined I could be in London shooting at the Royal Albert Hall, at least not as quickly as it happened!” she said.

What began with a small digital camera at a concert in Adelaide has grown into a career connecting artists, audiences and cultures across continents.

And through it all, Drousas continues to carry the influence of her Greek Australian upbringing — and the family photographs that first taught her how powerful an image can be.

“I hope to just continue growing and working with more music artists across the world,” she said.