DAY 1 (Oct 11): Arrive at Lake Bled
On the first day of our Slovenia photography tour, the group will meet at the airport of Ljubljana at 2 p.m. If you arrive earlier or a day before we can also meet at the lobby of our hotel at lake Bled at 2:45-3 p.m. upon check in. We don’t want to waste any time, so we will immediately head north towards one of the country’s most iconic sights, Lake Bled. The emerald lake is arguably Slovenia’s most popular tourist spot, and after a few minutes, walking around you’ll quickly understand why. The water shines with dazzling green and blue tones, a charming church rests on a tiny island in the centre, and the imposing peaks of the Julian Alps and the Karavanke offer the perfect backdrop for photography shoots.
We are sure that it will be a magnificent start to our six-day adventure. In the evening we will gather together for food, spend some time getting to know each other and discuss the trip to come..
DAYS 2-5: Lake Bled and Julian Alps
Over the next 4 days during this photography tour, we will be exploring the Gorenjska region, including the area close to Lake Bled and the nearby Julian Alps. There will be sunrise shoots on the shores of lake Bled, a trip up to the castle that overlooks the water, and plenty of time spent shooting the spectacular church in the middle of the lake.
We will also spend time at one of Slovenia’s hidden gems, the Vintgar Gorge. This 1.6km trench cuts through the Hom and Bort hills, and there are is a variety of waterfalls, rivers, and rapids to capture with our cameras. We will certainly make time for some long exposure shots.
We will also spend some time exploring the local culture through our lenses. There are plenty of charming villages close to the lake, where we will capture traditional agricultural architecture and the famous hayracks of Slovenia. Rural village life offers a wonderful contrast to the epic natural scenes that will dominate our sunset shoots.
True gems of Slovenia are amazing churches! We photograph iconic Jamnik and St Tomaz churches, St John at Bohinj lake – with stunning mountains backdrop.
Day 5
Today we are enjoying our final sunrise at lake Bled – and moving forward to Plitvice lakes national park. It is a dream destination for many photographers. You can capture hundreds of cascades and waterfalls framed by autumn foliage. With turquoise waters beneath and gentle autumn light your photos will look like medieval paintings.
Day 6
We spend one full day at Plitvice NP exploring and enjoying autumn splendour.
Day 7, 17 October
Departure day. We will photograph our final sunrise at the park – and head to Zagreb international airport. We plan to be at the airport around 12 to 1 p.m. So please feel free to book your flights after 3 p.m.
Pricing:
Total price: 4900 USD per person twin share
Single supplement: 750 USD
Maximum Number of Participants: 12
Difficulty: easy
Tour includes:
- Accommodation (6 nights) double/twin rooms sharing (singles available upon request with single supplement),
- all meals (three per day) and drinks,
- all transportation during the tour,
- photography tuition,
- entrance fees and all local taxes.
Not included in the price:
– Airfare
– Visas (if applicable)
– Single supplement (750 USD)
What to bring
Gear:
– DSLR camera with tripod and remote shutter release
– A wide angle lens. For example, Nikkor 14-24 or Canon 17-40. Best lens for use in wide-angle scenes or architecture photography
– A middle-zoom lens such as a 24-70 mm
– A telephoto zoom lens, such as a 70-200 mm. Be sure to have additional tripod mount to this lens.
Wear:
– Waterproof and windproof jacket (consider the average temperature +5 – +10 C at daytime and even down to minus -5 – – 10 in the morning and night)
– Waterproof pants
– Warm jacket and thermal pants
– Wellingtons or fishing boots for muddy spots and against morning dew
– Casual clothes for dinners and lunches and photography workshops
Tour leaders
Daniel Kordan
Daniel was born in Moscow area. In his childhood he graduated the art school. After that, he is studied in Moscow institute of Physics and Technology and became an optics physicist. During the study he gain experience not only in physics, but also in mountain climbing and hiking, guiding tourist groups in winter and in summer in Russian mountains. Right after graduation he became a guide of photo-workshops and chief editor of “Continent expedition” magazine. This magazine is about travel and adventures all over the world. He has got several awards in photography: Golden Turtle’ 13 Nature nomination winner, National Geographic Russia contest 2013 and 2014 finalist, Best of Russia’13 and ’14 winner, best photographer’13 finalist and others. He is spending most of his time in Norway, Lofoten islands and in Tuscany at villa Gaia, guiding groups of photographers.
Iurie Belegurschi
Iurie Belegurschi is a landscape photographer based in Iceland, where he runs photo tours and workshops. He was born in Moldova and has been living in Iceland since 2006. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality. His photos have been published worldwide in books, calendars, greeting cards, magazines and some of the most popular newspapers like The Daily Mail, The Independent, The Sun, The Huffington Post, and The Telegraph.
