Dates:

6^th to 15^th Oct. 2019

Tour Highlights

● 10 days of photographing captivating Slovenia & Croatia.

● Masterclass on capturing long exposures & creative compositions.

● Opportunity to shoot cityscapes, castles and churches.

● Opportunity to learn new techniques of focus stacking.

● Extensive post-processing sessions

Overview of the Photo Tour

It is no coincidence that “Slovenia” has L-O-V-E in its name, because you will fall in love with Slovenia too once you explore the storybook landscapes of pristine wilderness often referred to as “the sunny side of the Alps”. The focus of this tour is to capture this stunning landscape when the autumn colours are at its finest

Surrounded by Austria, Hungary, Italy and Croatia plus a stunning but short stretch of the Adriatic coast, Slovenia is best described as small corner of Europe, that brings together a picturesque blend of Alpine, Mediterranean, Karst and Pannonian worlds. As we photograph our way around Slovenia we come across spectacular lakes, majestic mountains, roaring waterfalls, alpine meadows and picture perfect villages, topped by fairytale castles overlooking this ridiculously pretty landscape.

Our tour first takes us to Lake Bled and its iconic Church of the Assumption on Bled Island, arguably the most photographed location in the whole country. With a backdrop of Julian Alps, we can indulge ourselves in creative compositions to photograph Lake Bohinj and the dainty Church of St. John. We shoot long exposures to smooth out the fast flowing waters of Soca river and waterfalls Vintar Gorge. Finally, we visit the historic capital Ljubljana (Lub-l-ana). From Roman ruins to baroque palaces, the walking only town center has many pretty compositions with the famous pink Church and the hilltop Ljublana castle overlooking the capital city. From Ljublana we include a day trip to the famous Postjana Caves and the Postjana castle cut out of a mountain.

Join us on a side trip, just to extend the photography bonanza to neighboring Croatia’s breathtaking natural splendour of Plitvice Lakes and waterfalls. Plitvice Lakes are composed of 16 interlinked lakes and 25 hectares of woods and waterfalls surrounded by the mountains of Mala Kapela and Pljesivica. Plitvice Lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the angle of sunlight and the minerals or organisms in the water.

STRUCTURE:

Pre Tour Analysis:

Each registered participant will be requested to submit their landscape / portrait related images. Our panel will analyse each image to see how to guide each individual during the tour to help them enhance their skills.  We will also provide individual feedback to their each submitted image and suggest improvement points.

During the Tour:

Based on the analytical data available with us post “Pre Tour Analysis” we will provide individualized attention to all and ensure they work on their weaknesses and enhance their skills. Evening Gup Shup sessions will be learning oriented and practical tips will be provided based on the mistakes committed by participants during the day.

We shall also have atleast one evening session dedicated to post processing workflow to help them become a complete photographer.

After the tour:

Each participant will be required to submit 3 of his or her best images from the tour. Each image will be analysed and constructive feedback will be provided. Best of the lot will make it to our website and blog; and will be aggressively promoted on FB.

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 01 (Oct 06) Arrive at Ljublana

You will be received by us at the Ljublana Airport and then transferred to the famous Lake Bled. If time permits, we will set our adventure into motion right away with a late afternoon shoot to capture Lake Bled at the golden hour. In the evening, we will get together for a relaxed welcome dinner to get you settled in and discuss further plans for the tour.

Day 02 – 04 (Oct 07 – 9) Lake Bled

We will dedicate three full days to the picturesque Lake Bled area, shooting the tear-shaped Bled Island in its entirety, along with its iconic Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary from various vantage points. These will be considered taking into account the sunrise and sunset setting on different days. Views from the boardwalk, Bled Castle and the trek up to Mount Osojnica make for some especially magnificent shots.

DAY 05 (Oct 10) Lake Bohinj & Vintar Gorge

We will start our day by taking a short drive up to Lake Bohinj, a site which boasts of a quaint old bridge and a baroque church. We will then move onto Vintar Gorge to capture fast-flowing river water using long exposures for creative compositions. We will spend the afternoon driving around the charming Slovenian villages in the vicinity to photograph rural life and look out for the unique hill-top churches.

DAY 06 & 07 (Oct 11 & 12) Ljublana, Postjana Caves & Castle

We will arrive in the capital city of Ljublana on Day 6 and photograph its old, historic sites in various compositions. By afternoon, we will gather for a sunset shoot at Ljublana Castle.

We will begin Day 7 with a sunrise shoot of the old city, after which we will take a drive to spend the day at the world-famous Postjana rock caves, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the equally renowned Postjana Castle. We will return to Ljublana for good bye dinner for those who will be returning back after conclusion of the first leg of the tour to Slovenia. Next morning, we will start off for Plitvice Lakes with those who have opted for the extended tour.

People who have not opted for Plitvice Lakes Extension, end their tour and travel back to their respective places with sweet memories. Others continue for their tour to Plitvice Lakes

DAY 08 – 10 (Oct 13 – 15) Extended Tour to Plitvice Lakes

A 3 hour scenic drive from Ljublana will bring us across the border to the neighboring Croatia. The final days of our tour will be spent exploring the spectacular Plitvice Lakes, another UNESCO world heritage site situated in the heart of Croatia – three hundred square feet of unadulterated natural beauty. The site offers several opportunities to capture visually impactful shots of the sixteen lakes that comprise the park, all interconnected by a series of wooden bridges, rocky trails, limestone caves and steep waterfalls.

There are several hiking routes to be followed and a plethora of flora and fauna to be captured, which, complimented by the fall colours and turquoise waterways, allow you to experiment with a multitude of compositions and perspectives – the ultimate treat to end the tour with!

On Day 10 we check out and drive back to Ljublana with our happy memories and epic shots.

Tour Mentor

JASSI OBERAI

Know Your Mentor

SANDEEP MATHUR

Know Your Mentor

Virtual Tour of Slovenia & Lake Plitvice

through the eyes of Xploring Light