You are hereSlovenia. Sublime Scenery.
Slovenia. Sublime Scenery.
By Claire
COMING SOON details of a PTR workshop in Slovenia in October 2008. Contact NOW for details before they get published.
This trip came about due to a previous holiday in Skye that had been arranged by people who had met on an online photography site. Here I had the good fortune to meet with a Slovenian called Herman Cater and he agreed to organise a trip to his homeland. Two years after meeting this came to fruition. It was a meeting of people who shared a passion for nature, brought together friends new and old and proved to be a fantastic experience. Herman gave us an unforgettable introduction to his country; one that could never had been realised without his knowledge and planning. His photography is featured here and he is featured in an interview on PTR about his Siberian adventures.
I flew from Stansted, London to Ljubljana (with Easy Jet) at the end of May and the drive to the first house in the Logarska Dolina in the Solcava District gave us some idea what was to come, the light was beautiful and at every turn I was seeing things I wanted to shoot. My first impression was how green it was and how pristine and clean - the air had a startling purity.
This first photo was the very first I took on the trip. As soon as we arrived we walked up to touch the snow on the peaks behind our cabin. I never fail to be amazed at the incongruity of being hot and being near snow.
The weather was a surprise and we were lucky, T-shirts were the order of the day but the week before had been cold and wet.
The first morning was an early start to be in place for dawn at Robanov Kot. We met Herman's friend, Lojze, who proved a wonderful guide. (I have to thank him for his sherpa services when the going got a bit tough on some steep bits later in the week.). Herman picked a fantastic spot and organised some wonderful colour in the sky. I've chosen these shots to show how the light changed and how the same stump gave foreground interest up and down the valley.
Later in the morning we walked to a viewpoint that gave us a chance to look down the Logarska Dolina. (Dolina means valley). The clouds were fantastic but quite a challenge to photograph as the contrast was high. We stayed and watched the sun slowly hit trees in the valley. I can't imagine a more enchanting morning.
I was delighted to see so many meadow flowers. Any spring visitor to Slovenia will be guaranteed to come away with images of the meadows. They cut through the woodlands in perfect harmony, the mountains rise above. It is stunning and for those of us used to the landscapes where farming is intensive it is a joy to see.
The next morning found us up early again and on another meadow with great views. This rolling meadow in the distance really caught my eye and we had a short time with some rosy light on the mountains.
We headed a bit further along the valley and prepared to walk up to a cave through the forest. This next image was an attempt to capture a church with a mountain backdrop. People who know me know I love to shoot water and reflections - I'd found one at last! The churches all seemed to be on the top of hills, many inaccessible by car - great for photography but hard for devotees.
Wood is king here. The log piles probably seem very mundane to those who live here but to my eye they were a constant source of interest; as were all the uses wood was put to. The architecture seems to grow rather than being made, within the more remote areas man's impact may be present but it never jars.
If you like shooting waterfalls you are spoilt for choice. Slap is the Slovenian word for waterfall and the slaps here are dramatic and abundant.
Herman had organised this trip but we were also guests of a camera club called SVIT. They organised a fun raft ride for us.
What a great morning, this proved to be. Watching Kaz (a friend from Poland) being baptised was especially entertaining. Thanks to all at SVIT for making us so welcome and organising such a fun event. They have many talented photographers.
We changed location to be near the Kranjska Gora region (see map) and I was keen to see the lakes that most tourists associate Slovenia with. Lake Bled is a view that I had seen many times on TV before my visit but the light had changed, it was still hot but hazy and I came home thinking I hadn't got a picture of this but forgot we stopped briefly here one morning. The sky was not interesting so a B&W conversion helps.
Photography became more challenging as the weather became hot and humid, no dawn or sunsets so it was time to play. If you like flowers then overcast light is good and the opportunities are at every bend.
Later in the week we had one lovely afternoon on Lake Bohijn with a storm and rain and mists.
Religion is important in Slovenia so I had to have a go at adding some images of this aspect of life.
Our new location gave us access to views of the Julian Alps and another beautiful meadow and some brief morning colour.
I have never been in the Alps before and found myself shooting many vertical shots in order to try and capture the height and give some sense of the scale - difficult to do and you really need good light and something in the foreground to achieve this. Having only a week I failed to get the shot I wanted, this is something I'd like to try again but would want to find my "perfect" location and return again and again to find the shot I now have in my mind.
We visited a lake - by this time I was lost but I know I was near Triglav. The colour of the water in the rivers was astounding but I failed to capture it though I did at least get a chance to dabble in water. The water in the rivers is extraordinary. The rocks are white, being limestone, and the water takes on the colour of the land and sky. I cannot describe the colours we saw - was it green or blue? It was certainly something I've not seen before but you'll have to visit to experience it.
The need for hay has a huge impact on the scenery in Slovenia and while agriculture in the UK often spoils the land here the creation of meadows seems so harmonious. I almost feared to walk on the meadows as in the UK wild flowers are so rare they are protected but here they are cut and fed to what I assume are the tastiest cows in the world. These final shots were taken minutes before we got into the car to head for the airport.
No-one can say we didn't make the most of the trip. A HUGE thanks to all who help make it happen and a special hug for Herman who couldn't have organised a better trip.
I've been home a month but can't shake off the beauty we saw. I will return. I want to experience winter and autumn and also I'm told the meadows get even more beautiful - this I have to see.
Highlights: Being in a meadow looking towards snow capped mountains with cuckoo calls echoing across the valley as the sun came up. Also, sharing this with people who have a passion to find good light in beautiful places.
Lowlights: I was bitten by an Alsatian dog. It was a scary experience but it did leave me with a lasting impression of how kind people can be when you are abroad and in need of help. Herman helped me with the language barrier, acquiring information about whether the dog was vaccinated and at the hospital. The police were helpful and efficient, the man who ran the Zirovnica Backpacker Hostel (Bookings via niko.jakelj@gmail.com) where we stayed drove me to the hospital and helped me understand what was happening and gave good advice. Hania (my Polish friend) held my hand and found the necessary dressings for the wound. The rest of the group had their holiday disrupted but were sympathetic and patient. I thank you all. This is a PTR lesson - you never know what will happen but around every unexpected corner there are people in this world who have big hearts and a possible crisis can be turned around.
Advice for travellers: I was only here for 7 days but I did talk a lot to people who know the areas we visited well. Photographers should aim to travel here in spring or autumn for a "gentle" experience and avoid July and August as the light is less dramatic. Winter in the mountain areas would be very challenging to do what we did. The snow makes most of the higher places we went to inaccessible without a great deal of effort and skill. Some of the places we visited are not on the tourist trail and I'd recommend a lot of research to make the most of good light.
We met an Englishman called Roy Clark who has made Slovenia his home. He writes walking guides and I'd highly recommend reading them. Look here .
Accommodation is cheap (around 20 - 25 Euros a night gets you a clean room, breakfast and evening meals in fabulous locations). This site features the first mountain hut we stayed in (Alpine dairy cottage in LOGARSKI KOT).
At the Backpacker's Hostel (Bookings via niko.jakelj@gmail.com) the owner will collect you for free from the train station and even substantially undercut taxi fares to drive you there from the airport. He was happy to accommodate meal times with our strange hours and will drive you to the lakes.
The history of this country isn't easy to understand - the twists and turns are as tortuous as the mountain roads. The recent history is as complex as the distant past. It is a country that has won recent independence (read about the 10 day war) and is less scarred than other parts of the Yugoslav Republic. Economically it has challenges but everyone I spoke to had a confident air and they were sure that with the present independence and stability the future could be good. I hope so as they are a people who you cannot help but love and they have a treasure of a country that isn't spoilt and should have the help of the European Community to ensure it can protect its beauty whilst enabling prosperity.
This final image is a sensitive portrait of a Slovenian man by Herman Cater.
The Solcava District
Kranjska Gora Region
To see what others achieved on this trip and a daily report by Herman visit here
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