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alessbix

Ljubljana, 17. 12. 2015, by @sanya_lt

Alessandro is the person behind the @alessbix and @master_shots accounts on Instagram (& @alexandertn1 on Twitter). I’ve met him while we were both a part of the Photowall team on Instagram. It was quite funny to discover that joining an American team connected two people living so close together – since Alessandro lives just across the border, in Italy. We talked a lot & I’ve learned do much from him. So – sharing an interview with a dear Instagram friend – is a must!

So, can you tell us a few things about you?

My name is Alessandro and I’m an Italian biologist from Trieste . I’m an amateur photographer taking photos for fun but always trying to improve my skills. I use a canon Eos 650D but I always have with me my little canon IXUS , even if many pictures on my feed were taken and edited with my iPhone. I don’t have a specific style, I love woods, mountains, water, sunsets, lights … I mostly take photos of nature, I don’t edit much, often not at all.

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What does photography mean to you?

What I like about photography is the fact that it can stop time and freeze the moment. Being a photographer is not about being a pro or about what gear you use, everyone can take a great shot simply using a phone.

How did you end up on Instagram?

It was just another app I wanted to try back in 2012, obviously the try must have turned into some kind of addiction if I’m still here.

How often do you publish? Do you interact with other people on Instagram? What would you say are the most important ‘rules’ that every Instagrammer must follow? Or – it would be good to follow? 🙂

I always try to post at least once a day. Sure I interact with other users and I love to keep in touch with friends from all over the world. My advice to other users would be; Be different , be social and be active. Also; Don’t post to get likes but post what you like.

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This is the second time (as far as I know) that Instagram made you ‘the suggested’ user. What does this mean for you?

Yes I must admit, that is was totally weird!  I was suggested user twice and obviously there is no magic trick for hitting the suggested users list. The first time Instagram selected me while I was posting a very unedited pictures series , I mean neat no freaky stuff, no fake colours, I guess that paid off.

So – there is no magic formula how to get noticed by Instagram?

As said I don’t know any existing formula, they constantly check feeds and main tags, things changed a little bit since Facebook acquired Instagram but I honestly don’t think there are algorithms or specific ways to get noticed.
I also know you as the co-founder of the @Master_shots profile? When did you start it? How?

Yes, We founded @master_shots together with Jelena, a great partner and the best admin I know so far. The page wouldn’t probably exist and surely wouldn’t be so popular without her devotion and impressive job. Master_shots profile was funded back in July 2013 and started posting features and running contests like any other page, outstanding selections and great working team made the rest.

How do you pick photos to feature there? What does ‘a good photography’ mean to you – in sense that it deserves a feature on the @Master_shots profile?

Ah that’s an interesting question, basically there is some weird obscure rule that makes some photos work and others don’t even if they are both totally amazing. There are many factors to consider but they unfortunately or fortunately – can’t be 100% managed. Master_shots has its own style which is different from other cool hubs. Being featured means you are very cool at taking photos, no matter if you are popular or not, you just – stand out.

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You live near Slovenia. How often do you visit?

Actually I live on the border and I spend a lot of my time in Slovenia but I must apologize cause I know just few Slovenian words and 99.9 % of them are related to food and drinks.

What are your favourite (photogenic?:) places here? 

I absolutely love the Bohinj area and Bled, I have a thing for Ljubljana but I also find the seaside amazing.

If we want to get to know the area you come from a little better – who should we follow, except you, of course?

Well if you want to see amazing spots, urban photography and a great mood you must give @ralfmalf a check, his gallery is impressive. There are also some local hubs you can check out like @igersfvg, @instaitalia, @igersitalia, @ig_italia and probably some other pages. 

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peterzajfridphoto

Who? My name is Peter Zajfrid and I come from small town Ruše in north eastern part of Slovenia. I work as electrician, but when I’m off work, then the addiction – that is – photography – starts 🙂 I consider myself an amateure landscape photographer. I started in photography back in summer of 2011.  You can see my work at my website or Facebook.

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Why Instagram? I started my social network presence as most photographes do this days, on Facebook. I knew Instagram was there, but it just didn’t get me going till recently. I heard more and more, If you want to get noticed as photographer, you must go to Instagram so I joined and love it :). People that told me so were right, all that matter in photograpy are there.

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What are your favourite places in Slovenia? My favorite place to take photos is by far Pernica Lake :). Other places are Plač Tower, Zavrh Tower, Pohorje hills and all the Slovenian Hills region around Lenart.

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JSFtravel

Ljubljana, 14. 12. 2015, by @sanya_lt

As most of the Instagrammers that keep amazing me I’ve found the @JSFtravel profile while going through photos tagged #igslovenia. I soon discovered that the profile belongs to a lovely American couple whose job is – to travel. Or – is this a full time – hobby? Let’s find out!

Can you present yourself? Who are you, where do you come from and what do you do?

We are an American couple, Sarah & Kris, travelling full time. In April 2014, we left our jobs, sold everything we owned and set out on a journey to travel the world. What we find most fascinating about travelling is experiencing different cultures. We love learning about the people, food and local customs in the places we visit.

For 20 years, Kris worked for an airline. His flight benefits allowed him (plus spouse, once we got married!) to fly for free. He has been travelling much longer than me to places I still haven’t been, like Egypt, Brazil and Scotland. With the number of years, he worked at the airline, he was able to take an early retirement while keeping his flight benefits; therefore, we pay only a very small fee to fly, which helps tremendously in budgeting our travels.

My background is in journalism and marketing. I like finding the story about a place and sharing it with other people. When we decided to travel full time, I created our blog as a way to tell stories of the places we were visiting to our family and friends back home. Just as much as I like using words to tell stories, I also like capturing images with my camera and let the photos show the story.

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How does your life look like? How much do you travel?

We are essentially homeless – without a home or possessions to return to – so we are constantly travelling. However, we do travel slowly. Staying in one place for a month at a time allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the area. In between our longer stays, we pick destinations along the route where we might stay for a week or two at a time.

How do you pick your destinations? Where do you search for information about a new country, new destination?

There is so much of the world that we want to see that we often find it difficult to choose where we will travel to next! In our first year of full time travel, we were actually travelling ‘around the world.’ We had a goal of circumnavigating the world in a year’s time, which we did. We travelled west, starting in South America – and spent time on six continents before arriving back in the United States for a short visit. During that time, we chose destinations based on westward travel.

Now as long term travellers with no specific route, many things come into play when determining our destinations. We choose where to go based on affordability, accessibility and interest-at-the-moment. (Example: After spending winter in Melbourne, Australia, we caught the end of summer on the coast of Croatia.)

At this point, there are very few places that don’t interest us – we want to see it all!

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Are you professional or amateur photographers? What equipment do you use for taking photos?

I am an amateur photographer; a hobby photographer, actually. I use a Canon Rebel T2i with a 18-55mm lens – and I almost always carry my camera with me. In rare occasions, I use an old (and more portable) Canon Power Shot. Kris uses his iPhone and, honestly, it sometimes takes the better photo.

Can you describe us your photography style?

I don’t really have a photography style. I like to takes pictures of the things I see – and I want my photos to retain a real-life quality to them. My favourite pictures are the ones that tell a story all on their own, without any words needed.

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How did you end up on Instagram?

Instagram is a travel’s delight! We wanted to connect with other travellers, as well as have a place to display our photos – Instagram is perfect for that!

How often do you publish? Do you interact with other people on Instagram? Who would you recommend to follow?

We publish on Instagram once a day, but throughout the day we interact with the people we follow – and the people who follow us. We love the Instagram community. Seeing pictures around the world fuels our passion for travel.

Who would you recommend us to follow?

Jewelszee,  NoDestinationsTheTouristinHeckticTravels & Nomadasaurus.

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Slovenia? How/when did you decide to visit? Why?

Slovenia was on our list for a long time before we actually visited! We were drawn to the country for its beautiful scenic landscapes and the fairytale city of Ljubljana. We spent two weeks in Ljubljana last spring – which is not enough time!

What are your favourite places here?

We loved everything we saw in Slovenia – city, mountains, rural countryside, so it is difficult to pick one place. Being in the historic old town of Ljubljana was magical, but the natural beauty of Lake Bled was our favourite.

Which place is (for you) the best to take photos?

The entire country is very photogenic! We loved taking pictures along the river in Ljubljana’s old town. However, the best place to capture the splendour of Slovenia was from the hills that surround Lake Bled. The view of the lake from above by far surpassed any other vantage point.

What would you say to a first time visitor – what is ‘a must see’ place in Slovenia? See Lake Bled; slow down and take it in!

What did you miss while staying here?

So much! We didn’t make it to the coast or Piran. And, although we rode through the countryside, we didn’t stay in the rural area. We would love to explore the smaller towns in Slovenia and more of the mountains, as well.

What are your plans for the future? Coming back to Slovenia?

We plan to keep travelling for as long as we can. We definitely see another trip to Slovenia in our future – there is still so much more to see!

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jaka_ivancic

Who? My name is Jaka Ivančič, I was born & raised in Koper but I now live in Ankaran. I can say that I fell in love with photography when I was a child, we have been in a committed relationship for a few years now and also the future looks bright for us:) I’m a freelancer working on different projects; One of them is being the official photographer and video producer for Radio Capris, others are also mostly connected to photography, mainly landscape, food and events photography.

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Why Instagram? Instagram is one of 3 social media platforms that I use to promote my work (others are Twitter and Facebook). I use a digital camera (Canon 5D MK III) to share my photo impressions, mostly – landscape photography, and I also use my Iphone 6 to capture others moments of my life.

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What are your favourite ‘photo-places’ in Slovenia? Since I live in Slovene Istria and since – I simply love it, I take most of my photos here. Piran, Koper, Izola and everything around is my playground. Although the area is not large I always manage to find a new place and a new view.

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mighele_

Ljubljana, 5. 12. 2015, @sanya_lt

Instagram thought me an important lesson; before I go anywhere, I search through the #hashtags connected to the place I want to visit and I ask local Instagrammers for tips – where to go & what to see. Mighele_ is the person that ‘pops up’ when you are looking for ideas where to go and what to do in Italy, especially in its northern part, around Trieste. I have also found some of his photos of Slovenia and decided that an interview with a neighbour (with an amazing gallery!) is a must!

Can you present yourself? Who are you, where do you come from and what do you do?

My name is Michele and I’m from the north-eastern part of Italy. My instagram name is @Mighele_ but I have also another profile, @mighele_daily and of course – you can find me on Twitter & Tumblr.

 I currently live in Trieste, but I was born and raised in Udine, where I worked as a graphic designer for several years. Now I’m working hard on a new project with my partner Marco called “Dezen Dezen. It’s very exciting to see the project – slowly but surely – becoming a reality! The next big step waiting for us is to move our screen printing manufacture to Trieste.

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How would you describe your photography style? I find your photos very aesthetic, symmetry is importantto you and (especially lately) there almost must be a splash of blue here and there. Am I wrong?

You already told everything. It’s not easy for me to describe my style because I have a very spontaneous approach to photography and most of the time I just shoot what I encounter during my days and on my travels. My photos are often blue because blue is the colour that surrounds me most of the time between the sea of Trieste and the sky of the Friuli’s Alps.

Are you a professional or amateur photographer? What kind of equipment do you use for taking photos?

Absolutely amateur! For the last few years I was only using my iPhone for shooting and for editing my photos. However, recently, Nikon Italy invited me to take part in a photography project and having a Nikon Reflex in my hand gave me a lot of new inspiration.

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How did you end up on Instagram?

Honestly, I don’t remember! When I initially installed Instagram 3 years ago, none of my friends was using it and I hadn’t understood the potential at the beginning. Only after a few months of using it &  with the number of followers growing it became more interesting. And, as you know, I never stopped using it! 🙂

Instagram is my favourite social media mostly because it allows you to tell stories in a very simple way! In Italy the community of Instagrammers  is very large and united. The first one that involved me was Instagramers Italia and thanks to them I discovered how cool Instagram is and met a bunch of cool people from all around Europe and the world.

Can you share some tips for Slovenian Instagramers? How to act on Instagram? What is really important for you?

Instagram is all about storytelling: Show your passions and show the most beautiful places in your country! Those are my favourite contents!

In a nutshell: Less selfies and more interaction! That was my winning combination and it allowed me to get to know so many people and some of them became very close friends of mine. It also allowed me to get in touch with some cool brands with which I developed different kind of collaborations.

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Slovenia? How/when did you decide to visit? Why?

Living so close to Slovenia also means I visit it often, but unfortunately I had only a few occasions to visit it as a tourist. In the last year we participated many times on Ljubljana’s arts and crafts markets with our Dezen Dezen handmades and each time I take more confidence with the city and fall a little bit more in love with it.

What are your favorite places here?

I have seen more Slovenian highways and gas stations than cities, LOL, but as I said I love Ljubljana and Piran! I would love visit the beautiful Lake Bled and I hope I will spend a weekend there really soon. Until then I will admire Slovenia on Instagram!

Do you think that Instagram community could do something to help you while exploring Slovenia?

Of course! Browsing Instagram galleries of my favourite Instagrammers helps me discover a lot of beautiful places that I never visited or even knew they existed but are just a few kilometres away. When I find something new and interesting it immediately becomes my next destination! The community can become a great resource to discover beautiful places. When you use hashtags and geolocation correctly Instagram is a very powerful tool.

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hulyaozkurt

Ljubljana, 25. 11. 2015, @sanya_lt

Usually an amazing gallery and 118.000 followers make a reason good enough to do an interview with an Instagramer. But, when it comes to @hulyaozkurt, we have to say at least two more things; Her photo of Lake Bled is the most liked photo ever on our Instagram account and she is one of the nicest Instagramers that we have ever met. She will always take time to comment on your photo, say thank you when you feature her work and immediately say ‘Yes’ when you ask her if she will do an interview with you. So, here we go …

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Who are you, where do you come from and what do you do? It is stated on your profile page that ‘Istanbul and Venice are in your heart’. Why? 🙂
I’m a lawyer and my greatest passion is photography. I was born in Switzerland and I’ve grown up in Istanbul, the city that will always be in my heart. I’ve moved to Italy 13 years ago and now I live in a small and very peaceful town called Treviso close to Venice. When I stand in front of the Gran Canal in Venice I feel as if I was in Istanbul facing the Bosphorus, looking at the seagulls playing with the waves.
How would you describe your photography (your photography style)?
I take pictures of my travels and life adventures, of what I like and what is harmonious. I love architecture and design. I always try to use natural light and avoid filters.

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Are you a professional or amateur photographer? What kind of equipment do you use for taking photos?
I’ve started as an amateur photographer with my dad’s Nikon camera, but as I’ve improved I bought a new camera for myself and started to take pictures also with my iPhone 5. As technology developed I’ve started to use an iPhone 6 camera and got a new Sony alpha 7s camera. I think that it’s great.

What does photography mean to you?
I think it’s a passion that I will keep for all my life. It’s a way for me to see the world.

How did you end up on Instagram?
My friends that liked my photos suggested me to use it, and I’ve decided to share my pictures on an Instagram account with my name. I’ve been chosen a suggested user by Instagram and the adventure started.

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Can you share some tips for Slovenian Instagramers? How to act on Instagram? What is really important for you?
I think that the most important points are to be patient, to practice a lot, observe every single detail and never give up. To share at least one picture a day is also important, it keeps your profile alive and your followers attached. I think that to answer to your followers is fundamental and always to be aware of the harmony and beauty of your pictures.

Slovenia? How/when did you decide to visit? Why?
I’ve been to Slovenia many times before, but I didn’t have Instagram then. I’m convinced that your country is beautiful with it’s nature, people, culture, cities, history and food. It’s a pleasure for me and my family to spend holidays in Slovenia.

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What are your favourite places here? What would you say to a first time visitor – what is ‘a must see’ place in Slovenia?
My favourite places are Ljubljana, Piran, Radovljica and Bled. Slovenia offers everything for a visitor; sea, mountain, lakes and history.
What did you miss while staying here?
Nothing sincerely, just my dog that was waiting for me at home:)

Where did you got the information that you needed to explore the country?
Before starting to a new trip I always check information on Instagram. For this reason I think that an Instagram community is essential to visit a country and to collaborate with @igslovenia on a future project would be a great pleasure for me.

 

All photos by @hulyaozkurt

 

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aob01

Who? @aob01 🙂 Beleive it or not, photography is my stress relief. Usually I take photos on my way to work or back home and over the weekends, when we go with family out of town. That’s why my Instagram stream has so many jumps from one theme to another and that’s why I hope you’ll like it. For more of my work – check out my blog.

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Why  (Instagram)? It’s simple and it works as a crossplatform for posting on different social networks. Also – it is easy to follow others & their work.

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What (can I show you)? Let’s say my specialty is street photography, some night photography and of course everything else. Parts of Slovenia? Most southern part, called Bela krajina and Ljubljana.

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dreamypixels

Who? My name is Aleš Krivec / @dreamypixels and I am a hobby landscape photographer. The majority of my photos are from Slovenia, a hidden jewel of Europe, showing high Alpine peaks, emerald rivers, vineyard countryside, medieval castles, thriving cities and the small but distinctive coast. I have a website called DreamyPixel along with my friend Ana Medja (she is more focused on urban photography).

Male hiker observing the sunset at the top of the local big mountain. The photograph was taken in Karavanke mountain range in Slovenia.

Why (Instagram)? I like Instagram because it’s a fast and fun way to share your photos and trips with people through a series of images. It’s also a very good way to discover how certain locations look in different seasons. I regularly check certain hashtags to check if the conditions are already like I would like them to be (like if the trees are already orange enough :). And it’s a great way to discover new, interesting views.

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What (are the places that you love & know the most)? I have fairly good knowledge of Julian Alps and it’s peaks & the upper Karavanke region.

Beautiful autumn landscape in Julian Alps. Larches are glowing in the early morning.

Mokrice castle at night with a starry night above. Dark and peaceful atmosphere under milky way.

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saratodo

Who & why (Instagram)? 

I am Sara Todorović and I am a young photographer. Instagram is a great platform for us photographers to show our work to a wider audience. It also helped me take my career to the next level. I love photographing nature, animals and events such as concerts and fashion week.

You can find my personal profile on Instagram under the name @saratodo & me and my friends also take care of the @simm_photography account.

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What (can I show you & give you some info about)? My favorite places in Slovenia are Ljubljana, Tolmin Gorges, Velika Planina, Bled, Soča Valley, Piran, Lipica and Zelenci. These are just some of the places I would highly recommend you to visit when you come to our beautiful country.

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shadro21

Who? @shadro21;) My name is Denys, I’m 18 years old and I was born in Ukraine. I have been living in Slovenia for 9 years now and I really like it here. I’m a high school student at School for design and photography and I make my living as a designer.

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Why Instagram? I felt in love with nature in Slovenia soon after coming here. It is unbeliveble! There are Julian Alps on one side and Adriatic sea on the other. And there is less than 100 kilometres in beetwen!  Instagram is a great place to share my work and it makes me really happy to see that people like it.

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What can you show us? Well, I really do love nature & my home town, Škofja Loka and the entire Gorenjska Region. So – if you are planning a visit near me – let me know!

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