Posts

Nadiža Valley and Napoleon Bridge

Nadiža River is one of the cleanest and warmest Alpine rivers. Locals also believe the river has healing powers and in the hot summer days one can sometimes gets impression that that whole nation is seekin therapy there. That’s why we came to take photos at the sunrise and since the valley is pretty narrow and that part of the river flows NE, it is not neccesary too early. Out of the season any time of the day would be fine.

FullSizeRender-1

Its turqoise waters, torrential during the frequent storms, originate under the massive Stol range in Slovenia. Short after that it becomes a border river between Slovenia and Italy, than enters Slovenia again and at the foot of mount Matajur turns south, crosses the border into Italy and concludes it’s 60 kilometer journey when it joins the river Ter (Torre).

FullSizeRender-2

The Nadiža has carved out pools and gorges, as well as depositing numerous shingle beaches. It’s most picturesque part is difficult to access and if you want to be more on your own, trailing by the river is the only, but very worthly solution. It is home to the marble trout, rainbow trout and the local crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes italicus. As such it is a natural paradise for bathers and fly fishermen.

FullSizeRender-4

The famous stone bridge crossing the Nadiža gorge dates to around 1812 and stands mute testament to the routes crossing the area since at least the time of Ancient Rome. The bridge used to form part of the ancient route from Pradol and Robidišče along the Nadiža riverand further to the east. Current bridge was built at the time of the French emperor’s conquests, hence its name. Its uniqueness and technical accomplishment make it a precious architectural monument and a memorial to times past

FullSizeRender
To protect the harmony between nature and the numerous visitors in the summertime, the Kobarid municipality has implemented a parking regime by the river Nadiža. There are four maintained parking lots by the river bank (in Robič,Podbela, Napoleon bridge and Logje); a parking fee applies in June, July and August.

Source: http://www.dolina-soce.com/en/

Zoran Leban Trojar, @zokus_gf

Dobre Instagram prakse; @LittleLambo_

Podjetje Little Lambo je bilo ustanovljeno leta 2014. Ročno izdelujejo visoko kvalitetne otroške mokasine iz najboljšega usnja, ki mu nobena kemikalija nikoli ni prišla blizu. Poleg tega, da vsak par sešijejo na roke, upravljajo meni enega najljubših Instagram profilov. 500 objavljenih fotografij, skoraj 20.000 sledilcev in tudi po nekaj par tisoč všečkov na fotografijo so številke, ki govorijo same zase.

Od kar sem prvič naletela na profil @littlelambo_ na Instagramu, jim sledim. Prepričale me niso le izjemne fotografije, ampak tudi način, kako se te fotografije razporejajo v zgodbo, kako podjetje komunicira s sledilci in kako – razume priložnosti, ki jih Instagram ponuja. Ko k temu dodaš še ugotovitev, da gre za majhno, družinsko podjetje iz Slovenije, je nujno, preveriti, kako se stvari lotevajo. Mogoče še kdo najde kak navdih ali nasvet za svoje delo. Pogovarjali smo se preko e-pošte, odgovarjala je cela družina … vsak po malo:) Nastal je naslednji klepet;

IMG_1606

Se lahko na kratko predstavite – kdo ste, s čim se vaše podjetje ukvarja?

Znamka Little Lambo izhaja iz družinskega podjetja Lambo, ki se že več kot 20 let ukvarja s tekstilom. Kljub težkim časom v tej industriji in ob vseh cenenih izdelkih iz vzhoda, smo naše podjetje ohranili na zeleni veji, na kar smo zelo ponosni. V septembru 2014 se je hčerki Alji utrnila ideja o prodaji usnjenih otroških mokasinov. Sprva nismo vedeli, kako začeti, saj z izdelovanjem copatkov in usnjem nismo imeli prav nobenih izkušenj. Pol leta smo porabili, da smo razvili modele, in še kar nekaj mesecev  – da smo našli usnje, ki bi zadovoljilo naše zahteve glede kvalitete. Zdaj lahko rečemo, da smo zagotovo uspeli.

Ste slovenska zgodba, prisegate na lokalno in ročno narejeno, vseeno pa osvajate svetovni trg?

Vsi mokasini se od začetka do konca naredijo  v naši delavnici, prav tako skušamo uporabiti čim več slovenskih izdelkov, kot so nase škatle ali vezalke v mokasinih. Usnja pri nas nismo našli, saj iščemo le okolju prijazno usnje. Vsekakor se nikoli ne bi odločili, da bi proizvodnjo selili na Kitajsko, od koder sicer dobivamo veliko ponudb za izdelavo naših mokasinov. Kako osvajamo svetovni trg, pa najboljše povedo velike spletne trgovine, v katerih smo prisotni – v 90% je odgovor Instagram.

Instagram je za vas ključno sredstvo promocije in komunikacije, kar je, sploh za slovenska podjetja, izjemno redko. Kaj pa drugi kanali?

Splet je za nas ključnega pomena. Do sedaj v promocijo nismo vložili niti evra, kar je v resnici – precej neverjetno. Naše delo na spletu se začne in konča s fotografijami mokasinov. Instagram je za nas zagotovo najpomembnejši kanal, smo se pa začeli truditi tudi s Facebookom, saj ugotavljamo da Instragram predvsem med Slovenci ni dovolj popularen.

IMG_0708

Se še spomnite začetkov na Instagramu?

Stvari se na Instagramu zelo hitro premikajo. Objaviš dobro sliko, pa je na spletni strani poplava kupcev. Začetkov se skorajda ne spomnimo, niso pa bili lahki. Moraš vztrajati, komentirati druge slike, se povezovati – stopiti v stik tudi  z blogerji. Verjetno si marsikdo težko predstavlja, a za naše fotografije, da so, takšne kot so, porabimo nekaj ur na dan. Na telefonih imamo po 100 slik istega modela, objavimo eno. Pomembne so podrobnosti.

Kako ste prišli do prvih sledilcev?

Verjetno na podoben način, kot vsi. Všečkali smo veliko fotografij in napisali veliko komentarjev. Zanimivo se zdi, da se jih je veliko (komentarjev namreč) na začetku tudi vrnilo. Zdaj, ko so številke sledilcev višje, temu ni več tako.

Prej ste omenili, da fotografirate s telefonom. Po ogledu vašega profila to človek skorajda težko verjame. Fotke so super!

Hvala! 🙂 Kot smo že omenili, nam fotografiranje vzame res veliko časa, nekaj ur vsak dan. Telefon gor ali dol, izdelek moraš dobro postaviti, ga osvetliti in se posvetiti podrobnostim. Niti približno nismo pravi fotografi oz. s fotografijo nimamo izkušenj. Vse kar smo se naučili, smo se učili sproti. Zagotovo pa je naša želja imeti pravi studio za fotografiranje, saj bi s tem pridobili veliko več časa in mogoče še bolj kvalitetne fotografije. Seveda pa kdaj tudi menjamo – mokasine za fotografije:)

Ravno prejšnji mesec smo imeli res srečo, da smo dobili kot našo uradno predstavnico znamke znano fotografinjo, ki ima sedaj novorojenčka in res čudovite fotografije. Za nas bo posnela veliko fotografij v zameno za nekaj mokasinov. Če gledamo, da fotografi računajo vrtoglave vsote denarje za kakšen fotoshooting, smo tega sodelovanja res izjemno veseli.

IMG_0535

Imate kakšna ‘pravila’ po katerih objavljate na Instagramu?

Najraje objavljamo zjutraj. Mislimo namreč, da je to čas, ko vsak rad pregleda kaj je novega. Kaj objavljamo je predvsem odvisno od tega, kar smo prejšnji dan pripravili. Barve mokasinov se ne smejo ponavljati, med naše fotografije vedno radi umestimo fotografijo kakega blogerja, s katerim v določenem obdobju sodelujemo. Trudimo se objavljati vsaj 2 fotografiji dnevno, smo pa večino časa tako zasedeni, da je pravilo najmanj eno na dan. In ta ena naj bo kvalitetna.

Kaj pa interakcija s sledilci? Imate veliko komentarjev in zasebnih sporočil?

Interakcija je zelo pomembna. S tem si pridobiš zaveznike in podpornike, ki tvoj profil in znamko dvignejo. Priznamo, da tega ne počnemo dovolj pogosto. Enostavno zmanjkuje časa. Zasebnih sporočil je vedno več, včasih preveč. Stranke želijo pomoč pri izbiri, zastavljajo splošna vprašanja o izdelkih, najdejo pa se tudi taki, ki želijo, da jim mokasine pošiljamo zastonj. Ta sporočila običajno – brišemo.

Bi Instagram priporočili drugim malim podjetjem?

Zagotovo bi; Naša zgodba je – Instagram zgodba. Dobivamo tudi veliko e-sporočil slovenskih podjetij, ki želijo nasvete, kako se približati uporabnikom na Instagramu, kako sploh začeti, kaj objavljati. Žal ne moremo pomagati vsem. Naš svet, svet v katerem se promoviramo, v katerem objavljamo in prodajamo –  je otroški svet, zato lahko nekomu pomagamo zgolj pri najboljših otroških znamkah, najboljših blogerjih z našega področja, ne spremljamo pa drugih trendov in zato težko svetujemo nekomu, ki na primer prodaja pohištvo.

IMG_1240

Nauk zgodbe je torej preprost; Kvalitetne fotografije so za Instagram najbolj pomembne. K temu je nujno dodati še interakcijo z uporabniki, brez katere pač ne gre, in razumevanje – Instagram ni zgolj podaljšek Facebooka ali pa katerekoli druge spletne strani (ali družbenega omrežja), kamor lahko samo malo kopiraš obstoječe vsebine. Instagram je svet sam zase, zahteva vsebine zase. Tisti, ki to razumejo, tisti na Instagramu uspejo. @LittleLambo_ je zagotovo med njimi.

 

Klepetala in priporočala; Sanja Leban Trojar – @sanya_lt

PS; Kateri profil pa je tebi všeč? Od koga se lahko učimo?

Lake Planšarsko jezero

IMG_1581

IMG_1504

I’ve seen this place on so many photos from Slovenia that I just had to see it. Since all the photos were amazing I was expecting something really spectacular. I was – disappointed. Don’t get me wrong. The place is amazingly beautiful but the lake itself is so small you can walk around it in 20 minutes. Twice! 🙂

Here is some information about it; “The little heart-shaped lake was made by local inhabitants in memory of a larger glacial lake that had drained away, and after which Jezersko got its name. It is a well visited spot and one could call it also a symbol of the area. In summer, it allows boating, in winter ice-skating. At the same time, it gives you a chance to enjoy tasty local food at the restaurant by the lake all year round.” (Taken from page jezersko.info where you can find more information about places nearby.)

IMG_1512

Probably any time of the year is great to see this place, just keep in mind – in winter you will have to deal with some serious snow & ice! Any other time – you can leave your car just beside the lake, take a walk around it and snapp some photos. It will take you less than an hour … if you are really slow.

So – I would rather recommend you to park the car in the village Zgornje Jezersko and walk towards the lake. Nature in this part of Slovenia for sure deserves you take your time and you will be able to take some more amazing photos on the way. Also; you have to walk a little to really enjoy some local food or drinks in the restaurant beside the lake.

If you plan to visit this place and you have some more time check the page jezersko.info for some additional information & ideas where to go and what to see. If you have visited already feel free to leave us some tips/info/ideas in the comment section or send us your best photo to info@igslovenia.si!

IMG_1498

IMG_1502

@sanya_lt

11 aplikacij, za katere je dobro vedeti, če uporabljaš Instagram

Vsak, ki nekoliko bolj resno uporablja Instagram, se slej ko prej znajde na točki, ko je njegov telefonski zaslon poln aplikacij, s katerimi se fotografije obdeluje, reže, sestavlja in iz njih ustvarja skoraj vse, kar si nekdo zaželi. Nabor možnosti je namreč skorajda neskončen. Sama sem skozi to fazo šla že pred časom, sedaj pa opažam, da imam na telefonu bistveno manj aplikacij, v prvi vrsti pa tiste, ki jih uporabljam dnevno in ki mi olajšajo uporabo Instagrama tako v osebne kot poslovne namene.

Med obema skupinama aplikacij obstaja bistvena razlika; Fotografije, ki jih objavljam na svojem privatnem profilu – spreminjam, fotografije, ki so za objavo na profilih, ki jih zgolj upravljam, ostanejo take kot so. V tem primeru mi aplikacije zgolj olajšajo delo pri objavi, torej – pripravo same fotografije, dodajanje besedila ali ustvarjanje kolažev, ko je to potrebno. Takih aplikacij ni prav veliko;

Instagram:
Ja, Instagram. Pomembno se mi namreč zdi izpostaviti, da Instagram uporabljam izključno na telefonu, spletna verzija je zame praktično neuporabna. Vse fotografije, ki jih delim na profilih kot so @igslovenia, @snappguides.co, @dof_addicts … so posnetki telefonskega zaslona (screenshots), ki jih zgolj obrežem. Dodam jim besedilo, ki ga imam že pripravljenega v telefonski beležnici, in to je to. Časovno zagotovo najmanj zamudno opravilo, kvaliteta fotografij ostaja zadovoljiva, fotografije pa niso prelepljenje z napisi razno raznih aplikacij za ponovno deljenje (repostanje) kot so Repost, Repost & Regram, Instagrab in druge.
Komentiranje, všečkanje in spremljanje fotografij, ki me zanimajo, je prav tako najmanj zamudno na telefonu, sploh odkar Instagram omogoča, da na en profil povežemo še 4 druge.

InfinitGallery:
Na prvo žogo le ena izmed mnogih aplikacij, ki so slab posnetek Instagrama in ki omogočajo zgolj brskanje po profilih, všečkanje ter komentiranje fotografij. Za nič od naštetega te aplikacije ni vredno uporabljati, ima pa svojo malo (in nadvse uporabno) skrivnost; Omogoča kopiranje komentarjev, kar pride hudo prav, kadar naletiš na kak nabor značk (hahstagov), ki jih potrebuješ ali je kje tekst, ki bi ti prišel prav. Če upravljaš številne profile in če dnevno iščeš nabore značk, ki jih moraš prilagajati posamezni objavi, te ta aplikacija lahko odreši marsikatere muke in prihrani marsikatero minuto, celo uro dela.
Aplikacija je uporabna tudi v primeru, da te zanima natančno število sledilcev. Instagram jih namreč po številki 10.000 začne zaokroževati na stotice.

Phonto:
Phonto je na mojem telefonu bolj kot ne samo zato, ker sem na to aplikacijo najprej naletela, ko sem potrebovala nekaj, s čimer bom na fotografijo dodajala besedilo. Verjamem, da jih je tam zunaj še veliko, ki omogočajo prav to in so verjetno bolj dodelane kot Phonto. Vseeno; Aplikacija je dovolj preprosta, omogoča zadostno izbiro fontov, poravnavo, postavitev in velikost besedila. Možnosti dodatnega debeljenja, senčenja in barvanja črk seveda obstaja, kar povsem zadošča, da fotografijo pripraviš za napoved kakega fotografskega izziva ali srečanja. Besedilo na fotografije namreč dodajam res redko, veliko raje besede pustim tam, kamor sodijo, torej med komentarji.

IMG_0047

LiveCollage:
Velja enako, kot pri aplikaciji Phonto. Ko sem iskala nekaj, s čimer bi lahko sestavljala kolaže fotografij, mi je LiveCollage prišel pod prste med prvimi. Kadar želim sestaviti kolaž, mi ponuja čisto preveč možnosti in oblik združevanja fotografij, od preprostih, klasičnih kvadratov do odbitih, tematskih shem, ki znajo zabavati (predvidevam) predvsem mlajše uporabnike. Možnost, da kolaž fotografij dodatno obdelujem (nastavljanje ostrine, dodajanje in oblikovanje robov, popravki ozadja) pride prav predvsem takrat, ko mi naročnik dostavi fotografije slabše kvalitete. Relativno velik nabor nalepk spet ni nekaj, kar pogosto uporabljam, a zagotovo zadošča, kadar želim v objavo vnesti malo sproščenosti ali humorja.

Squaready:
To je aplikacija, ki služi preprostemu namenu – obrezovanju fotografij. Predvsem, ker vsebuje določene prednastavljene dimenzije, možnost zrcaljenja in obračanja, je bolj uporabna kot preprosto urejanje fotografij v albumih. Kadar objavljam fotografije za naročnike, ki jih zbiram po značkah (hashtagih), jih tako vedno obrežem in preverim preko vmesnika tineye.com, ki mi pove, ali obstaja možnost, da je fotografija ukradena ali ne.

Teh 5 aplikacij predstavlja vse, kar potrebujem za upravljanje različnih Instagram profilov. Vseh ne uporabljam vedno, jih je pa fino imeti nekje blizu. Vse ostalo, kar se valja po mojem telefonu, uporabljam za obdelavo svojih fotografij. Teh aplikacij pa je nekoliko več:)

Snapseed:
Snapseed je zagotovo prva, najljubša in zame najpomembnejša aplikacija. Sploh, ker so prav vse moje fotografije narejene le z uporabo telefona (prej Iphone 4, sedaj Iphone 6) in ker obožujem fotografije pokrajine (za kar telefon pač ni najboljša izbira). Snapseed mi omogoča, da fotografije izostrim, jim dodam odtenek barve ali (še raje) barvo odvzamem. Poleg najpogostejših funkcij (ostrenje, saturacija, svetloba, kontrast) mi velikokrat pride prav tudi možnost, da kako drobno napako na fotografiji popravim (funkcija – healing).

1594BC7E-DEB7-4097-8FFA-33D335202757

LensLight & LensFlare:
Dve različni, čeprav zelo zelo podobni aplikaciji vsebujeta možnost dodajanja (svetlobnih) učinkov na fotografije. Izbiraš lahko med različnimi oblikami virov svetlobe (ki jih poljubno spreminjaš) kot so žarki, sonce, svetleče linije … Skorajda nikoli ne uporabim nobene od možnosti zgolj tako, da jo ‘prilepim’ na fotografijo, z malo igranja namreč dosežeš veliko boljši rezultat, s katerim lahko dodatno osvetliš ali poudariš kak del fotografije. Tudi filtri, ki so v obeh aplikacijah na razpolago, so včasih (za razliko od Instagramovih) precej uporabni.

AlienSky:
AlienSky je aplikacija, ki je skorajda nikoli ne uporabljam. Na mojem telefonu je bolj kot ne opomnik, kaj vse se da na fotografijo – prilepiti. AlienSky je izmed vseh aplikacij, ki omogočajo dodajanje elementov na fotografije, najbolj realistična, omogoča dovolj prilagoditev in popravkov, najbolj pogosto pa se jo uporablja, ko na fotografijo želimo dodati hudo luno, sonce ali ozvezdje. Na razpolago je res veliko elementov, večina njih, kot že ime aplikacije namiguje, pa je bolj primernih za kako znastvenofantastično obdelavo. Vseeno; ko naslednjič uzrete hudo fotografijo Jamnika ali Bleda z neverjetno luno v ozadju – AlienSky je najverjetneje ‘kriv’, da se je ta luna znašla tam.
V kolikor vas zamika igranje z aplikacijo AlienSky, velja preveriti tudi MasterFx in vse njegove izpeljanke (TapFx, WowFx …)

Rays:
Bodimo pošteni, skoraj in povsem neuporabna aplikacija, dokler nimaš pred seboj fotografije sončnih žarkov. S pametno uporabo aplikacije Rays lahko obstoječe žarke poudariš ravno toliko, da pričaraš pravo umetnino.

ImageBlender:
Kolikokrat ste na Instagramu že opazili fotografijo, ki je skoraj črno-bela, izstopa pa neka barvna podrobnost, kot je dežnik, lepa obleka ali kaj podobnega? No, temu služi Image Blender. Omogoča namreč, da dve fotografiji združiš v eno. Ena je lahko črno-bela, druga barvna, z nekoliko truda in ‘maskiranja’ pa fotografiji združiš na način, da izstopa le to, kar si si izbral. Fotografije običajno združujem, kadar želim nekaj umakniti v ozadje (razbarvati) in nečemu barvo dodati, a to je zgolj moja praksa. Čeprav je aplikacija plačljiva, je vredna dolarja ali dveh, saj za razliko od ostalih brezplačnih ‘blenderjev’ delo opravi – kot se šika.

 

IMG_3760

AfterFocus:
Po mojem mnenju najbolj uporabna aplikacija, v kolikor želiš del fotografije izostriti, ostalo pa pustiti zamegljeno. Aplikacija omogoča dovolj natančno določanje (izbiranje), kaj si želimo imeti ostro (v fokusu), kaj bi zameglili in kako naj izgleda prehod iz ostrine proti ozadju. Sama jo res redko uporabim, podobno, kot pri ImageBlender aplikaciji; Kadar imam na fotografiji preveč podrobnosti in bi želela nekaj izpostaviti in drugo umakniti – igračkanje z ostrino je lahko ena od možnosti.

AntiCrop:
Hudo, hudo preprosta (površna?) aplikacija, ki sem jo s telefona že velikokrat zbrisala, pa prav vsakič spet poiskala in na novo naložila. Zakaj? Vsakomur se je že kdaj zgodilo, da fotografija, ko jo je poskusil objaviti, nekako ni šla v ‘Instagram okvir’. Na eni strani bi potreboval samo malo več neba, na drugi mogoče malo več obale ali kak oblak. AntiCrop naredi prav to – fotogragrafijo poveča, kopira tisto, kar na fotografiji je in to razširi, do-riše, če bi ta izraz obstajal:) Tako dobimo več neba, več trave ali več morja. Seveda ta aplikacija absolutno ni primerna za kake podrobnosti na fotografiji in v takem primeru bo dodani del fotografije samo grda packa. V kolikor pa širimo kak preprost motiv, kot je modro nebo, pa to nekako gre. Vsaj meni:)

IMG_0201
Za vse naštete aplikacije velja – to so telefonske aplikacije, namenjene igranju s fotografijami, ki jih bomo objavili na Instagramu. Gre za fotografije nižje resolucije oziroma slabše kvalitete, fotografije, ki si jih ogledujemo na telefonu in ne na velikih zaslonih.
Vsake toliko me kak ‘resen’ fotograf seveda grdo gleda, ker to, kar počnemo mi, ‘instagramerji’, je pač packanje fotografij. Vedno znova mu zastavim isto vprašanje: V čem je razlika med mojo fotografijo, ki sem ji dvignila kontrast in spustila saturacijo z aplikacijo Snapseed in tvojo, ki si jo obdelal s Photoshopom do točke, da z originalom nima velike zveze?
Kar hočem povedati je preprosto; Fotografije se obdeluje, ne glede na to, ali se jih objavlja v galerijah ali telefonih. Vprašanje, ki ostaja, je le – kaj mi je všeč in kaj ne. Tako kot fotograf stoji za svojo fotografijo v galeriji, tako jaz moram stati za fotografijo, ki jo objavim na Instagramu. Na koncu koncev so kupci ali pa sledilci tisti, ki izberejo, kaj jim je všeč. In v obeh primerih – v galeriji in na Instagramu – ima vsak od nas možnost, da se obrne stran.
Ne glede na to, da sem naštela kar nekaj aplikacij, ki lahko bistveno spremenijo fotografije (na boljše ali pa na slabše, da ne bo pomote), se držim pravila, da je manj več. Preveč obdelane fotografije, s hudo navito saturacijo, razni HDR filtri ali pa v številnih aplikacijah tako priljubljena funkcija ‘drama’ prepogosto namreč fotografijo spremenijo v zrnat zmazek, ki ni vreden objave. Tudi na Instagramu ne:)

 

To je moj izbor. Pa vaš? Vesela bom novih predlogov, izkušenj in komentarjev.

Sanja Leban Trojar / @sanya_lt

ed_norton

Ljubljana, 14. 2. 2016, by @sanya_lt

Meet Ed Norton, amazing (Lonely Planet) photographer, who loves extreme sports, thinks people in Bovec are really nice, whereas caves in Slovenia – not so much. It  was an honour (& fun!) talking to him and finding out lots about photography; Instagram and his cool mum:)) Thank you so much, Ed!

First of all – can you tell us something about yourself? Who are you, what do you do?

My name’s Ed Norton and I’m a travel photographer working for Lonely Planet / Getty Images. I’m originally from the South West of England from a city called Bristol but I am now based in London.

OK, Lonely Planet! To an amateur photographer this seems like a dream job. Is it?

It certainly is a dream job! There is a lot of hard work that comes with it though. I often work 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. At least half my time is spent in a dark room alone editing and labelling my images. If you don’t enjoy your own company then it’s definitely not for you! Photography is my life and when I’m not working, I’m learning or researching. I literally never stop doing either of those things and I absolutely love it. You absolutely have to love what you do. Don’t ever chase money. That will follow if you’re passionate about it.

Although I got a contract with Lonely Planet I was still essentially freelance. I’m completely self-taught in photography and had to do the same with the business side of things. Without any guidance you have to be really self-motivated and willing to take risks. People always say ‘you’re so lucky’. I personally prefer to keep the word luck out of my life as it implies that things happen by chance and without your involvement. I prefer to see it that you’re dealt a hand in life, without comparing it to anyone else you make the best out of it and create your own opportunities. Things don’t just fall in your lap, you need to be out there being as proactive as you can. Oh, and always remember that failure is all part of the fun of it! Handle failure with a positive attitude and learn from your mistakes and you can do anything you want in life.

 



Do you travel a lot? How you pick your traveling destination?

I used to travel pretty much full time but slowed down over the past 3 years. I still got away 4-8 times a year but sometimes shorter trips. From March 2016 I’ll be back on the road again and exploring the world full time for a couple of years at least.

Your Instagram profile is full of amazing photos from Slovenia. Can you tell us a little bit about – how you came across Slovenia, when did you decide to visit and what places did you see?

I’m not sure how I decided on Slovenia exactly, it was a case of looking at a map and picking somewhere new. I also tend to check flight prices to European countries to see what’s good at the moment. Wiz Air do flights from London from £35 (return!). I didn’t know too much on what to expect with Slovenia and had only really seen photos from Lake Bled. That alone looked beautiful so I decided to do some more research on Slovenia. The rest is history!



Where did you find information about Slovenia? How did you decide what to see?

Lonely Planet of course 🙂 I then go for some visual inspiration and use platforms like Instagram, 500px, Google Images to look for things to see – if you like to travel then make sure you follow travel photographers as they’ll do all the research for you! I’ll then read blogs, travel forums, articles to get other information and piece it all together.

What was your favourite place in Slovenia? What would you say is ‘a must see’ place in Slovenia … especially if you are a photographer?

That’s a tough one to answer as I loved everything I saw! Ljubljana is an amazing city, great relaxed atmosphere and friendly people (and amazing food!). I fell in love with Lake Bled. It’s just postcard perfect! Bovec was amazing as well! The people were so friendly, the extreme sports, scenery (especially the view from the top of Mangart!) I need to go back to explore more!

Is there a place or thing that you would say – skip it? Why?

Predjama Castle was great to see for a flying visit. The tour was interesting enough but the tour of the caves underneath wasn’t that great. But it’s a minor really! It’s a truly stunning country!

 

 

Back to photography; What equipment do you use for taking photos?

Most of my work is taken on a Canon 6D. I have a range of lenses ranging from 16mm and all the way to 400mm. What I pack in my bag depends on the trip.

What does photography mean to you?

Everything! I constantly have to pinch myself that I’m able to travel the world and take photos, combining 2 of my 3 biggest passions (the 3rd being music!). We all share a beautiful world together. My aim is to try and inspire people to explore it as much as they can as well!

Can you describe us your photography style?

Colourful! I guess that comes from growing up in England where grey is what I’m used to! I also spend a lot of time perfecting the details of my images. It’s not something you’ll notice on Instagram but when my work is printed out you’ll notice the sharpness, textures and details that I bring out.

 

 


How did you end up on Instagram?

Ha! Believe it or not it was actually my mum who introduced me to Instagram. I didn’t listen to her for a while as your mum isn’t meant to know what’s cool is she?! Turns out she is quite cool and I should have listened to her from the start. I set up my account about 3 years ago but have only really been using it properly over the last 8 months.

Do you use any other social media channel? If yes – can you compare the experience with using Instagram?

I have a Facebook page  and Twitter account. Instagram however is my favourite. The community is much more engaged. It’s a visual platform only so you know what you’re getting in your feed and you can tailor to suit you. One post can be and amazing photographer from New York and the next you’re taken away to the top of a mountain in the Himalayas. Travelling the world at the flick of a screen!

How often do you publish photos on Instagram? Do you interact with other people on Instagram?

1-3 times a day. When I’m not posting I’m looking at other peoples work and trying to find new amazing photographers to follow. I interact as much as I can, especially with my own followers. There are loads of names that ‘like’ my posts that have been there from the very start which is amazing.

What would you say are the most important ‘rules’ that every Instagrammer must follow? Or – it would be good to follow?

Apart from the usual don’t post more than 3 times a day I’d say keep the camera facing forward and show the world how you see it! Stop trying to copy the people and be like a ‘celebrity’, your life is probably a lot more interesting than you think! Basically, don’t post selfies unless they’re funny!

 

To find more about Ed & his work – check his web page!

Krnsko jezero Lake

Krnsko jezero Lake is a glacial lake situated under Mount Krn (2244 m). It is the largest alpine lake in Slovenia & it lies at an altitude of 1391 metres. Krnsko jezero lake is 400 metres long, 150 metres wide and up to 17 metres deep.

12986347_10209508661741822_1889111573_o

There are many paths going to the lake but we (as most of the visitors) choose the one from Dr. Klemen Jug House in Lepena. It took as a little more than 2 hours to get to the lake. The path is clearly marked, rocky trail that mostly leads through beautiful forest.

A63466D7-1D54-47BD-B0B2-BCABBA2AB099
The lake is surrounded by some really amazing mountains, Mount Krn being the king of them all. You can spend a night or two in the nearby mountain hut and take some trips to the mountains around. If you want to see the lake at its best and take the best photos, sleeping in the hut is a must since nothing beats the sunset and the magnificent reflection of the nearby summits in the water.

9817EE82-7729-4AD4-A67B-36F82C455E5C
During the day you can also make yourself a ‘history tour’, since the memory of the Isonzo Front is kept alive by the remains of fire trenches, caverns and wire fences that you can find all around.

If you are thinking about swimming in the lake – forget it! 🙂 Swimming in the lake is not permitted, as it could endanger its sensitive water ecosystem.

823C17D6-DDE9-4D6C-906F-E2BAD1BF3795
The plural name of the Krnska jezera lakes refers to the Veliko (Krnsko) jezero lake, the Dupeljsko jezero lake and the smaller Jezero v Lužnici lake. You can find both nearby.
For more information about the place (accommodation & food) check this page.
34A33FA8-5217-4AF2-9F5E-7725FBFE1B99

Snežnik Castle

Snežnik Castle is the best-preserved castle in Notranjska region. It was first mentioned in the year 1268, but the formation of the existing castle reaches back to 1462. The building itself is amazing.  White walls, red roof, stone bridge and a romantic pond with ducks beneath the castle … will simply take your breath away.

FullSizeRender (8)

The castle is built on a rock at the source of the Obrh and the Brezno Spring. The spring is dammed into a large pond below the castle. The beautiful surroundings have been arranged into a park with walking paths that make it easy to go all around the magnificent building and take some nice photos.

IMG_3294

Water makes magic! You can capture many reflections in the castle and sometimes you can get ‘the double view’; A castle in the water and one above it. This place is one of the few in Slovenia that we would recommend you to visit in late autumn, winter or early spring. Why? Because the trees will not obstruct your view.

FullSizeRender (4)

IMG_3311FullSizeRender (5)

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.

foto 2
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.

foto 1

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.

DSC01982

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. 

DSC01985

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.

Perniško

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.

Pohorje-24-1

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.

Plač-3

Zavrh-9.1

Moravska-55.1

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.

IMG_8155 (1024x682)

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!

IMG_7912 (1024x683)

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.

IMG_7876 (1024x683)

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.

IMG_7959 (1024x671)

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!

IMG_8143 (1024x683)