A photographic workshop immersed in the wild heart of Slovenia, in search of the  European brown bear and the wildlife of this splendid country.

Kilometers and kilometers of silent forests populated by hundreds of species of mammals and birds. An enchanted place where unspoiled nature can offer sightings and unique moments at any time.

The Notranjska forest is by far one of the most beautiful and uncontaminated regions in Slovenia where the brown bear population has an incredible density, it is estimated the presence of about 1000 bears that shares this range with other fascinating mammals such as the wolf, the lynx, the wild cat and also deer, roe deer, wild boar, fox, badger, stone marten, squirrels and otters!

These wonderful forests arise a few kilometers from Lake Cerknica, the largest intermittent lake in Europe. Lakes, valleys, mountains and forests mean that the bird population is also incredibly varied and particular. Walking in these areas, hundreds of different species are potentially visible, including some very interesting such as the Ural owl, the Black Woodpecker, the Gray Woodpecker, the White-backed Woodpecker, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, the Lesser and the Middle Spotted Woodpecker; birds of prey such as buzzard, sparrow hawk and kestrel but also an infinity of small passerines such as frosoni, crested tit, wrens, finches and many others!

In the middle of these fantastic forests are our photographic huts, seven different locations, guaranteeing a very high percentage of sighting and the possibility of observing the Brown bear in different places, varying backgrounds, subjects and settings.

A photographic journey to discover the splendid European fauna. We will visit the magical forests of Slovenia in search of the beautiful animals that live within it. The areas we will visit boast an incredible biodiversity and all the rarest European carnivores live within the impenetrable woods: the wolf, the bear, the wild cat and the lynx.

Ours will be a journey in search of the great bear that populates these lands in abundance, the brown bear. Within the program there will be 6 high-level photo sessions. We can dedicate all the six sessions to the brown bear hides that will guarantee us to bring many shots and images from different locations. In fact, during our tour we will have the opportunity to visit at least 3 different locations.

We will optimize our chances of sighting by using the best hides available and each location will be for the exclusive use of our group. In addition to the bears we can also dedicate activities for other subjects. For the mornings we have the opportunity to do photo session  dedicated for birds and small mammals. This is an hide with watering that gives the opportunity to observe and photograph dozens of bird species and more at close range; in fact, with a little luck, it is also possible to observe squirrels or other small mammals.

During the entire duration of the trip, the professional photographer Michele Bavassano will be at your disposal to help you find the “shot” you are looking for from your trip.

During this event, for the first time, a photographic workshop will be included where professional photographers will share with you all the secrets, experiences and techniques learned in these years in the field.

The journey as well as photographs and unforgettable moments of wild nature will therefore be a unique opportunity to learn by shooting alongside two professional photographers.

Hide photography is the most used technique  to be able to photograph wild animals at close distances without interfering or disturbing the fauna.

The hides that we are going to use have been designed and built to ensure maximum comfort during the photo session and at the same time to optimize the possibilities of sighting with the use of particular strategies for the elimination of odors, sound insulation and use. of glass to ensure visual isolation.

Inside the hides we will also be able to use photographic heads that can be inserted directly into a pre-built accommodation. Two large side windows will allow you to observe outside the hide in complete freedom, making it invisible from the outside. In this way, in addition to the photographs, each of us will be able to enjoy the naturalistic shows a few meters away.

This itinerary offers a great experience from a photographic point of view, therefore any equipment is sufficient to bring home great shots. You can observe animals at all distances, therefore a 70-200mm can already be enough to give satisfaction. Despite this, for portrait lovers, the advice is to bring with you a focal length of at least 300mm. A medium telephoto and a wide angle can be useful if you are interested in photographing Slovenian landscapes and forests.

Do you think you don’t have the right equipment for this event?
Don’t worry, it is now possible to rent lenses and camera bodies for our events at a special price!

An interesting catalog of lenses and cameras is available to all customers and can be booked and collected directly on site, without deposits or credit cards.

Contact me for more information

DAY 1

Arrival at Ljubljana airport and transfer to the facility where we will be staying. The meeting place is Ljubljana airport, it will be possible to reach it by national flight or personal transport. However, it is also possible to reach Slovenia on your own in the way you prefer.

Accommodation in the hotel of all the participants and presentation of the event where Michele will introduce the locations illustrating the best photographic techniques to be used in each hide, remaining available for each participant to find the best settings of your equipment in view of the dense photo sessions scheduled.

1.00 pm: Lunch at the hotel and transfer to the first photographic location. Here, after a few minutes of travel by car and a short walk in the forest (a few hundred meters) we will reach the first photographic hide.

Here Michele will illustrate the huts and the best set-up for positioning all the photographic equipment inside. Each hide will be disinfected and, in order to ensure maximum health safety, only two people will be allowed access to each hide, guaranteeing the spacing between the two photographers. The session will then continue until sunset (about 8.00 pm)

Day 2

7.00 am: breakfast at the hotel and move back to a photographic location for a 3-hour session from the hide dedicated to the brown bear.

At the end of the morning session (usually around 10.00 a.m) we return to the hotel and there will be some free hours in which it will be possible to rest for the afternoon session. The professional photographer will be available for any technical questions and to observe the shots of the morning.

1.00 pm: Lunch and move to a new location for the afternoon session. The hides will be choise with the same dynamics of the day before. The session will last until sunset. (8.00 p.m).

Day 3

6.30 am: breakfast at the hotel and transfer to a photographic location for a session from the hide dedicated to the brown bear of about 3 hours or you will have the opportunity for spending the first light of the day in a hide with watering dedicated to birds and with a little luck small mammals such as the red squirrel.

9.30 / 10.00: Return to the hotel where you will be able to load your equipment and get ready for lunch.

1.00 pm: lunch and transfer to a new location for photographic activities dedicated to the brown bear until sunset. (20.00)

After dinner, short projection of the shots of the day. Discussion of techniques and settings used. Michele will help you find the best solutions and techniques to get perfect shots.

Day 4 – Slovenia

6.30 am: hide photo session, here too there will be the opportunity to spend the morning in the hide dedicated to birds with water or in a location dedicated to the brown bear. We will decide on the basis of the shots taken which of the two options to choose, leaving the program open so as to guarantee the maximum possibility of sighting for each species.

8.30 / 9.00: Return to the hotel and last hours dedicated to the development of a complete post-production course.

We will dedicate this morning by observing together the shots taken to date, comparing and talking about file cataloging and how to choose the perfect file to post-produce. Anyone can show their pictures and talk about his photos. The two professional photographers will be available for any questions and to help you find your best photographs. We will carry out a long post-production session where we will observe the main techniques to be used on Photoshop, Lightroom and Camera Raw.

About 12.00: end of the activities, greetings and free return

Michele will remain available and will be happy to share a last lunch together before departure.