My wife often asks why I don’t lead more photo trips to Europe. You know – England, France, Germany, etc. The short answer is that I find other places around the world more interesting photographically, with landscapes and cultures quite a bit different from ours. But there are always exceptions, including Croatia, Slovenia and Venice.
Europeans have long known that the Dalmatian coast, on the east side of the Adriatic Sea, is a beautiful area – ancient towns, pristine beaches and good food make it a can’t miss vacation destination. Eventually Americans discovered it too, then after the area was used in “Game of Thrones,” its popularity skyrocketed. I’ve been fortunate enough to lead two photography workshops there in the last 20 years, and visit once more on vacation. So when my old friend Rene Bastien, of Highlight Photo Tours, asked if I’d be interested in doing another photo trip there, in springtime before the crowds get bad, I quickly responded, “Absolutely!”
The crown jewel of the coast is Dubrovnik. Founded as a seaside trading center millennia ago, it’s an enchanting walled city of cobblestone streets and red-tiled roofs that’s impossible to get lost in. That made it a perfect place to begin our trip. A local guide took us through the highlights, and showed some lesser knows spots as we spent our first day there. You can walk the entire length of the city walls, which we did, but be prepared for a lot of steps!
A view of Dubrovnik from the wall. There’s little space for recreation, so it was interesting to see this court tucked into one corner. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/250 at f/11 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 19mm.
As we arrived in Dubrovnik that first morning, this was one of the first things we saw – a Franciscan monk feeding pigeons. The dark background, and light, made the picture. I had received the new Nikkor Z 28-400mm lens just a couple of days before leaving on the trip, and it was awesome. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 500, 1/800 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 400mm.
As we came to this square, our guide told us that when the church bell rang in a few minutes, the pigeons would fly. She was right! Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 800, 1/2000 at f/9 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
This ship gives tours around Dubrovnik several times a day. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to work it in with a photo of the city, in this case, with some of the excavated ruins in the foreground. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 250, 1/320 at f/10 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 170mm.
Then it was on to Split, where the first Roman emperor to retire (instead of dying in office, natural or otherwise) built a palace near the water. Much of the palace remains, and the city developed around and beyond it. Our second day there we took the afternoon to visit the charming little town of Trogir.
Diocletian’s Palace, built nearly two-thousand years ago, is the most impressive feature of Split. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/160 at f/11 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 16mm.
Wandering the area around Diocletian’s Palace, I found a nice spot of light and shadow and just waited for something interesting to happen. Nikon Z 8, Manual exposure, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/1600 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 190mm.
Later that afternoon I found an interesting street scene in Split and just waited for the right person to stroll by. It’s not all ancient stuff. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 250, 1/800 at f/10 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 105mm.
Our bus dropped us off right next to a small park in Trogir, where this chess match was happening. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 500, 1/100 at f/8 in Matrixt metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 400mm.
Light, shadow and color, Trogir. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/1600 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 50mm.
Another seaside town founded nearly two-thousand years ago, Trogir is a fascinating mix of the ancient and modern. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 320, 1/800 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 200mm.
From there we continued north, and inland now, to spend the afternoon exploring Plitvice Lakes National Park. Not only is it Croatia’s largest and oldest national park, it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The interconnected lakes and waterfalls can be accessed via a series of boardwalks and ferries, and we were blessed with a beautiful, sunny day.
This mass of waterfalls is the first thing you see when entering Plitvice Lakes National Park from the northeast side. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 64, 1/3-second at f/18 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 300mm.
The big, wide views are impressive, but it’s important to slow down and look for the smaller things as well. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 64, 1/40 at f/22 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 145mm.
I brought my infrared-converted Nikon Z 6 along on the trip, and it was a lot of fun to use with the blue sky (goes black) and green foliage (goes white) in Plitvice Lakes National Park. Nikon Z 6 IR, Aperture Priority, Preset white balance, ISO 100, 1/13-second at f/18 in Matrix metering, +0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 21mm.
We’d spend one more day in Croatia, stopping first in Pula to see the well-preserved Roman ruins. That night we’d stay at a resort just outside Rovinj, and some of the group would brave a light rain to walk along the waterfront and photograph the old city from across the harbor.
The Roman theater in Pula. In this photo I chose to use the walkways as lines leading into, and in a way, embracing, the theater. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 125, 1/250 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
The Croatian city of Rovinj, at dusk on a rainy evening. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 160, 6-seconds at f/11 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 66mm.
The following morning we packed up and left Rovinj to visit the Lipica Stud Farm. After an introductory talk explaining how Lippizan horses originated there hundreds of years ago, we left the tour to wander the grounds ourselves.
During the tour at Lipica Stud Farm, we were lucky to be by the stables when they let the Lippizaner mares and foals out for their morning exercise. The foals’ color is always dark at first, then the majority slowly change to their trademark white coat as they grow. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 160, 1/100 at f/8 in Matrix metering, +0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 400mm.
While the rest of the tour moved on, our group stayed to photograph the foals as they romped around the ring. While this is a color photo, I love the monochromatic look it has. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 800, 1/1000 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 400mm.
“Does that lens make my nose look big?” Why yes, it does. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 64, 1/250 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm
The horses were just the first part of that day, as, after leaving, we crossed the border into Slovenia and on to Postojna Caves. I’ve visited a few caves over the years, but none nearly so large, easy to access and well-lit as these. A small train takes you deep into the caverns, at which point you get off for a walking tour lasting about 90-minutes.
The train at Postojna Caves takes you deep into the system, and at some points is so close to the walls and ceilings that the people in front of me would duck and lean in. For this photo, I waited until we were in a large cavern to raise the camera above my head to shoot a picture. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 4000, 1/25 at f/4 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
It’s truly impressive how large the caverns are, and how well the pathways, with guardrails, are maintained. Without the people in the photo for scale, you’d have no idea of the size of the space there. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 4000, 1/6 at f/4 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 20mm.
From there we made our way to the capital of this small country, Ljubljana, a beautiful little city built around the river that winds through it. It was here that we had our only serious rain of the trip, which put a damper on the next day’s visit to the mountain shepherd’s huts at Velika Planina. We soldiered on, though, and by that afternoon were exploring Ljubljana Castle, set high above the city. The day’s poor weather was a fair trade for the wonderful weather where we were headed next, Lake Bled.
Overcast with occasional rain? Perfect for making moody photos at dusk. This was from a walk we took after dinner in Ljubljana. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 200, 1/40 at f/5.6 in Matrixt metering, -1.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 22mm.
It was raining during our visit to Ljubljana Castle, so we spent most of the time looking for interesting photos inside. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 800, 1/50 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 15mm.
A few of the group got up early to join me for a sunrise walk in Ljubljana. Among the things we found were people setting up a fruit and vegetable market. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 1600, 1/100 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -1.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 400mm.
Lots of bridges in Ljubljana, and where people have left lots of locks. For this type of photo, the key (pun intended) is to find something that stands out. The light on this lock did just that. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, 6260K, ISO 1000, 1/100 at f/6.7 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 125mm.
On my previous trip to Slovenia, we weren’t able to fit Lake Bled into the schedule. This time we were. And it was obvious as soon as we arrived why it’s such a popular tourist destination. With a castle perched above one edge, and a beautiful old church capping its one small island, the place is just made for photography. We had time to explore the shoreline in the afternoon, then, thanks to Rene’s planning, our bus took us to the perfect spot for a late day shoot of the church. The next day we were up before dawn, as Rene had found the location of a small church perched on a hill outside the city, which made a great sunrise shot. After returning for a nap, we headed out in the afternoon once more to visit Lake Bohinj, and then hike Vintgar Gorge.
I spent about a half-hour taking pictures of this swan bathing in Lake Bled. That gave me time to play with different framing (the new 28-400mm lens let me shoot tight) and shutter speeds. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 800, 1/2000 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 370mm.
The Church of the Mother of God on the island in Lake Bled. We had the perfect place to shoot it near sunset, with a great background. No wonder it’s such a popular photo. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 160, 1/250 at f/8 in multi-segment metering, -1.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 62mm.
And this is a version of that scene with my infrared-converted Z 6, processed as a “false color” image. Nikon Z 6, Aperture Priority, Preset white balance, ISO 200, 1/80 at f/9 in Matrix metering, +1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 44mm.
Well worth a pre-dawn wake-up call and the drive up a narrow, winding road – Jamnik Church, Slovenia. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/125 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 120mm.
Lake Bohinj and Church of St. John the Baptist, this time in infrared black-and-white. Nikon Z 6, Aperture Priority, Preset white balance, ISO 100, 1/320 at f/9 in Matrix metering, +1.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 15mm.
A sailing class on Lake Bohinj. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 64, 1/200 at f/10 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
Vintgar Gorge was a fun hike, with lots of nice photo opportunities. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 64, 1/200 at f/9 in Matrix metering, -1.7 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
And then, finally, on the eleventh day of the trip, we were off to Venice. While it was overcast when we arrived, the forecast called for clearing near sunset, so we changed our plans to visit the area around “Plaza San Marco,” (St. Mark’s Square) at that time. One of the highlights of Venice, it’s a large open space, with St. Mark’s Basilica at one end, and around the corner is the lagoon, with rows and rows of gondolas. Across the water is the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and Palladio’s church.
You know you’re in Venice when you see these masks displayed at every souvenir shop. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/320 at f/8 in Matrix metering, +0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 400mm.
Our timing was perfect, as we arrived at the Plaza San Marco just as the sun pierced the late day clouds. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/1000 at f/7.1 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 14mm.
By the time I got to the gondolas, the sun had slipped back behind the clouds. That worked out fine, though, as the softer light worked better for this shot of a gondolier waiting for customers. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, 1/400 at f/7.1 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 28mm.
Gondolas have a “fero” on on their bow, which in early days was a counterweight to the gondolier in back. Now they’re just for decoration, some more than others. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 500, 1/250 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 140mm.
With the sun still behind clouds, I looked for something else that would work well in the flat light. Found it in this scene from a bridge, and opted for black-and-white to give it an old-time look. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 1600, 1/200 at f/6 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 84mm.
And then, lo and behold, the sun popped out again, giving us about 15-minutes worth of wonderful, warm light across the lagoon. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 500, 1/80 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 30mm.
We were up before the sun once more the following morning. One of the most popular times of the year in Venice is “Carnevale di Venezia” (Carnival of Venice), which takes place leading up to Lent. A two-week festival, people dress in elaborate costumes and can be found throughout the city. Of course, we weren’t there during Lent, so Rene had arranged for a model to meet us wearing one of those costumes. We planned this for just after sunrise, to avoid the crowds that would have converged on us later in the day. I’d scouted locations the evening before, including covered ones in case of rain. Which was good, because it was raining the next morning for our shoot.
During our early shoot with the model, the only complication was needing to share the space with the city’s sanitation crew. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 1000, 1/60 at f/4 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 28mm.
Location, location, location. I knew about this open, columned area from previous trips to Venice. You’d never know it was raining just a few feet away. I also brought along a Lume Panel, and positioned it behind a column to the left to add a bit more light to the front of our model. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 1600, 1/100 at f/7.6 in Matrix metering, +0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 170mm.
An added bonus to the early-morning model shoot was that when we finished and headed back to the hotel, we passed right by the fish market, which was just getting ready to open. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 640, 1/160 at f/5 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 21mm.
Back to our hotel once more for a break, we gathered again after lunch to ride vaporettos (Venetian water buses) to the islands of Murano and Burano. Murano is most famous for its hand-made glass, and Burano for its colorful buildings. Both lived up to their reputations.
On Murano we attended a glass-blowing demonstration, and watched as one of the artists sculpted a horse by pulling and pushing on what began as a ball of molten glass. When he finished, to demonstrate how hot it still was, he touched a piece of paper to it which burst into flame. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 10,000, 1/100 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 200mm.
I couldn’t resist this slice of competing colors while wandering the streets of Burano. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 500, 1/200 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 320mm.
Street and canal scene in Burano. Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 320, 1/320 at f/10 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 70mm.
if you can’t find colorful pictures to make in Burano, you must not be in Burano! Nikon Z 8, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 320, 1/400 at f/9 in Matrix metering, +0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens at 130mm.
While several of the group extended their vacation to spend a few extra days in Venice, the rest of us left the next morning, on a boat ride to the airport to start our travel home. It was a longer trip than I usually do, and we were all pretty exhausted by the end. But the pictures – oh my. So now my wife wants to know if I’ll do another photo trip to Europe. And my answer, as it is to most things concerning photography, is, “it depends.” Because when it comes to photography, it’s all about location and timing. The right place at the right time in Europe? Absolutely. Like maybe Ireland in May of 2025? Working on that right now :).
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Great photos Reed (as always) and very helpful comments about each location. I’m following in your footsteps in September. I’m planning on traveling really light, and your images have convinced me I can get away with short lenses.
Hope you have a great trip, beautiful areas. And no, you don’t need a lot of gear.