My best photos from 2023
Well, 2023 has come to an end. I swear the years go faster the older I get!
Although this all went out just before the new year in my newsletter, I am only just getting round to putting it here on my blog. So for those not signed up to my newsletter, let me wish you a belated happy New Year and I hope 2023 was a great one, and that 2024 will be just as much, if not more, happy and prosperous for you.
I thought I would start 2024 with a review of my favourite photoshoots throughout 2023. While I got some good stuff every month, I have focused on the months that produced some of my best and favourite photographic moments.
So without further ado, let’s go……
JANUARY
Moon over Bled Castle
In January every year the full moon rises at sunset the furthest north ever, and in Slovenia there are many locations where it rises over prominent landmarks and mountains. Of course, you only get one chance to shoot it each year, so you have to choose. In previous years, I caught it at Jamnik and also Saint Thomas. in 2023, I went to Bled and caught it rising over the mountain behind Bled Castle. Thankfully, the conditions were perfect.
FEBRUARY
Lake Jasna Frozen
Lake Jasna has to be one of my favourite places in Slovenia, mainly because of the fabulous view you get across it to the jaw-dropping section of the Julian Alps. The two main peaks, Mt. Razor on the left and Mt. Prisank on the right often catch the last wisps of light nicely at sunset.
Jasna can be photographed at both sunrise and sunset, as the view looks completely southwards. The sun rises from the left and sets to the right. In winter the lake can often freeze over, as it did in February. I made a few trips there at sunset, and one at sunrise (unbelievably cold at -15 degrees!).
APRIL
Dorset
April was a big month, especially as I made the leap to mirrorless and purchased a Canon EOS R5. My first photoshoot with this great new camera was down in Dorset. I headed down for a week to try it out as well as scout locations for my Dorset Photography Workshops.
I visited many locations, but below are the three that produced some of my favourite photos.
Bournemouth Beach
I have always loved Bournemouth beach since I was very young. I grew up just one hour away, so visited often. It’s a great place for photography as you get some lovely views over towards Old Harry Rocks too. However, in April, Old Harry wasn’t clearly visible, so I focused my attention on the groynes. I stayed here in Bournemouth during my week, so shot the beach at sunset on the first evening, and in the morning on the last day.
Sunset produced some nice colour, but the last morning was overcast, so I used the opportunity to capture some long exposures with my Kase 10 stop ND filter and converted to black and white.
Swanage
Swanage is a lovely seaside town at the very start of the Jurassic Coast. There are several interesting features to photograph here, such as the Banjo Jetty. The Jetty faces east, so in April it is a great location for capturing the sun rising behind.
Like Bournemouth, there are several groynes along the beach which make interesting subjects to include along the beach as the sun rises too.
Further down you will find the old Swanage pier, which is a fascinating subject for long exposures. Again, I used the 10 stop ND to get a 30 second exposure and converted to black and white. I also found a great viewpoint from which to photograph the pier with Old Harry Rocks in the background.
Kimmeridge Bay
Kimmeridge Bay is without doubt one of my favourite locations along the Jurassic Coast. This is a fantastic setting for photography with its stunning coastal landscape, unique geological features, and diverse wildlife. What I particularly love about this place is how, as the tide goes out, the landscape changes dramatically and reveals a whole new world under the surface.
When I visited in April, this ledge was completely covered in vivid green moss, a sight I had never seen before.
JUNE
Saint Thomas Church View
Typically, Saint Thomas Church view is best photographed outside of summer when the sun rises off to the right and you get lovely side light illuminating the church and mountains. In the summer everything is backlit. However, June is the only time you can get the sun rising over the Kamnik Alps as close to the church as possible. So of course, I headed off one morning to get one with the new R5.
One of the advantages to the R5 is that you can pull out the shadow detail with amazing clarity and virtually zero noise.
JULY
Jamnik Church & Lake Bled Sunrises
Jamnik Church
Summer also brings the opportunity to capture the sun rising over Mt. Storžič right behind Jamnik Church. There are only two times of the year this happens, once in May as it moves northwards, and again in July as it moves back southwards.
Sunrise at Lake Bled
Again, summer is the best time to get the sun rising over the mountains behind Lake Bled. I headed out there twice in July and these were my favourite shots.
AUGUST
Slovenian Coast
Summer is a time to spend down the coast, and we often go to Strunjan beach which is our favourite place for swimming, but also you get a great view of Piran church at sunset, as well as some lovely shots of sailboats against the setting sun as they return home for the day.
SEPTEMBER
Brown Bears, Bohinj Lake & Sveti Volbenk
Slovenian Brown Bears
Regular readers of my blog are most likely well aware of how much I love brown bears, and that I have been numerous times to photograph them in Slovenia, thanks to Miha Mlakar of Slovenianbears.com
In September, I returned twice to the land of the bears; first time was to experience photographing them with the new mirrorless R5 to make a comparision with the DSLR used in previous shoots. This was to finalise an article I was writing for EOS Magazine. I am pleased to say that this article has now been published and you can read it here on my blog, or by subscribing to this great magazine.
Scouting for a new Brown Bear Photography Workshop
I returned again at the end of September with my good friend Melvin Nicholson to scout and discuss with Miha about running bear photography workshops. Melvin was planning the launch of a new photo tour company, Landscape Locations. I am proud to be the one designing his website, and which has just been launched this month.
Lake Bohinj on a misty morning
Lake Bohinj is a wonderful location for photography both at sunrise and sunset. Sunrises though can often be blocked by thick mist. I came here one morning after arriving at Lake Bled to find no mist, as had been predicted, and deciding to head on to Bohinj, which is only a 30-minute drive from Bled.
Here the mist was too thick, so I focused on capturing some nice minimalistic shots instead.
Sveti Volbenk Church
I had been wanting to visit this location for a long time, and finally got out to scout it in September. This was a morning trip, and ordinarily due to the orientation of the church front, it is best at sunset. However, the thin layer of cloud diffused the light and with the help of my Kase Polariser and 2-stop medium grad, I was able to capture these lovely images.
OCTOBER
Bled in autumn & the mist
The autumn colours were very late in Slovenia this year, and not as prolific as usual. I did manage however to get this shot of the castle and church of Saint Martin from the western end of the lake. This is an area that is often forsaken by photographers, which is a shame because it’s the only place you can also get the Julian Alps in a shot beside the castle.
On the same evening, some lovely mist and cloud rolled over the lake at sunset, allowing for some great long exposures.
Morning mist
I also finally got my morning mist in Bled. The advantage today of webcams means that I can check online before I leave. I had intended to go to Jamnik that morning, but saw the thick mist over Bled and headed there instead. Thank god, because this was one of the most incredible mornings I have ever experienced at Bled.
NOVEMBER
Castles and Churches
Smlednik Castle Views
Slovenia is famous for its churches with mountains backdrops. However, there are a few castles too, and the ruins of Smlednik Castle are the most interesting for sure.
This is the view of Smlednik Castle from a location near to Smarna Gora. I love how this places the castle with Mt. Storzic right behind it, and how the telephoto makes it appear super close. This is one of the great effects of using telephoto lenses for landscape photography.
When photographing this scene, you have to get there early enough to catch the low light on the church and hill too. Usually about 30 minutes before sunset it is lost, because the sun goes down behind some low hills behind.
On this evening, it was quite cloudy in the west and when I arrived the cloud was blocking the sun. It had seemed like I wasn’t going to get anything, but all of a sudden the light broke through right at the last moment and cast this stunning warm glow over the whole scene.
From this viewpoint you get a great panoramic view of the Kamnik Alps, and also Mt. Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia. Once the light is lost on the castle, you can turn your attention to photographing these mountains at sunset, or even earlier.
Mt. Triglav is a little trickier to photograph due to a lot of elements obstructing it. However, I have found one position where I can zoom in with a telephoto to get a nice composition.
Churches of Saint Margaret & Saint Nicholas
Jamnik and Saint Thomas are not the only great church views in Slovenia. There is also the church of Saint Margaret (right) in the village of Prežganje, and church of Saint Nicholas (left) in the village of Janče; both with the Kamnik Alps behind from a certain viewpoint.
I shot this after a period of rain, so the alps have a lovely fresh coating of snow and the late autumn colours were beautiful.
DECEMBER
Return to Lake Jasna
To end the year, I returned to Lake Jasna. So far the winter has been ridiculously warm so the lake is not yet frozen. However, there is still time!
NEW PARTNERS FOR 2023
2023 also saw me partnering with two great brands: Benro & Kase Filters UK. Both of which have taken out advertising space in my free photography ebook.
Keep watch
I look forward to showing you more of these great products in my videos and blogs throughout 2024.
Kase Filters
Since purchasing my first Kase Filter, which was the K9 filter holder and circular polariser, I have grown to love these superb filters. They are made of toughened glass and really easy to clean in the field. I have actually dropped my polariser onto rocks and it was undamaged.
I have since added two more filters to my collection and will be adding more in 2024. I am proud to now be included in their partner affiliate program.
Benro Tripods & Accessories
Ever since purchasing the Benro geared tripod head, I’ve been impressed with their products. The geared head has proven to be invaluable and is as strong today as when I first bought it.
Watch my video here when I compared it to the Manfrotto one.
Benro have now supplied me with a new Tortoise 34CLV leveling tripod, along with a new 3-way head and monopod to replace my old system.
