DESCRIPTION

A four-day workshop, from July 23rd to 26th, held in the heart of Slovenia, to discover the wildest and most pristine nature of this fantastic land, waiting in the bear hide for the European brown bear, the true protagonist of these lands, immersed in the magic of these magnificent forests. A photography workshop focused on the places where there is the greatest chance of spotting bears, but not only. The mornings will be dedicated to the bear hides for passerine birds with watering holes, such as the kingfisher (a real novelty), hawfinch, great tit, house sparrow, nuthatch, red-headed woodpecker, jay, hoopoe, and squirrels. As we immerse ourselves in the fantastic forest surrounding the area, with a bit of luck, we may also spot other animals, including various birds of prey, the Ural owl, the pygmy owl, as well as foxes and badgers.

You will be guided by professional photographer Alessandro Di Modica, and I will share with you my experience and expertise in the world of wildlife.

The sessions take place in the Slovenian forests on the border with Croatia, where there are eight different locations and over 30 professional photo hides. By participating in this workshop, you will have the opportunity to take three photo sessions in the hide, where the European brown bear is most active. We will focus specifically on spotting mother bears and their cubs, thus maximizing your chances of observing and photographing this magnificent animal in its natural habitat. This event also includes three dawn photo sessions, split into sessions in the bird hide and in the heart of the forest. Here, using targeted hides and cover, we will photograph the Ural owl, which is very common in the area, and have an excellent chance of spotting it. Furthermore, for those who wish, in the evenings, you can also take advantage of a lit night hide, where you can photograph badgers, hedgehogs, martens, and with a bit of luck, even owls.

After my recent experience photographing brown bears, I've decided to form a small group and give you the opportunity to admire the wonders hidden within the fantastic forests of Eastern Europe. Once we arrive at the facility, we'll have a short introductory lesson where I'll explain how to behave inside the hut and give you some tips on how to set up your camera to get some stunning shots.

THE HIDES

Hideout photography is the most widely used technique for photographing wild animals at close range without interfering or disturbing the wildlife.

The hides we will use have been designed and built to ensure maximum comfort during the photo session while simultaneously optimizing the chances of spotting animals. This is achieved through the use of special strategies for eliminating odors, soundproofing, and the 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 housing. Two large side windows will allow you to observe outside the hide without obstructions. This way, in addition to photographs, everyone will be able to enjoy the natural spectacles just a few meters away.

The photography huts, built in the heart of the forest, are 30 minutes to a maximum of 1 hour from the reference structure. Once we arrive by car, we will walk a short distance to the huts, where, in absolute silence, we will immerse ourselves in the waiting in the wild heart of the Slovenian forests, accompanied by a local guide.