About The Photographer
Branko Cesnik is a passionate landscape and nature photographer from Pivka, a small town in the Karst region of southwestern Slovenia. He is 52 years old and has been interested in photography since his school years. During primary school he took photography classes and had a lot of fun with film and the school’s darkroom. His childhood ambition was to become a professional photographer, but life took him in other directions. He put his interest in photography on hiatus for more than 30 years and it was only three years ago, after he got a DSLR camera as a present from his children, that Branko decided to take up his hobby again.
It is generally acknowledged amongst landscape photographers that the quality of light is what really makes a photograph special. With this in mind, Branko tends to shoot in the morning and at the end of the day when the light just either side of sunrise and sunset can transform an already interesting scene into something even more engaging. He also frequently watches the sky and keeps an eye on local weather maps in hope of capturing something special. For him, the weather is one of the most important aspects in outdoor photography. It doesn’t matter how much you spend on gear the fact is weather can make or break a photo and if you are able to predict the weather before you head of for a shoot you have much better chances of securing that amazing shot you are after. The satisfaction of capturing a beautiful location under the perfect light is a feeling he strives for constantly.
Branko firmly believes a good photograph tells a story and creates a feeling within the viewer. In his shots he tries to transmit what he felt being in that place at that exact moment and to share his experience. He tries to find and explore different places and capture a scene that tells a story or sparks emotion. This process often takes days of planning, location reconnaissance, waiting for the best light and weather conditions and searching for the best composition. Luckily, Slovenia provides plenty of beautiful locations for nature and landscape photography. Since the camera doesn’t always capture the scene exactly as the human eye sees it, he does, however, use highly advanced techniques in the post-processing phase to obtain the result he is looking for.
Branko has been published in several local magazines, has received a couple awards from photo clubs and even the Photographic Association of Slovenia and has exhibited in local galleries. He has also earned several achievements on GuruShots, a photography contest site where photographers showcase their work.
Below is a selection of landscape and nature photos from around Slovenia that Branko Cesnik kindly shared with us. And if you like his photographs, you are welcome to check out his Facebook page for more of his work. You can also contact him anytime if you have any questions about his photos, you are interested in publishing some of his shots or if you are interested in buying any prints.
Photo Gallery
A picture gallery containing 45 beautiful landscape and nature photos from all over Slovenia by Branko Cesnik.
Roughly meaning ‘Woodsmen’s Valley’, Logarska Dolina is considered as one of the most beautiful glacial valleys in the European Alps. The valley, classified as a natural reserve since 1987, can be found at the heart of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps in the far northern corner of Slovenia. The valley also provides a perfect base for hikes into the nearby Kamnik-Savinja Alps.
The entrance to the pristine Logarska Dolina valley is simply breathtaking and incredibly picturesque. The road splits the valley into two parts, one half with a couple homesteads and cattle, and the other half with perfectly green grass. The road then visually disappears into monstrous snow-capped mountains of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. If you get a chance we would suggest that you take the time to get off the beaten path and experience the Logarska valley on your next European trip.
Tucked into a remote corner of the Kamnik Savinja Alps in northern Slovenia is a valley known as Robanov Kot, a sister to the more famous Logarska Dolina valley. Under the high lofty silver peaks, old ways of life have changed little over the past few centuries, and the landscapes offer visitors a glimpse of alpine life as it once was.
Just after the Second World War, the Robanov Kot valley became one of the first areas in the country to receive official protection. The legislation prohibited the construction of new buildings, a restriction that helped to preserve the valley much as it has looked for centuries. The protections were strengthened even further in 1987, when the area of the Robanov Kot valley became protected as a Landscape Park.
The Vlcar cottage or Vlcarska Bajta as it is called in Slovene is a traditional dwelling of loggers from the Upper Savinja valley in northern Slovenia.
Located in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps at an elevation of 1,665 meters (5,462 feet) in northern Slovenia, Velika Planina is one of the largest Alpine pastures in Europe. It’s also one of the most unique and unusual, as it is dotted with semicircular wooden cottages that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Some visitors have likened the settlement to a Hobbit village. And there is indeed something fairytale-like about Velika Planina.
Designed to provide shelter for both livestock and humans, the unique wooden huts have become a symbol of Velika Planina and are among the most extraordinary examples of vernacular architecture in Slovenia.
Lake Krn or Krnsko Jezero as it is called in Slovene is known to be the largest glacial lake in Slovenia. It is situated at an elevation of 1,391 meters (4,563 feet) in the Julian Alps under the 2,244-metre-high Mt. Krn (in the background) and is part of the Triglav National Park. The lake is almost 400 metres long, 150 metres wide and up to 17 metres deep.
Lake Krn provides a habitat for more than 40 plant species and 24 species of lower animals. Bathing and swimming is strictly prohibited in order to protect the fragile ecosystem of the lake.
At the beginning of June, the sheep are led up to the high alpine pastures of the Julian Alps, where they will graze in fresh mountain air throughout the summer.
Konjscica is a gorgeous alpine pasture that lies on the Pokljuka plateau in the Julian Alps at an elevation of 1,438 meters (4,717 feet). The pasture is dotted with a number of shepherd’s cottages, one of which has been recently converted into a cheese dairy.
Located at a height of 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) to 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) above sea level, Pokljuka is a karst plateau dotted with farmsteads and covered with pastures. This is where cattle come to graze during the summer months. Home only to farmers, wildlife, and cows, sheep and goats, this is a very peaceful and quiet location in Triglav National Park. It is a fabulous place to go for a mountain hike and you can refuel at the couple of farms that serve homemade food and drinks.
Slovenian forests are so colorful in golden and red in autumn that everything looks like in an idyllic painting. And the mountain air so fresh and healthy.
Lake Bohinj is the largest permanent lake in the country at 4.2 kilometres long and 1 kilometre at its maximum width. It lies in the Triglav National Park in northwestern Slovenia.
The Church of St John the Baptist sits on the southeast side of Lake Bohinj near an old stone bridge. Some interesting frescoes from the 14th century adorn this lovely small and more than 700 year old church.
Lake Bohinj is a sparking jewel in the north-west of Slovenia. Although autumn is not said to be the best time to visit the lake, the season offers a different kind of beauty well-worth seeing. The lake is quieter and more peaceful, decorated with the golden and red fall colors and snow-capped mountains around.
A glass-like lake surface of Lake Bohinj beautifully reflecting the surrounding landscape in the autumn, a very picturesque season when you can enjoy the fresh air and cool weather.
Surrounded by tree-covered hills and towering mountain peaks of the Julian Alps, Lake Bohinj is the perfect place for nature lovers to experience serenity and tranquility.
Lake Bled is the number one tourist destination that most people visit when travelling to Slovenia. With its vibrant aquamarine waters, cliff-top castle and picturesque island, it is easy to see why. Whether you’re down the far end of the lake looking back to the castle or from the castle looking towards the church on the island the scenery is just breathtaking.
Lake Bled is one of the crown jewels of Slovenia. With a postcard-perfect church standing on a small island, a castle clinging to a cliff and an aquamarine lake set amongst the peaks of the Julian Alps, what’s not to love?
The iconic image of a steepled church on a forested island surrounded by nothing but striking aquamarine water is what lures most people to Lake Bled.
Lake Bled’s crystal clear aquamarine waters are so inviting in the warm summer months. Jump in, splash around, go for a swim, rent a boat, or stand-up paddleboard or simply relax along the water’s edge and listen to the gentle waves lap onto the shoreline.
For over a thousand years there has been a castle perched atop a steep cliff more than 130 meters above Lake Bled. It is not difficult to understand why – the spectacular cliff top location would be easily defensible. Thick Romanesque walls outline the cliff and enclose the Renaissance buildings. These buildings once functioned as a stronghold but now they house an interesting museum and a wonderful fine dining restaurant.
After the Second World War Lake Bled has developed into a very important place for rowing sports and is currently one of the most renowned rowing centres in Europe with one of the most beautiful courses anywhere.
A trail runs along the entire perimeter (6 km/3.7 miles) of Lake Bled and takes anywhere from 1-1.5 hours to circumnavigate. Most people start the trail near the park and walk in a clockwise direction.
Vintgar Gorge is one of the most popular natural attractions in the country and the wooden walkways and bridges make for easy hiking in the 1.6 kilometer long gorge located in northwestern Slovenia, only 4 kilometers northwest of Bled. The trail, which is very easy to walk and suitable for anyone, leads past the rushing, foaming waters of the emerald Radovna River to the 13-meter-high Sum waterfall at the end of the trail. The gorge was discovered in 1891 and just two years later it was opened to the public.
The Kozjak Waterfall is a very unique and picturesque waterfall located in northwestern Slovenia near the town of Kobarid. It is hidden in a cave-like area and falls 15 meters into a fantastic jade green pool nested between impressive dark walls. It is also possible to bathe in the pool but the water is devilishly cold.
Predjama Castle or Predjamski Grad as it is called in Slovene is one of the most striking buildings in Slovenia, perched in the middle of a 120-meter cliff. Built 800 years ago during the Middle Ages, the castle was constructed to incorporate a natural cave. In the 15th century, it was the site of events that have intrigued countless generations. Today, it houses a very interesting museum, displaying not just a variety of historical items from the castle, but also valuable archaeological findings from the cavers behind it.
Sneznik Castle is an imposing three-storey Renaissance building from the 13th century and girdled by ramparts, towers and a high grey wall. It stands in the middle of an delightful landscaped park of chestnut trees and green lawns in the Loz Valley, about 7 kilometres south of the Krizna Jama cave, just beyond the village of Kozarisce in southern Slovenia. The castle is now owned by the Slovenian Ministry of Culture and managed by the National Museum of Slovenia. It was completely renovated in 2008.
Kalec Castle is a partially ruined castle that stands near the source of the Pivka River, about 7 kilometres southeast of the town of Pivka in southwestern Slovenia. It was built in the mid-17th century and abandoned after the First World War so it began falling apart. There is only one tower and some sections of wall that has survived till today.
Lake Palcje or Palsko Jezero as it is called in Slovene is an intermittent lake in the Pivka basin, north of the village of Palcje in southwestern Slovenia. For some nine months, it is filled with water, and during the rest of the year, it is dry and you can walk on the bottom of the lake
When water is abundant, Lake Palcje extends over one and a half kilometres in length and about half a kilometre in width and exceeds one square kilometre. But the surface and volume change constantly, on a daily basis, from year to year; no rules govern the movement of the water’s surface. However, the quantity of precipitation affects it the most.
A view of Lake Palcje during the dry season when the bed of the lake is green and covered with grass. In the background is the 1,123-metre high Sveta Trojica hill, which rises over the Pivka basin in southwestern Slovenia and is a popular destination for local hikers.
Sveta Trojica offers great views across the Pivka basin to the peaks of Sneznik, Nanos, Vremsica and Planinska Gora. On top there’s the pilgrimage church of the Holy Trinity from the 17th century, which was renovated in 2009.
The Church of the Holy Trinity is one of the most important historical buildings in the area. It’s fortified and perched on a grassy knoll above a small village of Hrastovlje in the far southwestern corner of Slovenia, close to the Slovenian coast. The wall was built by local residents in the 16th century to protect themselves from Turkish attacks. There are two hypotheses about the origin of the church. According to the first, it’s a Romanesque church from the 12th century. According to the second, it’s an example of the Istrian variant of Early Venetian Renaissance architecture from the 15th century.
On the lookout ridge above the Silentabor village stands the Church of St. Martin, which features a presbytery with Gothic groins and frescoes dating back to the 15th century. Near the church, are the remains of once the largest anti-Turkish complex in the territory of the today’s Slovenia. In the background is Sneznik, the highest non-Alpine mountain in Slovenia with an elevation of 1,796 metres (5,892 feet).
Nanos is about 6 kilometres wide and 12 kilometres long karst limestone plateau in southwestern Slovenia. The plateau is traversed by the Slovene Mountain Trail, the oldest interconnecting trail in the country. The most popular destination on the plateau and part of the trail is the 1,262-metre-high Plesa Peak with the Vojko mountain hut and the Nanos transmitter.
With about 9,200 residents, Postojna is only the 17th largest town in Slovenia, but each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world come to this small town. The reason of course isn’t so much the town itself, but the remarkable 24-kilometre-long cave system that lies just below its surface.
Pivka is a small town with less than 2,100 inhabitants that lies in the Pivka Basin in the Karst region of southwestern Slovenia.
The Crni Kal Viaduct is the longest and the highest viaduct in the country, located on the A1 motorway, about 20 kilometres east of the town of Koper. The viaduct was opened for traffic in September of 2004. It is 1,065 metres long and mounted on 11 Y-shaped columns, the highest reaching almost 88 meters.
Salt-making is one of the oldest economic activities on Slovenia’s Adriatic coast. The Secovlje salt pans are today the largest of the coastal marsh wetlands encompassing 650 hectares, and at the same time, the most important Slovenian locality from the ornithological point of view. More than 270 different bird species have been observed in the area of the saltworks, and 80 of them also nest here either permanently or periodically.
The salt-pans have had a significant influence on the landscape of the Slovene Littoral. The systems of channels, levees, salt fields and everything that people created in this part of the country make a wonderful example of equilibrium with the environment.
From the Strunjan Salt Pans you can see along the coastline to Piran, Slovenia’s preetiest coastal town, often referred to as the Jewel Of The Adriatic Coast.
A particularly visit-worthy seaside town on the Slovenian coast is Piran. Perched on a long and narrow peninsula that juts out into the Adriatic Sea, it is an incredibly picturesque town that has managed to keep its relaxed historic charm.
Piran’s main characteristics are its inviting atmosphere, relaxed vibe, colorful pastel-colored houses and narrow streets. This is the place to simply stroll around aimlessly. As Piran is really small, it won’t take you more than a few hours to wander through the entire town. And when you finish, just sit down with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and enjoy some people-watching.
With about 16,000 residents, Izola is a small fishing town in southwestern Slovenia on the Adriatic coast of the Istrian peninsula. The Italian name of the town, Isola, means Island, which is odd because it’s not an island. At least, not anymore. The town of Izola was established on a small island in the 7th century, but was later connected to mainland by a bridge. A wall was erected later to protect the town, but was torn down in the 19th century and its remains used to fill in the sea between the island and the mainland.
Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic work with us Branko Cesnik. Your photos are fabulous and superbly convey the natural beauty of Slovenia.
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