Slovenian bears workshop
2nd - 5th July, 2026
A 4-day photo workshop that combines hide sessions with daily theory lessons, image reviews and expert guidance to take your wildlife photography skills to the next level.
Workshop highlights
Access to Europe’s best bear hides
Spend three afternoons in some of the most successful and professionally managed bear hides in Europe. Located deep in the forests of southern Slovenia, these hides offer excellent opportunities to photograph wild brown bears in soft, natural light.
Daily photography lessons
Each morning, we’ll sit down for a focused theory session covering key wildlife photography topics — from field technique to composition, ethics and post-processing workflow. These lessons are designed to give beginners and intermediates a solid foundation to grow from, and to help advanced photographers to take their skills a step further.
Pre-trip support
Before the workshop begins, we’ll schedule a group call to go over gear, settings, and what to expect in the hides. You’ll have the chance to ask questions, fine-tune your setup, and feel fully prepared — so you can focus on making the most of every moment once we’re in the field.
Only 10 spots available for this immersive learning experience in the Slovenian bear forests.
When?
July 2nd-5th, 2026
Group Size
Max 10 people
Price
1590 €
PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY
This workshop is easy and accessible for anyone in generally good health. There are no hikes or physically demanding activities — the longest walk required is up to 5 minutes on flat forest paths from the vehicle to the hides.
All sessions take place in comfortable, well-built hides, and the schedule includes generous breaks and quiet time between outings. If you can carry your own gear and sit quietly for a few hours you’ll be perfectly at home on this trip.
Experience
This workshop is ideal for beginner and intermediate photographers looking to build or refine their wildlife photography skills.
You’ll receive personalized support tailored to your experience level. Through a mix of structured lessons, guided photo sessions and pre-trip prep, you’ll gain confidence and walk away with stronger images and a clearer photographic vision.
What makes it special?
Proven Bear Encounters in Prime Locations
This area of southern Slovenia is known as one of the best places in Europe to see and photograph wild brown bears. Over the past decade, local conservation efforts and the responsible management of hides have created ideal conditions for reliable sightings — often with multiple bears per session. The hides used on this workshop offer outstanding photographic opportunities in natural forest light, with a near 100% success rate over the 3 sessions.
Beyond the Hide: Real Instruction That Makes a Difference
Unlike many trips that simply drop participants at the hides with little to no guidance, this is a true photography workshop. You won’t be left to figure it out on your own. Each day includes structured lessons, and Paolo will provide clear, actionable support to make sure you’re fully confident in your gear, settings, and creative choices before every session. The goal is not just to come home with great shots — but to understand how you made them.
A Supportive Learning Environment
This workshop is designed for growth, not pressure. With a small group size, daily lessons, and pre-trip support, you’ll feel part of a team — with room to ask questions, make mistakes and improve through direct feedback. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your skills, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of wildlife photography and a stronger sense of creative direction.
What will I learn?
How to read natural light and choose the best exposure for different conditions
How to optimize your camera settings for various scenarios — from low light to fast-moving wildlife
How to compose natural scenes, from wide environmental shots to tight portraits, with balance and impact
How to creatively use shutter speed and aperture to achieve mood, motion, and depth
How to choose the right lens based on your creative goals and subject distance
The core techniques needed to confidently photograph wildlife in natural, wild settings
Post-processing essentials, including file organization, backup strategies, and a clean, reliable workflow to protect your work
Detailed schedule
Day 1 – July 2nd
By 11:00 AM participants will arrive and check in at the hotel. After a welcome introduction, Paolo will present the workshop schedule, locations, and learning goals. After lunch (served at 13:00) we will have a first session to discuss camera settings and techniques based on the different situations and gear setups — a great opportunity to ask questions, fine-tune your gear, and prepare for the sessions ahead. We will also go over how to position your gear inside the hides, with attention to composition, silence, and comfort during long sessions. Each hide will host a maximum of two participants to ensure peace, space, and optimal visibility.
Around 3:30 PM we will head out for the first hide session; after a short drive and a brief walk through the forest (a few hundred meters), we’ll reach our first bear hide.
The photography session will continue until sunset, around 8:00 PM. Afterward, we’ll return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Days 2 & 3 – July 3rd and 4th
At 6:00 AM we’ll begin the day with a session to the bird hide near a water source. This location offers excellent chances to photograph a variety of bird species including woodpeckers, passerines, shrikes, grosbeaks and more. With some luck, we may also spot small mammals such as squirrels, foxes and other forest dwellers.
We will have a break at 8:00 AM for breakfast. At 9:00 AM you will have the choice of going back to the birds hide for another 2 hours or to have a 1:1 session with Paolo; that can be anything from portfolio review, personalized assistance with techniques etc.
The morning session will wrap up at 11:00 AM; we will then have another group lesson covering different aspects of wildlife photography.
At 1:00 PM we will have lunch; after a couple hours to relax we will begin the transfer to a new location for the afternoon bear session. The same organizational structure will apply to ensure optimal conditions and comfort in the hides. This session will continue through golden hour and end around 8:00 PM.
Back at the hotel, the evening will be a relaxed moment to share experiences and informally discuss technical aspects from the day. Paolo will be available for additional support, questions, or image review.
Day 4 – July 5th
We’ll start again at 6:00 AM with our final bird photography session at the hide.
Around 8:30–9:00 AM, we’ll return to the hotel for the final part of the workshop, covering the whole post production workflow - including organizing files, backups etc. Together, we’ll review the work from the previous days, discuss image selection, archiving strategies, and how to build an efficient editing workflow.
Each participant will have the opportunity to share their images, receive personalized feedback and participate in a supportive group discussion. The two instructors will be available for technical questions and one-on-one support.
The workshop will officially end around 12:00 PM with final greetings and departures.
Only 10 spots available for this immersive learning experience in the Slovenian bear forests.
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3 nights of accommodation in a comfortable hotel (shared double occupancy unless single supplement is secured at booking)
All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
6 hide-based photo sessions (3 mornings in bird hides, 3 afternoons in bear hides)
One complete post-production session with hands-on guidance tailored to wildlife photography
Introductory lesson on camera settings and field strategy for wildlife photography
Continuous photography support and feedback by Paolo Sartori throughout the workshop
Access to high-quality professional hides specifically designed for wildlife photography
Pre-trip group video call to review gear, settings, and prepare for the workshop
Assistance and translation in Italian (if needed)
Time for Q&A, image review, and individual feedback
A supportive learning environment with a small group of like-minded participants
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Travel to and from the workshop location (hotel near Lož, Slovenia)
Mealtime drinks
Snacks and beverages outside of meals
Single supplement (€200 total, subject to availability at time of booking)
Any purchases of a personal nature
Travel insurance
Credit card fees (if applicable)
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The workshop is limited to 10 seats to ensure a high-quality learning experience. You can apply via the button at the bottom of this page. If there are still spots available, you’ll receive instructions to confirm your place.
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The price of the trip is 1690 €.
A deposit of 640 € will be due to confirm the booking.
The remainder will be due 60 days before the trip departs.
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To reserve your spot we do require a 640€ deposit. That deposit is only refundable for 48 hours after booking.
Once you pay for the rest of your trip you can receive the following refunds on the rest of the trip (deposits not included):
More than 90 days before the trip = 100% refund.
Between 90 and 60 days before the trip = 50% refund.
Less than 60 days before trip departure = 0% refund.
We highly recommend trip insurance.
We may cancel a trip prior to the start date for reasons including (but not limited to) insufficient participation, weather conditions, or other instances that may impede trip operations. In this case, you will receive a refund for funds paid towards the trip cost. You will not receive any refund for hotels, flights, or transportation you booked before or after the trip.
A legal language version of our trip cancellation is this...
We reserve the right to cancel any trip, at any time, prior to the scheduled departure date for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation, insufficient participation, local weather conditions or logistical problems that, in our sole judgment, may impede trip operations. In the event we cancel your trip for any reason whatsoever other than a force majeure event, your sole and exclusive remedy shall be the refund of all payments we received from you as of the date of cancellation. The payment of the refund shall release us from any and all other or further liability in any way related to such cancellation. We may make payments to our suppliers (permits, transportation companies, etc.) far in advance of the scheduled trip departure date. Accordingly, if a trip is cancelled due to a force majeure event (e.g. war, labor strikes, earthquake, flooding or any other cause beyond our control), we will undertake commercially reasonable efforts to promptly refund the portion of any amounts paid by you that have, in turn, not already been advanced to suppliers. In addition, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to recover and refund to you the balance of your payment amounts that were advanced to suppliers, less our expenses, if any, of such recovery, as promptly as possible. However, we do not guarantee you recovery of any portion of advance payments made to our suppliers. We are not responsible for, and you hereby release and forever discharge us from, any expense or cost incurred by you in preparing for or arising or resulting from a cancelled trip. If you cancel your trip, we will refund your payment as follows: (a) cancellation 90 days or more prior to trip departure – 100% of your payment will be refunded, with the exception of the deposit amount; (b) cancellation between 90 - 60 days prior to trip departure - 50% of your payment will be refunded, with the exception of the deposit amount; or (c) cancellation less than 60 days prior to departure, or during trip – no refund will be made.
Camera Equipment
This workshop is designed to help you capture compelling wildlife images — from bird close-ups to intimate bear portraits and quiet forest moments. All sessions will take place from professional photographic hides, so your gear setup should be tailored to low-light conditions and quiet, stationary shooting. Here’s how to prepare.
Camera Bodies
A mirrorless or DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses is essential. A system with fast autofocus and solid low-light performance (like the Canon R5/R6, Sony A9/A7 series, or Nikon Z6/Z8) is ideal — but any modern DSLR will also work well if set up properly.
Lenses for Wildlife
A 70–200mm can already give satisfying results in many situations, especially when animals are nearby.
For tighter portraits and shy subjects like birds or small mammals, we recommend a lens of at least 300mm.
A medium telephoto (100–400mm or similar) provides excellent flexibility and is ideal for the varied distances you’ll encounter.
A wide-angle or standard zoom (24–70mm or 24–105mm) is great for capturing environment and forest scenes, if you’re also into landscapes.
Other Essentials
Extra memory cards and batteries – Expect to shoot several thousand images per day during active sightings.
Laptop + external SSD – For daily backups and image review. Paolo will guide you through safe workflow and storage practices throughout the tour.
Camera support – Each hide includes built-in screw mounts for your tripod head. We strongly recommend bringing either a gimbal head or a fluid video head. Alternatively you can use a beanbag. No tripod is needed.
Clothing
We recommend wearing layered clothing to adapt to changing temperatures throughout the day during long sessions in the hides. While there are no hikes involved, hides will be accessed either by car or through short walks in the forest, so comfortable and weather-appropriate gear is important. Please be sure to pack a lightweight rain jacket as we may occasionally need to walk to or from the hide in wet conditions.
A full list of recommended clothing and gear will be included in the detailed information PDF you’ll receive prior to the workshop.
Need Gear Advice?
If you’re unsure what to bring or are thinking about renting a lens, Paolo will be happy to give tailored advice based on your experience level and creative goals. Don’t hesitate to get in touch before the trip—we’re here to help you arrive prepared and confident.
YOU WILL RECEIVE A MORE DETAILED INFORMATION DOCUMENT WITH ALL THE INFOS ABOUT WHAT TO PACK 90 DAYS BEFORE YOUR TRIP. THE DOCUMENT WILL INCLUDE SPECIFICS OF WHEN AND WHERE TO MEET, GEAR AND CLOTHING RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALL THE VARIOUS INFORMATIONS YOU MIGHT NEED.
Getting there
The workshop takes place in the peaceful forests in the Loška Dolina region, about 1 hours drive from Ljubljana and 1.5 hours from Trieste. You’ll receive the exact address and arrival instructions upon booking.
Participants are expected to arrive directly at the hotel by 11:00 AM on Day 1 of the workshop. From there, the experience begins with a welcome briefing and our first afternoon photo session.
Recommended Travel Options
By Air:
The closest airports are Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) and Trieste – Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport (TRS). From there, we can arrange a private transfer to the hotel (approx. 1.5 hours by road).
By Car:
If coming from Italy, our accommodation will be about 1.5 hours from Trieste.