This Slovenian lake is so famous that people from all over the world come to visit and photograph it. I couldn’t resist. I had to get my own shots of Lake Bled. With an early wake-up call before the crack of dawn, I managed to get the classic views, but there’s one photo I like even more. It was part luck, part determination. Read on to see how it all came together.  

Blejsko jezero, or Lake Bled, is in northern Slovenia. Roughly one by two kilometers in size, it has several factors that make it a popular destination for both tourists and photographers.

Incredible sight

One of the first things that catches your eye is the picturesque church on a tiny island in the middle of the lake. The scene is far from flat—there are mountains with an altitude of over 2,000m that frame it. The lake itself sits at an altitude of 475m above sea level, so the elevation is noticeable. Additionally, right next to the lake, there are hills that offer incredible views from above. The scenery is so breathtaking that the otherwise spectacular Bled Castle, perched on a cliff above the lake, almost feels like a forgotten sibling in comparison. 

The plan 

Lake Bled wasn’t the only reason I was in Slovenia, so I wasn’t staying nearby. My accommodation was about a 25-minute drive away. My first goal was to get shots of the lake from the viewpoints on the surrounding hills. Based on what I read online, I couldn’t go wrong. 

There are many mobile apps for tracking the sun’s position at any time of day. I usually use Sun Surveyor for Android, which told me sunrise would be at 5:30 a.m., with the sun appearing over the mountains behind the lake. In theory, it would take some time for it to rise above the peaks, but you can get great shots before sunrise, so it made sense to aim for an even earlier arrival. 

Since I also had to factor in the drive, parking, and nighttime hike up an unfamiliar forest trail, I built in extra time. My alarm was set for 3 a.m. Of course, good weather was just as important.  

Right to the start

After arriving in Slovenia, the forecast called for another beautiful morning the very next day, so the plan was set. Waking up that early is never easy, but there’s a silver lining—parking near the viewpoints is expensive (as of 2024, 2-6 euros/hour, depending on the month), but if you arrive at 4 a.m., there’s a chance of snagging one of the last free spots at a nearby forest rest area. 

Before 5 a.m., I reached the Ojstrica viewpoint and had my pick of shooting locations. Space was limited, so when more early morning travelers showed up five minutes later, I was glad I had woken up so early. 

Waiting and close-up shots 

While waiting for the sunrise, I passed the time by capturing various close-ups, like the illuminated church on the island or the layers of mountains fading into the distance. 

I also took regular shots of the entire scene before me, because with unpredictable weather, you never know if the best lighting conditions have already come and gone. 

The best shot—with a trick

Fortunately, the weather held, and my best shot was one of the last ones I took when the sun was just beginning to peek over the mountains. This was my favorite moment, but it only lasted about three minutes, so I had to be ready. 

Ideally, I would have waited for the sun with my camera perfectly set up on the tripod, but there was a problem. Bushes around the viewpoint were obstructing part of the frame. I had to improvise. I kept the camera on the tripod, activated a 10-second shutter delay, and then lifted the tripod above my head like a pole. Those extra two meters made all the difference. I was shooting blind, but after an hour of practice, I had a good feel for the right angle. 

Because of the extreme contrast between highlights and shadows, I took several shots with different exposures and stitched them together. In this case, I did it manually using the luminosity masking technique. I’m no expert in luminosity masking, so the editing process sometimes takes hours, but it allows me to merge areas with huge differences in brightness. 

Further exploration

With the sun fully above the mountains, I didn’t wait any longer, packed my things, and went to explore other interesting places. There were several other viewpoints around the lakeshore. 

The viewpoints varied, and one of the best was below Mala Osojnica, which offered another stunning perspective.  

Along the way, I caught sight of distant valleys still covered in morning mist. 

The lakeshore was more interesting and offered a completely different view which inspired me to return another morning. 

A second attempt

Two days later, the weather was much more erratic. Part fog and part broken clouds that were supposed to merge into rain later in the morning. It was a gamble. Too many clouds and the sun wouldn’t appear, or the rain could come early and ruin the whole shoot.

Luckily, none of this happened. Out of several attempts from the lakeshore, my favorite shot was just before dawn, with the island church, castle, and moody clouds in the background. 

The random clouds make for a much more dynamic and dramatic scene that’s far more interesting than a plain, clear sky. 

I also experimented with other compositions. For example, this one from a different angle with ducks swimming in the foreground. 

An hour later, it started to pour, bringing both photography and hiking to an end for the morning.  

When bad weather wins

This wasn’t my first time shooting before or after a storm and marveling at nature’s unpredictable beauty. When the right conditions align with the right amount of cloud cover, it’s breathtaking. The shifting wind constantly changes the scene, making every moment unique. 

Of course, it can also go the other way. It only takes a few clouds to block the sun or entire area. I’ve climbed to a viewpoint at sunrise, only to find myself completely enveloped in fog. Success is never guaranteed, but you never know unless you try.