Fazana is a charming coastal town on the Adriatic Sea, close to some of Croatia’s most famous tourist destinations. Located in Istria County on the peninsula’s southwest coast, it has a population of about 5,000 people. It is a popular tourist destination for those wishing to experience Croatia’s Mediterranean-style culture.
This small fishing town has an ancient past, dating back to the 12th century BC. The historic center of Fazana resides on a rocky promontory overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Here, visitors can wander along cobbled streets lined with old houses built in traditional Dalmatian style.
It is not uncommon for small coastal towns in Croatia to be overrun with tourists during the summer months. However, this is not the case for Fazana – a hidden gem on the Adriatic coast with no major draw other than its natural beauty. Situated between two national parks, Krka and Kornati, Fazana has become one of the most peaceful places to visit in Europe.
Loc: 44.92691, 13.80074
I took the featured photo during my Croatia road trip from Italy to the beautiful Croatian Brijuni National Park which is located on Instra Peninsula. This is the view of the town of Fazana from the ferry leaving for Brijuni Island.
Before visiting Croatia I spent 10 days in Italy driving around the northern part of the country, staying in Venice and Trieste.
I have to say that Italy is one of the most photogenic countries in the world, and probably the most rewarding place for any travel photographer. At the same time, I have to admit that even at the end of September it was too crowded with tourists, making it more challenging to photograph.
What I realized on my driving trip to Croatia is that it is as beautiful and rewarding as Italy, but at the same time, it feels that it lives at a much slower pace, almost like in slow motion compared to Italy. This is great for the soul and great for photography.
Did I mention that food in Croatia is to die for as well?
Deconstructing Featured Photo
- Camera: Canon 60D
- Lens: Sigma 17-70mm
- Focal Length: 23mm
- ISO: 100
- Aperture: F8
- Bracketing: 3 shots ( -1, 0, +1)
- Tripod: hand-held
Processing
Lightroom: import, tagging, export to Photomatix
Photomatix: 3 exposures ( -1, 0, +1) were used to tone map image, 16-bit tiff image was exported to Lightroom
Lightroom: straightening, cropping, color correction, split toning (cross-processed effect), export as PSD image
Photoshop: cleaning, sharpening
Photoshop Plugins:
– Topaz Detail was used to enhance details in foreground elements (buildings structure)
– Topaz DeNoise helped to eliminate noise in the middle of the image (water, sky).
