Ptuj Panorama, Slovenia

Ptuj panorama captures the timeless beauty of Slovenia’s oldest town from a riverside perspective. The wide composition frames a beautiful row of historic houses with vibrant orange roofs. Above the town, the majestic Ptuj Castle dominates the skyline from its hill. On the right, the prominent city tower and church spires add to the medieval charm. The calm surface of the Drava River acts like a giant mirror. It creates a flawless reflection of the entire cityscape and the dramatic, cloudy sky above.

I struggled to capture this panorama for quite a while. The sky filled with lots of puffy clouds meant a constantly changing light. I wanted dramatic light shining on the city that would also work well for a black and white version of the panorama. When the light started shining through the clouds, I began my panorama but wasn’t able to finish it. In the end, I captured this version with less contrasty light and thought this would work too. About one hour later, the light started shining more constantly, but the clouds above the town were mostly gone.

Ptuj offers a rich history that dates back to the Stone Age. It later became an important Roman military fort named Poetovio. Photographers and travelers always include this spot on their bucket lists for several reasons:

• The Perfect Reflection: The Drava Bridge provides the best elevated angle to capture this stunning water mirror effect.

• The Historic Castle: Ptuj Castle now houses a museum with collections of traditional carnival masks and musical instruments.

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