Tara mountain – Lađevac spring and the river Rača

Overview & Quick Tips

Tara is a mountain situated in western Serbia and it stands at 1000-1500 meters above sea level. In 1981, Tara was declared a National park, with numerous species of plants, fish, birds and wild animals, many of which have a significant scientific importance. In addition to rich flora and fauna, there are many walking paths, forests, viewpoints, lakes and rivers, many spectacular and breathtaking sights, and whenever you go to Tara, you can find something new to see and photograph.

Detailed information

Ever since I was a child, Tara has been my favorite mountain in Serbia, and Lađevac spring and the river Rača have been “my special places” ever since I can remember. But as an adult and a photographer, I have asked myself again why I love these places so much. Yes, childhood memories, feeling of serenity and my love for nature are still there – but when I take my camera, a few more reasons to love this place instantly appear. Vibrant colors, diverse nature, unusual patterns and streams of water are certain to attract every nature loving photographer, even the one with no childhood memories from this place. This is why I decided to recommend this place to everyone who enjoys spending time in nature and taking photos of it. The place looks wonderful all year long, but it is the best to visit it in spring and summer, when the days are longer and when the weather is warm and sunny.

Tripod is a must – since the river and the spring are situated in a forest, there will not be enough light to shoot from hand no matter the time of day. Therefore, make sure to bring a tripod in order not to pull your hair out when you return home and see that the photos are blurry. Tripod will also be useful if you want to take long exposure shots of water, since it would be impossible to do it from hand. While we are at long exposure shots – you could use a neutral density (ND) filter in order to be able to lower the shutter speed even further.

Wide angle – even though I am a prime lenses lover, in love with my 50 mm, I have to say that wide-angle lenses simply work better for this particular place.  If you do not own a wide-angle lens, most of kit lenses cover focal length of 18mm, which is fairly enough to capture many beauties of this place in one photo.

Details – even though “the big picture” is magical, there are also many details to pay attention to. There are many strangely shaped trees and stones and various plants, so once you get bored of photographing with wide-angle lens (if that ever happens), there will be a lot more to capture. Make sure to use the tripod, but if you have a lens with wide aperture, when you combine it with higher ISO values, it is also possible to shoot from hand.

Be careful – this is probably implied whenever you take photos out in the wild, but I believe it can never be stressed enough. The paths that lead to the spring are usually muddy and wet, so be very careful when approaching and make sure to wear waterproof footwear. The stones in the Rača river are extremely slippery and you could fall into the water in the blink of an eye (it happened to me once). Protect your gear and keep in a waterproof case while you are crossing the river, just to be on the safe side.

The last piece of advice – enjoy. Put your gear down every once in a while, take a deep breath and dedicate a few minutes to enjoy the nature and the magic of Tara.

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