Bulgarian Evgeni Dinev has taken the prestigious 6^th position among the best landscape photographers in the world at the US topteny.com website’s rankings. The man not only presents a collection of thrilling photos, but also a story – with pictures, colors and words. “This land has been marked by ancient civilizations, wiped out by the centuries. Dozens of fortresses are still hidden and forgotten amidst the thick forests of the Balkan Range, as those used to be part of Byzantium’s defense network in the Balkans” – that is the rhythm of one of Dinev’s stories, interwoven with photography. It brings us back centuries ago when the Kapilovsko kale in the Balkan Range protected the Byzantine Empire from the barbarian tribes. Evgeni says that curiosity pushed him towards photography – the old editions of National Geographic in the pre-Internet era made him dream. Today the work of the photographer is really popular across social networks and he has nearly 91,000 Facebook fans. What is the feeling whenever a photographer discovers the unique shot?

“Well, the thing is one doesn’t know which the unique shot is. Whenever it is taken, you think it is quite common. Sometimes the reaction of the people is the thing that prompts that you have shot something really beautiful. I’ve had many cases when I have discovered the uniqueness of a photo 2-3-4 years after it has been taken. One way or another, the others show me which photos are good.”

Which part of the day is the best for landscape photography?

“I do love mornings, before and after dawn, when the day is rising. The sky is clear, the light is brighter and more intense. Those hours with the sun being situated low below and above the horizon are the best ones for photography. It is not a good idea to shoot at noon for instance. Most of the viewers say: “Oh, I’ve been there. It doesn’t look like that – he has done something with Photoshop.” In reality you don’t need Photoshop, but the right time,” the artist explains.

The fan is rarely aware of the difficulties one faces while photographing amidst extreme natural circumstances: with rain, thunders, storms or snow. “You take huge risks in such weather,” Evgeni says. However, there are even more difficulties:

“The complicated moments are related mainly to the trip itself, as interesting spots should be looked for. In fact it is toughest to find the place – it takes a wake early through the night, a long travel, lots of patience while waiting and finally… you might end up with nothing. Whenever one has found the spot, one has to be able to capture beauty.”

The photographer travels around the whole country. However, are there any particularly suitable spots?

“Of course there are. I see old forests as such places, along with the reserves in the Balkan Range, the Rhodope Mountain… Those are now almost extinct in other mountains. The Central Balkan National Park in the Balkan Range is the best, as far as forests are concerned, along with the highest parts of the Rhodope Mountain, but the logging is now too much there. I don’t want to go to the Strandja Natural Reserve anymore, as the situation is terrible. I recall that the roads used to be like tunnels before, one couldn’t see the sun. And now it’s all gone, there are no trees. It’s a sad view. We destroy our most precious assets here in Bulgaria.”

English version: Zhivko Stanchev