After the interview in the first issue of the official Air Serbia inflight magazine – Elevate, I am more than happy to announce that more of my images got published in the second issue of Elevate. The aerial image of Los Angeles describes the “Golden Hour” phenomenon, the story about canyoning in Montenegro and Serbia along with my images on six pages, and lastly but most important, there is the canyoning image on the cover page!

THE GOLDEN HOUR

Unique light at the sunset is called the “golden hour” among photographers. It refers to period when the sun is near the horizon. Typically, lighting is softer, more diffuse and warmer in hue. Less contrast during the golden hour makes the shadows less dark and highlights are less likely to be overexposed. In landscape photography, the warm color of the low sun is often considered desirable to enhance the colors of the scene.
Some places on the Earth, if closer to the equator, such is Los Angeles pictured here during the golden hour, are positioned very conveniently to have longer periods of golden hour.
Everyone should try to experiment with shots during the golden hour. Photos of portraits, landscapes or sporting activities will be more appealing if taken at that particular time. You’ll see surprised faces of your friends.
Enjoy the magical moments photography has to offer.

EXPERIENCE OF UNTOUCHED NATURE

Canyoning is an adventure that can make you feel like you’re experiencing nature’s greatest challenges, albeit in an enjoyable way. Canyoning is about traversing hardto-reach terrain and negotiations natural obstacles, waterfalls, vertical cliffs, narrow stone passages etc.
Descending by rope, jumping into water, walking on wet and slippery ground, swimming or going through narrow crevaces, orientation and finding the right path, climbing more often than not – all elements of this increasingly-popular sporting discipline. Aside from the obligatory mountainclimbing, caving and diving equipment, production recently started on specialised canyoning gear. Turqois water, peculiarly-shaped stone figures and natural wall sculptures shaped by water erosion over centuries, along with the diversity of plant and animal life, bring a unique and exciting aesthetic to the fans of this sport. In order to enjoy the wonders of pristine nature, however, some skill and technique is required.

Canyons can be both very easy and extremely challenging, but this sport’s emphasis is on the aesthetics, fun and adventure, as opposed to technical difficulty. Like in mountain climbing and potholing, and in most extreme sports, teams that go through a canyon decide on the difficulty of the course. They can be very easy to traverse or incredibly difficult, depending on the water level, approach, exit strategy, differences in elevation etc.
Canyons with narrow cracks in the rock, chiselled walls and gorgeous waterfalls are ideal for this sport. The most common routes are the canyons of small tributaries of major rivers, where large rivers form canyons or gorges. Over the last few years more and more visitors have started going to the 20 or so canyons to be found in the mountains of Serbia and Montenegro, which led to the realisation that these areas are great for canyoning. The best locations are the tributaries of the rivers Drina, Morača and Tara, the upper section of the Ibar and the middle part of the River Lim, as well as tributaries leading to the Adriatic Sea near the town of Bar on Rumija Mountain. It’s not uncommon to visit the most extraordinary places, some of which have never before been seen by man. The participants of canyoning often meet people that live on the periphery of civilisation, beside roads less travelled.

Anyone with good stamina and an open mind can participate in this extreme sport. Though it’s not a prerequisite, physical fitness is desirable, as canyoning is not always a harmless stroll of an adventure. Adequate equipment and experienced mentors for newcomers are important, with canyoning being a sport that covers dynamic environments. One could start on the sunny side and end up in complete darkness, with surging rapids and narrow passages. Canyoners have to be prepared and equipped with climbing gear, ropes and belts, a wetsuit, helmet and lamp.
As adventures can often last for an extended period of time and prove perilous unless a safe exit point is located, waterproof footwear with a stiff sole is necessary, as well as extra rations of food and water that should always be carried, alongside a lighter, pocket knife, topography map or GPS device, and a waterproof bag. Sometimes, when the canyons are more challenging, teams can spend the night beside one of the obstacles, so a sleeping bag could very well be considered an essential part of equipment…
Canyoning is a collective discipline with a division of roles among the participants enabling obstacles to be surmounted more efficiently, and so that the necessary equipment gets delivered to the desired destination. Nothing is done without prior agreement by the whole team, for safety reasons.

Canyoning is being discovered by many lovers of the sense of freedom provided by untouched nature. If you’re curious and adventurous, and attracted to the magic of water and intact nature, canyoning might just be the perfect activity for you. By taking time to appreciate the greatness of nature, you might find inside yourself a glimpse of universal beauty.

Text: Milos Radevic
Photo: Predrag Vuckovic