It’s funny how some countries and cities just seem to stick in your mind as a place you have to visit. For years, Sofia has been one of those places for me. I can’t really explain it. I don’t have any rationale to the reason why the idea of visiting Sofia has held such appeal, or value to me. In fact, before arriving in Sofia, I had no idea what to expect. I knew nothing about Sofia except that it was the capital of Bulgaria, and that it was home to one of the most interesting cathedrals in all of Europe.
I think it’s safe to say that I expected to love Sofia, and that’s probably not fair. But, after a couple days in the city attempting to shoot but being thwarted by rain, construction, and a lack to subjects that really interested me, I think I left the city feeling, maybe not let down, but certainly not gushing with praise or lust to return.
On my last day in Sofia, I went into an awesome camera store to buy a couple things for my filter kit. I talked photography for a bit with the staff, and they all said the same thing to me – next time, you have to go out and explore the nature rather than the city. So, I suppose, I really shouldn’t just a place until I give it the full shake.
Photos from Sofia
My main photography goal for photography in Sofia was the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. I hit it up on my first morning as it was the only day where the weather was meant to be decent during my stay. I was impressed. I got some cool images on my shoot at the cathedral. But then, it all kind of went downhill. I spent a full day and a half location scouting and basically anywhere that I thought would make a cool photo was under construction or restoration.
Would I Go Back to Sofia?
Yeah, absolutely! I actually dug the vibe of Sofia. It felt very raw and gritty. From a photography standpoint it wasn’t the most fascinating place in the world. But I would like to go back. I’ve also been told by a number of people that Plovdiv, Bulgaria is actually a brilliant city for photography. So, maybe on a trip towards Turkey I’ll stop in again.
What’s Next on the Travel Photography Blog?
I’m well behind on these blog posts, as you likely know if you follow me on snapchat or instagram. But, after Sofia I caught a quick flight to Athens. I spent a couple days location scouting and shooting in Athens, and then went up to Meteora.. Those are the next two articles coming up on my travel photography blog. Stay tuned.