Mikaela Toczek, founder of More to Explore in Slovenia, combines her background as a documentary photographer and photojournalism educator with her passion for guiding to create tours that explore Slovenia’s lesser-known forested regions and emerald waters. Having moved to Slovenia with her family and launched her business three years ago, she deliberately focuses on areas without established tourism infrastructure, taking small groups of eight people to places that offer authentic connections with local hosts and providers. Her approach to tours integrates what she calls “conscious photography” – a philosophy rooted in her experience using medium format film cameras that have only 12 shots per roll, forcing intentional, reflective image-making rather than mindless smartphone snapping. This photographic mindfulness becomes woven throughout her tour experiences, helping guests balance capturing memories with being fully present in Slovenia’s stunning natural landscapes.
Key Takeaways:
- Implement conscious photography practices from day one – Start tours by explaining you’ll document the experience professionally and share photos later, giving guests permission to put phones away and be present
- Create intentional phone-free moments at key locations – Before reaching viewpoints or special places, ask the group to keep phones away for the first 10-15 minutes to experience awe together without digital distraction
- Establish group photo-sharing systems early – Set up WhatsApp groups before tours begin and share select images during the trip to reassure guests their memories are being captured professionally
- Use the “rule of reading” for better composition – People naturally read images left-to-right, top-to-bottom; place important elements strategically within this visual flow to create stronger storytelling
- Turn off geotagging to protect destinations – Educate guests about keeping location tags generic rather than specific on social media to prevent over-tourism at fragile or special places
- Design photography education organically into any tour – Even non-photography tours benefit from brief discussions about composition variety (close-ups, landscapes, action shots) and storytelling through images
- Balance revelation with mystery in marketing photos – Show enough to inspire bookings but leave room for guests to experience their own moments of surprise and awe during the actual tour
- Experiment with analog alternatives – Consider disposable-style cameras, sketching moments, or cyanotype contact printing as tactile, mindful alternatives to constant phone photography
- Share curated photo collections post-tour – Edit and organize images to tell the complete story of the experience, creating lasting value for guests and encouraging positive reviews
- Make group photo activities collaborative rather than individual – Instead of everyone taking the same shot, encourage sharing perspectives and contributing to a collective visual story of the journey
