After weeks of anticipation, the Double Shot Photography Contest has its winners! Four creatives will join us this November in Central Istria for an unforgettable week of photography, storytelling, and rakija during Distillery Days.
This November, four talented creatives, Hugo, Nora, Alice, and Iwona, will travel to Central Istria as the winners of the Double Shot Photography Contest and will take part in immersive workshops during Distillery Days, a celebration of local craftsmanship, gastronomy, and community.
Delivered by DNA Croatia in partnership with the Central Istria Tourist Board and with the support of the Croatia National Tourist Board, the Double Shot Contest brings together digital nomads and photographers to experience one of Croatia’s most authentic regions through its flavors, people, and landscapes.
🎞 The Winners
🥘 Food Photography Track: Hugo S. (The Netherlands)
Hugo is the winner of the foot photography workshop led by Amsterdam-based photographer Lizzy Komen. He describes himself as a budding food and event photographer with a passion for gastronomy and storytelling. “I’m eager to capture the spirit of Central Istria, to translate its flavors, traditions, and experiences into great images. Cheers to truffles that play hide-and-seek, rakija that fuels laughter, and peka dinners that feel like a warm hug!”
🌄 Landscape Photography Track: Iwona S., Nora B., and Alice L.
This year’s judges faced a tie, so instead of two winners, three digital nomads will join the landscape photography workshop led by Amsterdam-based photographer Tijmen Hobbel.
Iwona, whose poetic toast evokes “small towns made by giants and liquid gold from the grove,” celebrates Istria’s charm in verse. Nora hopes to deepen her ability to tell meaningful stories through travel photography, capturing “the feeling of this place through experience, not just photos.” Alice, meanwhile, finds beauty in imperfection, “an antidote to the manicured performance of social media”, and can’t wait to explore Istria’s raw authenticity.
The four winners will spend a week in Central Istria during Distillery Days, joining food photography mentor Lizzy Komen and landscape photography mentor Tijmen Hobbel, both acclaimed creatives from Amsterdam, for hands-on workshops in lighting, composition, and storytelling.
Alongside photography sessions, participants will enjoy truffle hunting, rakija tastings, and peka dinners, while discovering the region’s medieval towns, vineyards, and rolling hills.
For years, DNA Croatia has worked with the Central Istria Tourist Board to promote the region as a year-round destination for digital nomads and creative travelers — with projects such as Digital Nomads in Residence (2022), Central Istria Gourmet Getaway (2023), and ViNomad (2024) paving the way for this collaboration.
The Double Shot Contest continues that mission by blending creativity and culture, connecting people through food, photography, and shared experience.
📍 Learn more about Central Istria by visiting the Live and Work in Central Istria website.
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