A multi-day commercial production capturing the real experience of travel around Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia, from rain-soaked streets to sunlit shorelines.
Deliverables:
Hero film, short-form location pieces and still photography for web, social and print.
Project Overview:
Client: TUI Lakes and Mountains
Location: Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia
Production Company: DGTL Concepts Ltd
Date: Summer 2023
Photographer: Martin Sylvester | Martinus Visuals
Role: Unit Stills Photographer
Purpose: Content campaign launching North Macedonia as a new Lakes and Mountains destination
Location: Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia
Production Company: DGTL Concepts Ltd
Date: Summer 2023
Photographer: Martin Sylvester | Martinus Visuals
Role: Unit Stills Photographer
Purpose: Content campaign launching North Macedonia as a new Lakes and Mountains destination
The Creative Brief
TUI commissioned a full content package to introduce North Macedonia to their Lakes and Mountains portfolio, covering a destination hero film, short-form social video and a library of still photography.
As unit photographer, I was tasked with capturing documentary-style images that reflected the lived experience of travel. Not staged perfection, but a genuine window into a relatively undiscovered destination.
The Team
Director: Sam Wordsworth
DoP: Troy Edige
Producer: Amelia Wordsworth
Photographer: Martin Sylvester | Martinus Visuals
The Process
Days 1 to 4: Rain and Resourcefulness
We were met with persistent rain for the majority of the first four days. Rather than pause production, we pivoted to local culture, food, architecture and the unscripted moments between takes. I leaned into overcast light and wet reflections to find the beauty in ordinary scenes. Travel not filtered through sunshine, but still rich with character.
Days 5 to 6: Real Travel Moments
Once the weather lifted, we continued building the campaign around natural light and unscripted scenes. No contrived setups, just real moments: visitors exploring old towns, swimming in the lake, discovering local cafes. The photography was designed to feel intimate and familiar, reinforcing TUI's positioning as a brand built around genuine travel experiences
BEHIND THE SCENES
Reflections & Results
This project was a reminder that the most honest travel photography often happens outside of ideal conditions. Adapting to persistent rain for the first four days meant leaning into a different kind of beauty, one that ended up feeling more true to the destination than sunshine would have allowed.
The campaign delivered a strong suite of visuals used across TUI's web, email and print channels, bringing a lesser-known destination to a mainstream audience with a visual tone that felt grounded rather than aspirational.