Uzungöl is a mountain lake in the Çaykara district of Trabzon, reached by a road that climbs from the Black Sea coast at Of through the Solaklı valley. Steep, forested slopes close in on three sides, a mosque with two minarets stands at the water’s edge, and wooden houses climb the hillsides. Weather changes by the hour. For photography this is both the attraction and the challenge.
Expect cloud, and use it
The eastern Black Sea is the wettest part of Türkiye. Clear blue days happen, but mist drifting through spruce trees is just as typical, and many of the best-known images of Uzungöl were made in exactly those conditions. Fog simplifies a busy background, softens faces and gives depth to the forest. A photographer who works here regularly will be comfortable with it; a session plan that only works in sunshine is a poor plan.
Rain is another matter. Agree in advance how long you are willing to wait and whether the session can move to another day. If your trip gives you two or three nights at the lake, keep the timing flexible.
Viewpoints and settings
The lakeshore
A walkway runs around the lake. The side opposite the mosque gives the classic composition of minarets, water and mountains, and on a still morning the reflection is clean. By mid-morning in summer the shore is crowded with visitors, vehicles and boats, so this is a sunrise location.
The viewing terraces above the village
Roads climb the slopes to several viewing points that look down on the whole basin. These give the wide “lake view” picture many couples want. Some are attached to cafés that expect you to buy something or pay a small entry fee; that is normal and worth it for the angle.
Forest and streams
The stream that feeds the lake, the wooden bridges and the forest tracks just above the village are quieter than the shore and well suited to couple portraits and families who like to walk.
The high pastures
Above Uzungöl lie yaylas, the summer highland pastures of the region, with open grass, wooden huts and views across ridges. Roads are rough and often need a suitable vehicle and a local driver. For nature-focused sessions in summer they offer space and silence the lake no longer has.
Season by season
- Spring: fresh green, full streams, lingering snow on the heights, frequent showers.
- Summer: the busiest period by far, with heavy traffic in the village. Early starts are essential.
- Autumn: the mixed forest turns yellow and rust in October, and visitor numbers drop. Many photographers consider this the best time.
- Winter: snow is common and the lake can partly freeze. The scene is striking, but check road conditions and bring proper footwear.
What to wear and bring
The lake lies at roughly 1,000 metres, so it is cooler than the coast in every season. Dress in layers. Against so much green, clothes in cream, white, rust, mustard or deep red stand out, while dark green and brown disappear. Waterproof shoes are sensible; carry dress shoes separately. A clear umbrella is a useful prop when it drizzles. Brides planning a session in a wedding dress should accept that the hem will get damp.
Sessions that suit Uzungöl
Honeymoon and couple shoots are the most common, followed by family portraits for visitors on a Black Sea tour and post-wedding sessions for couples from Trabzon and Rize. Nature and landscape photographers come for the fog and the autumn colour. The region’s traditional dress is sometimes offered to visitors for souvenir pictures by the lake; that is a different service from booking a photographer for a planned session.
Booking a photographer
Professional photographers serving Uzungöl are frequently based in Trabzon city, well over an hour away, so ask whether travel is included. Review complete galleries shot at the lake in more than one kind of weather. Confirm in writing the session length, locations, number of edited photos, delivery time, payment terms and the policy for rain. If you hope for aerial views of the basin, remember that drones in Türkiye must be registered and flown with permission, and low cloud often makes flying impossible anyway.
Take a look at our photographer directory to find photographers in Trabzon and the Black Sea region; local photographers can add a free listing. There are more Türkiye photography guides to help with the rest of your route.
Cover photo: Uzungöl, Trabzon.jpg by Ozbakanelwan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
