A toad seen from a frog’s-eye view

I had never heard of the Komarnica until September 2024, when, during the Balkan River Summit in Podgorica, I first learned about this extraordinary Montenegrin river and the threat looming over it: a massive dam project that would drown its spectacular canyon under 100 meters of water. Months later, when the Montenegrin Ecological Society asked if I would photograph the river to support the conservation campaign, I immediately said yes. Soon after, I found myself traveling to Montenegro with a very special assistant: my nine-year-old son, Nils.

Komarnica hides in plain sight. Flowing between limestone walls rising up to 700 meters, it remains difficult to access, wild, and largely unexplored. Reaching the river often meant steep descents through forest, carrying heavy camera gear and underwater equipment.

One cold June morning, I slipped into the river. The water barely reached 10°C, but once past the initial shock, an underwater world unfolded: polished ochre stones, emerald currents, graylings darting through pools, and trout vanishing into deeper water. Swimming upstream through narrow passages, clinging to rock faces against the current, felt like entering another dimension.

Later, drifting back downstream, I paused beside a quiet side pool. There, placidly floating among reflections and river plants, was a yellow-bellied toad, perfectly still. In a place as dramatic as Komarnica, it would be easy to overlook such a tiny creature. Yet moments like this remind me that wilderness is made of countless small lives and hidden relationships. As a conservation photographer, this is what I hope to convey through my images: protecting a grand landscape begins with caring for the fragile details that make it whole.

Born in Rome in 1979, Bruno D’Amicis is an award-winning conservation photographer and biologist whose work focuses on biodiversity and wilderness. Published worldwide and honored by major awards, he collaborates with NGOs, protected areas, and media to tell authentic stories that inspire conservation.