Tonina Ryan, Croatia Childhood Haze (TRAVEL 2026)

Both my parents are Croatian, and I first visited Dubrovnik, Croatia, when I was seven. And last year, many decades later, here I was with so many images that echoed childhood. The swimming trunks, the blue esky, and the old buildings that have survived wars and generations. The Catholic nun in traditional dress made me feel like I could touch the late 70s. The weather was a warm 32-degree summer day, and the reverence for the old architecture where people live was inspiring. After the war in the 90s, the old town has been lovingly restored and is pulsating with life and beauty. The nun I found particularly intriguing. I paused close by while she finished speaking to a couple – she noticed me, and once she was done chatting and before she went inside, she looked over and nodded her photographic approval, and the photo was made. At the time, I admired her confidence and grace to share her image and the moment.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.