Photogenic Nepal

Photogenic Nepal There’s no better way to preserve your travel experiences than in photographs… the morning’s golden rays warming the icy Himalaya, a bustling bazaar full of curry-smeared porters and strolling trinket peddlers, the sheepish smile of a boy distracted from his candle-light studies. Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, Nepal promises an unlimited selection of photogenic scenes and subjects. Fill your scrapbook, slide tray or video library with memories of these festive people, the dramatic Himalaya, the lives and legends of Nepal. Photography is an art, but it’s one that can be learned. A little forethought, some practical knowledge, and the willingness to get out and tramp the countryside, or cityscape, will inevitably bring pleasing results. Let the following guide assist you in knowing when, where, and how to take good photos in and around Kathmandu, and what types of photo equipment and services to expect.  Before Setting Out Be sure your camera is clean and in good working order. Get to know all the adjustment features, especially the winding and exposure metering systems. Shoot a roll or two, trying various lighting conditions and exposures, the flash and lenses. Develop the pictures to see how you did. Most Kathmandu photo shops offer quick print service which, even if you’re taking slides, will tell you how you and your camera are getting along. Bring plenty of film or a good quality digital camera. How much you’ll need varies, but consider ten to forty or fifty shots a day. It’s better to have too much as once out of the cities, film is not available, or in very limited supply. Before leaving Kathmandu, stock up on batteries. If you are going to high altitude, remember that batteries die quickly in extreme cold leaving your electronic gear lifeless. Keep your batteries (and camera for that) matter warm at night in your sleeping bag to assure proper functioning. In monsoon season, or while river-rafting, select reliable water proofing.  Ready, Aim, Shoot Nearly every Nepal scene seems photographable if not framable: a shop-shelf mosaic of toothpaste, cigarettes and peanut butter; an audience of orange-coated goat heads peering from a butcher stall doorway; two-legged haystacks, file cabinets, foam mattresses, you name it, threading through narrow cobblestone paths. Be creative. Capture the living world of Nepal.  Candid Camera! A telephoto or zoom lens is extremely helpful when photographing people. With a long lens, you can sit in an out of the way spot (sun behind your back) and inconspicuously shoot natural poses. In the Kathmandu Valley, you’ll see people of at least a dozen different ethnic groups; in the hills more than twice as many. Put together a collage of faces, dress and customs that tell each of their stories. Some favorite spots to photograph people are the open air bazaars. Kathmandu’s old bazaar, the Asan Indrachowk area, is a kaleidoscope of people and activities, especially early in the morning, farmers are found busy setting out fresh vegetables as Hindu devotees make offerings at vermillion stained temples. If you don’t have a long lens, venture forward for some close-ups. But first put your subjects at ease with a smile, a bit of conversation or better yet, signal your intentions and measure their response. If courteously approached, most Nepalese are naturally photogenic and quick to smile, but some, for religious or personal reasons, are camera shy. Respect their wishes. An opportune place for photographing the lives and faces of Nepal’s people is outside their temples. (Inside some religious places, such as Pashupatinath, photography is not allowed). But again be sensitive. Tibetans and Sherpas congregate near Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, the Valley’s main Buddhist temples, where mornings and evenings they circumambulate the stupas, twirling prayer wheels and fingering beads. Coifed in long braids, men and women wearing their colorful garb, they epitomize the fidelity to tradition that makes Kathmandu a place joined to past. At Pashupatinath, you can photograph religious ceremonies, from across the river or on the bridge facing the main temple area. If you’ve a friend willing to snap Polaroid shots, you’re sure to make friends. A good trick to catching natural expressions is to engage the subject in looking at Polaroid of himself, while you capture the reactions with side-line shooting. In outdoor portrait photography, don’t forget to use your flash. In inadequately lit situations such as dim alley-ways or inside temples, a flash will properly light the subject. In other difficult lighting situations, that is, with harsh shadows or directed glare, a flash, if properly adjusted for daylight use, can “fill in the shadow” and smooth out the lighting.  Lighting for Silhouettes, Details and Emotion Kathmandu’s architecture tells its history, its religion, its art. It can be ordinary if photographed from the car window but comes to life with a little imagination and inertia. Lighting and composition affect a structure’s appeal on film. Use a bit of forethought for both and you’ll capture the emotion that inevitably escapes the ill-conceived study in structures. Plan your sightseeing itinerary with a thought about lighting. Early morning or late afternoon backlighting sets off form and shape of the subject: for example the distinctive silhouette of Swayambhunath at sunset, or a statue’s profile against the morning’s sunburst. Sidelighting highlights the lines, depth and details: the beautifully carved wooden frames of Bhaktapur are best photographed in the late afternoon. Front lighting, that is with the light behind the camera, is the old standby, drummed into us since the time of our first Brownie camera. It undeniably has the advantage of maximizing visibility but in the process can smooth over texture and depth: mid-day brightness whites, out surface features and creates unbecoming harshness to facades and faces. Thus, contrary to common belief, bright sunny days are not the best for photography, especially for scenes with water, snow or glassy surfaces. Overcast days are, however, ideal for outdoor photography. Even cloud cover diffuses light, acting as a natural skylight filter against glare and harsh shadows. If you’ve no choice but clear sunny weather, you can remove water or snow’s reflections and highlight dramatic cloud formations with a polarizing filter. A skylight filter, commonly used as a protector lens as well, will correct for the overly blue effects of a cloudless sky. In short, filters will modify the effects of various lighting conditions, in black-and-white or color photography. Inclement weather may actually be your best friend; it lends mood and dynamism to otherwise passive scenes. A storm ridden sky infuses Kathmandu’s skyline with anticipation and power. With slide film, you can intensify the stormy effects by underexposing the photo 1/2 to 1 stop. Winter mornings’ fog turns a Durbar Square templescape into a playground of molten configurations. As fog’s brightness will mislead your exposure meter, increase exposure 1/2 to 1 stop.  Languishing Landscapes Landscape photographs can be black and say nothing, without thoughtful composition. The colorful, ever-changing Kathmandu Valley gives ample opportunity to practice these techniques: *Choose a dominant subject – a lone brick house in a flooded rice paddy. *Shoot from different viewpoints and later choose the one that complements shape, arrangement and lighting. *Try to avoid cutting the image in half with the horizon, or power lines. *Lead from foreground to back with a linear object, a road or line of trees, for example. *To keep foreground and background sharp, use the smallest aperture (lens opening) possible, and adjust the shutter speed for a slow closure to attain adequate exposure. *If you didn’t bring a tripod, look for a steady support such as a rock, wall or your friend’s shoulder for your arm and camera.  Sunrise, Sunset The sun’s fiery globe lingering over the rose tinted Himalaya is the picture every Nepal visitor dreams of taking. Though the ideal vantage point may be a week’s walk into the hill and 3000 meters up, during clear weather you can take mountable shots even from Kathmandu.