Bhaktapur Photographs

These are some photographs from Bhaktapur in Nepal. For more photographs from Nepal please visit my web site http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya

Kedar Temple, Durbar Square, Bhaktapur

Unnamed Temple entrance, Bhaktapur

Durbar Square at dawn, Bhaktapur

Window of Wood Carving Museum, Tachupal Tole, Bhaktapur

Seller of Paintings, Taumidhi Tole, Bhaktapur 

Night Photography & Slow Shutter Speeds - II

Asan Tole in Kathmandu is just a five minute walk from the tourist hub of Thamel. It has a bustling market in the mornings and evenings. It also has the famous Annapurna Temple which receives thousands of devotees every day.
One evening around dusk I was returning from Patan and walking from Ratna Park through Asan Tole to Thamel. Luckily, I had my tripod with me that day. As I entered Asan Tole, I found that the evening market or "haat" was in full swing. I took some quick shots but as the sun had already set and the light was fast fading I realised that none of them would work.
While looking around the square, I noticed a window on the first floor of a building with a staircase going up. I then realised that this was the location for the photograph. I went up and found it to be a doctor's chamber! The doctor very kindly agreed to my request to take some photographs and I mounted my tripod in front of the window. This is the result!

Nikon D90, 16-85 VR at 24mm, 1 sec at F8, ISO 640, WB auto

For more photographs of the Kathmandu valley please visit my web site album  Kathmandu Valley

Night Photography and Slow Shutter Speeds

I was recently on assignment in Nepal for a week and fortunately this time I had taken my tripod along , yes, a full height tripod, not one of those small 10 inch table top ones!

Most photographers, including me, are reluctant to take a full size tripod with them while travelling. The reasons are obvious – weight, length, lack of portability and a hassle to carry around. However, in some situations a tripod is invaluable as this photograph will show.

 NIkon D90, 16-85 VR lens at 20 mm, ISO 250, WB Auto, 4 sec at F/11 

I was walking one evening around 7 pm in the streets around Thamel heading back to my hotel after a long day’s shoot and yes carrying the tripod!  Near my hotel in a street intersection I found this temple.  I was able to put up my tripod at the corner of the street and was able to take a series of long exposure photographs. 

The beauty of this was that I did not need to crank up my ISO – it was set to 250 as normal. To get good depth of field I stopped down the lens to F11 and used matrix metering from the centre of the temple to set the shutter speed – I did not underexpose or overexpose. I took a series of six shots of which this was one of the better ones!

The same photograph could have been taken  technically, hand held,  by cranking up the ISO to say 3200, opening up the  aperture to say f3.5 and setting a speed of say 1/20 of a sec or so and hoping that VR would take care of the camera shake, but I doubt if the results would have been the same. I did not try it!

To see this shot in full screen and better resolution please do visit  http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya/Kathmandu-Valley/25737702_cv3249#!i=2128239084&k=VndKWLM&lb=1&s=A

The New Guerrilla Trek in Nepal

'Guerrilla Trek' Unveiled To Promote Tourism   KATHMANDU, Oct 2: With the objective to promote ´War Tourism´, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) along with local organizations have jointly unveiled the "Guerrilla Trek". UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal, who led the Maoist insurgency, unveiled the trekking map and the guide book at a program in the capital on Tuesday. The 27-day trek has been divided into three different routes and the shortest trail can be completed within a week. The trek, most of which , lies around Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, can be started from Beni of Myagdi or Chaurjahari of Piyuthan or Holeri of Rolpa. Mahendra Lamsal, general secretary of TAAN said although there were hotels or lodges along the route, trekking agencies were offering tents and camps for the trekkers. “Home-stay is also the other option for the trekkers,” he said. ´The Guerrilla Trek´ offers a journey through heartland of post-conflict territory. While passing through the route, travelers can enjoy many caves where the rebels hid during the insurgency, captivating waterfalls, lakes along with magnificent view of Dhaulagiri range, according to Alonzo Lyons, author of The Guerrilla Trek guide book. Besides, wide-ranging natural resources and biodiversity and rich culture of ethnic groups is the other attraction of the trail. The route begins from Beni passing through Darbang and Takam of Myagdi, entering Dhorpatan and then on to Thankur at an altitude of 3,175m on seventh day. The trail then passes through Kayam, Maikot and Thawang of Rolpa district. The trek ends at Sulichaur after passing through Jelbang of Rolpa. Speaking at the program Dahal said the trek was an unique product and beginning of the new chapter. “We have observed a great political revolution but the revolution successful when it leads to economical revolution,” he said, “The tourism products like this need promotion and local awareness. Dahal further said the trek was also going to hold historical importance for coming generation. “Tourism helps boost the economy of grass-root level people and our government is committed to uplift the lifestyle of such people,” he added. Courtesy :http://www.myrepublica.com