The Himalayan Seasons I: Ladakh & Zanskar

Approaching storm, Leh Palace

This is a eight part essay on the seasons in the Himalayas one part every week. The first one starting today is on Ladakh and Zanskar.


Mid December to March
It is peak winter with temperatures in Leh down to -30C on some nights! It is the time for the Chadar Trek usually in late Jan/Feb. The flights from Delhi are running and some hotels and guest houses are open in Leh. The Indus valley is usually open for vehicles. Awesome light and clarity for photography! Some of the monastery festivals are held at this time - Spituk, Stok, Likir and Matho have festivals in February 2013!


April and May
The first spring would probably come in late April. From Mid April the weather is suitable for jeep safaris as the warmer days would melt some of the snow and make the passes feasible. The weather would still be cold and expect freak snow storms even in May! It is a good time to visit as the summer tourists are yet to descend on the Indus!


June to September
These four months are the peak season. The Manali-Leh road and the Srinagar- Leh road are both open. The Pensi La pass to Zanskar usually opens in mid June.  In some years, freak snowstorms have closed the road for a few days during this period. The valleys are green in June-Aug becoming brown with the approaching autumn in Sept. Late Aug to mid Sept is  a wonderful trekking  time and good for the high pass crossings – Tso Moriri to Kibber, Across Zanskar, Rumtse to Tso Moriri etc.  It is high season so air fares are  all up and for larger groups hotels need to be booked as well.


October to Mid December
 There are not many tourists at this time. Leh is in a shut down mode from mid October. The late winter sometimes makes October a good month for jeep safaris. Trekking is usually ruled out at this time except for the intrepid! This season usually sees few visitors.


Photography Locations
Here are some of the good photography locations:

• The Shanti Stupa at dusk in Leh

• Tso Moriri lake in autumn when the sheep and goats graze on the rich pastureland.

• Overnight at Lamayuru monastery staying at the monastery guest house.

• The sand dunes of the Nubra valley

• The view from the top of Thikse monastery in  the early morning when the lamas are at prayer.

For an overview of the region please do visit my Ladakh and Zanskar photo galleries.

Annapurna Sanctuary

The south base camp of Annapurna in the Annapurna Sanctuary has become a very popular trekking destination. The vast amphitheatre of peaks provide one of the best locations in the world for mountain photography. Some photographs from the region are here and for more photos please do visit my web site http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya

Macchapuchare at sunset 

Moonrise Macchapuchare from Macchapuchare Base Camp

Dawn on the south wall of Annapurna I

Annapurna South and Annapurna I

Annapurna South Face

Photographing with one Nikon body and one prime lens

The other day I was planning to do some street photography in Calcutta and was debating about what equipment to use. I wanted to be as unobtrusive as possible and not carry a big bag loaded with cameras and lenses. There is some joy in being able to move seamlessly through the streets and shoot before anyone has  realised that a photo was being taken!  Ideally for this sort of shooting one of the smaller compacts like the Canon G12 is very suitable but I am a "SLR man"  at heart and so decided on an SLR. The Nikon D90 is small and compact:  it was my choice of camera body. Now the lens?

The choices with me as you can see presented quite a dilemma!

• Nikon 12-24 DX zoom
• Nikon 24 f2.8 AF-D
• Nikon 28 f 2 AI 
• Nikon 35 F2 AF
• Nikon 50 F1.8 AF D
• Nikon 16-85 VR DX
• Nikon 85 F1.8 AF

How did I decide as the brief was one camera and one lens only?

My first instinct was to take the normal zoom 16-85 mm as that would take care of almost all the situations which I would be looking at. But, zooms are slow and the 16-85 is no exception and bulky as well compared to the primes. As I wanted to be "not looking like a photographer" I abandoned the zoom idea and with the same logic also ruled out the Nikon 12-24 DX wide zoom.

So I was left with the Nikon prime lenses!

The 85 mm ruled itself out as it is a short telephoto and would not be very useful on the street as I was not looking for telephoto subjects or portraits specifically.

 I then had to consider that the D90 is a cropped sensor so all the Nikon prime lenses would be subject to this crop factor.

The 50 F1.8, though a superb lens,  and extremely fast and sharp,  eliminated itself again for being  a short telephoto  on a DX body.

So I was left with the three Nikon wides - 24, 28 and 35.

The 28 f2 AI was one of my favourite lenses in the old film days and many of my outdoor shots were taken with this lens. Howver, I soon realised that the lens would not meter with the Nikon D90 and as I needed to shoot fast this would not work.

So it was between the 24 and 35!

The 35 would operate like a normal lens 52mm and would have the advantage of a f2 fast aperture. However, my past experience told me that 52mm would perhaps be a little too tight in busy street situations. It would be easier to get closer to the action and shoot with a wider lens and also take advantage of the additional depth of field of the 24 which would effectively be a 36 mm.

I quite like the field of view of the 24 when used on the D90 and the combination makes a fast compact kit. So how did I set it up?

• The ISO was on auto with maximum ISO of 800 as I felt that would be sufficient given that I had a fast  2.8 lens and reasonable depth of field.
• I set the autofocus to AF-S, single point as I did not think I would need continuous focus.
• I decided to use aperture priority auto as I usually do and set the 24 lens to 5.6 which is two stops below the maximum aperture which is a  reasonable sweet spot for optimal performance.
• I set white balance to auto as I was not going to have time in the field to tinker with the white balance settings.
• And finally as always I decided to shoot RAW.
• I formatted a 4 GB scandisk Ultra memory card and put in freshly charged battery which should be sufficient for a day's work and set out.

And finally how did it work out?

I must say that the setup resulted in extremely quick shooting! There was no need to fiddle about with the zoom ring - my feet were the zoom and I had to move closer or away depending on how I wanted to compose! The camera lens /combination was small and unobtrusive so often I could hold it behind my back and take it out and shoot in a jiffy and in most cases the subject was not even aware as I walked away! I could shoot in seconds as I was not changing any of the settings before shooting.

I knew that I had only one lens so I needed to shoot photographs for that lens. So instintively close up portraits from a distance, ultra wide landscapes etc were all ruled out. I also knew that for impact I needed to be close to the subject to get that feel of drama especially when shooting street activity like shops, market places etc. Focusing was also not an issue as the available depth of field made it easy to focus as well.  In most cases I tried to be within six to ten feet of my subject, sometimes maybe even closer!

Try this out someday - you will find freedom from a bag full of lenses, bodies and having to make choices as you go along!

For more of my photographs please do visit www.sujoydas.com

The Annapurna Foothills Trek: December 2012

TREK THE CLASSIC GHANDRUNG LOOP IN THE ANNAPURNA FOOTHILLS OF NEPAL  

The Annapurna foothills provide tremendous trekking with delightful trails connecting villages and ridge tops. This picturesque trek winds through enchanting villages with ochre thatched houses, terraced rice fields and rhododendron forests, which are spectacular in the spring when whole hillsides are cloaked in colorful flowers. The ridge top village of Ghandrung provides one of the finest viewpoints of the Annapurna Mountains with magnificent views of the four Annapurnas, and Machapuchare with its fishtail summit.

It is an easy walk as the altitude never crosses 1950 metres and its ideal for first time trekkers. This is one of the most popular treks of South Col and has been done by children as well!  

      ITINERARY

Day 01   Kathmandu to Pokhara (885 metres) – 6 hours by vehicle

Drive to Pokhara in our own private micro bus and check into the Gurkha Haven Hotel  http://www.hotelgurkhahaven.com/  in Damside which is a quiet area of Pokhara. Spend the evening in Pokhara taking in the sights near the lake and relaxing prior to the start of the trek.

Day 02 Trek to Dhampus and Pothana (1650 metres) 4-5 hours walking

Leave Pokhara around 7.30 am after a good breakfast at the German Bakery and travel in our own micro bus to Phedi the start of the trek.  From here we begin our trek with a walk to the scenic ridge village of Dhampus. (3 hours walking).  Have lunch in Dhampus with spectacular view of the mountains.  From Dhampus walk for about two hours after lunch through scenic forests and Annapurna views along the ridge to Pothana. Overnight at a lodge in Pothana which has possibly one of the best views of Macchapuchare.

Machhapuchare, Annapurna II and IV from Pothana 

Day 03 Trek to Landrung (1550 metres) 5 hours walking

From Pothana the trail climbs gently through forest to Bichok Deorali (2100m). From this pass there are views through the rhododendrons in several directions with Dhaulagiri being visible from here. A steepish descent through trees takes us to the old suspension bridge at Bheri Kharka. From here we follow a level trail to the large Gurung village of Landrung. This village is directly across the valley from Ghandrung and stretches 500 metres up the hillside. There are good views up the Modi Khola to the Annapurna Mountains from here.  Overnight at a lodge in Landrung.

Landrung village

Day 04 Ghandrung (1939m) 4-5 hours walking
The large village of Ghandrung can be seen directly across the valley from Landrung. This is a short walking day allowing time to explore Landrung and Ghandrung. From Landrung we descend to the Modi Khola River and cross on a large suspension bridge. The ascent through terraced fields to the picturesque town takes around 2 hours. Ghandrung is largely a Gurung town and is the headquarters of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). Many of the lodges here have the more environmentally friendly features that ACAP encourages such as back boilers, solar panels, etc.  The views of the Annapurna Mountains and Machapuchare from here are stunning.

Walking down to the bridge from Landrung to Ghandrung 

Day 05 Rest Day at Ghandrung to explore the village and see the spectacular views and chill out!

Day 06 – Ghandrung to Birethanti to Pokhara (885 metres) 5-6 hours walking
The trail descends from Ghandrung to the village of Syuli  Bazaar next to the river (3 hours).  After an early lunch at Syuli Bazaar around 11 am,  we set out for the level walk to the village of Birethanti , a village situated on the banks of the Modi Khola, the valley leading to the Annapurna Sanctuary. We cross the Modi Khola on a suspension bridge then follow the river valley to the road-head at Nayapul. Here our trek ends and our private micro bus takes us the short way to Pokhara. Here we check-in at the Gurkha Haven Hotel again.  From the hotel roof, across the lake and above the terraced hillsides, we may catch a glimpse of the k sun setting on Annapurna and Machapuchare once again.

Day 07 Kathmandu (1526 metres)
We return to Kathmandu by the morning flight. In case anyone wants to stay on in Pokhara please let me know and arrangements can be made. In case bookings are required in Kathmandu for a hotel please let me know as well.

      COSTS

 The cost of the trek is Rs 27,500  per person for Kathmandu to Kathmandu (7 days)  for SAARC citizens and USD 700 for foreigners as per the itinerary above and excludes meals.  For more details please email me at sujoyrdas@gmail.com

Zanskar: The Fort and I Outlook Traveller June 2012

A photo essay on the monasteries of Zanskar published in Outlook Traveller June 2012 issue. For the full essay visit my web site  or the Outlook Traveller page http://travel.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?281146 .

Nikon D600

With the photographs of the Nikon D600 leaked on a chinese web site the launch of this camera now seems imminent! 





There are many photographers who shoot in the mountains and need to carry their equipment themselves. Most of them would be interested in a small full frame camera with good resolution and specifications. So would the D600 fit the bill?


The expected specifications of the camera as appearing on the Nikon Rumors site  is given below: 

1. 24.7MP full frame sensor
2. Weight: 760g (850g with battery and memory cards), the D800 weights 900g and the DX D7000 weighs 690 g without battery and cards
3. 3.2″ LCD with 921K dot with ambient sensor control
4. HDMI output
5. Video compression: H264/MPEG-4
6. Full HD with 30p, 25p, 24p, HD with 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p
7. Viewfinder coverage: 100% for FX , 97% for DX
8. Built-in AF motor
9. Weather sealed body
10. ISO range: 100-6400 (with Lo-1 ISO 50 and Hi-2 ISO 25,600)
11. 39 AF points (with an option of 11 AF points), 9 cross-type AF points
12. AF face detection
13. Exposure compensation: ±5 EV (same as the D800)
14. EN-EL15 rechargeable Li-ion battery
15. 5 fps (same as the D700, the D800 has 4fps)
16. 2 SD card slots with Eye-fi support
17. Build-in retouching images functionality
18. Built-in flash with sync speed of 1/250s
19. Two user settings: U1 and U2
20. Fn button
21. Auto DX crop mode
22. In-camera RAW editor
23. Built in time-lapse functionality
24. Possibly with build-in HDR
25. New external battery grip

From the leaked photographs it seems that the size of the camera is very similar to the D7000 and it also shares the identical  left dial with U1 and U2 options. 


For photographers who own Nikon's  AIS manual focus lenses, there is good news: these will meter on the D600 as well. As far as weight is concerned it is only a bit heavier than the D7000. In fact it seems that Nikon may well have used the D7000 body shell and built in a FX sensor in the same body!


As a mountain photographer,  I am very attracted to the D600! It looks like a small compact body, the weight and size is less than the D700 or  D800, it meters the old manual focus lenses, it should have good clean ISO from 100-1600  at least and maybe even 3200- 6400 at a pinch, it has two SD card slots like the D7000, 100% viewfinder coverage and a 24.7  mp sensor!


The price of the camera ( body only) has been rumoured to be around $1500! At this price I feel the D600 would be a real winner for Nikon!  I am looking forward to get one as all my old battery of lenses would work perfectly!


Along with this body Nikon is releasing a 24-85 f3.5/4.5 VR normal zoom lens to complement the existing battery of VR zooms: the 24-120 and 28-300 both for full frame cameras.


And finally if all these lenses are too expensive we have the evergreen 28-105 f3.5/4.5 AF zoom which is around $175-200 used (check www.keh.com)  and I am sure would do well with this camera!


So exciting times are ahead! 


All those trekkers, climbers and mountain  photographers who were reluctant to go for the D700 and the D800 due to weight, bulk and price can definitely look at the D600 for their needs!


Lets hope for a launch very soon!

Gokyo Photos in Black and White

These are some photographs from the South Col Trek to the Gokyo Lakes in April 2012. To see more of these photographs please do visit my web site http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya

Evening view from Luza after a snow storm

Trekkers on the way to climb Gokyo Ri with Cho Oyu in the background

The wall between Cho Oyu and Gyachung Kang as seen from the fifth lake of Gokyo

Early morning view of Ama Dablam from the trail between Kumjung and Sanasa

The third Lake of Gokyo with Cho Oyu

Mountain Photography: Tips & Tricks III

In continuance of my two earlier articles Part I and Part II,  this is the third instalment of tips and tricks for mountain photography, though it also applies to photography in general as well.

Tip 1: Use the lowest ISO possible

A mistake which some of us often make is to set a higher ISO than what is needed for the light conditions. Rule of thumb would be:

Daylight with bright sunlight: ISO 100-200

Early mornings and evenings: ISO 400-640

Interiors where flash cannot be used: ISO 800-1600-3200

Sports motion/wildlife: ISO 400-1600

Tip 2: Take care of reflections with a polarizing filter

If you are shooting a mountain scape through the windows of a plane or through glass the circular polarizing filter is your answer. The filter usually adds two stops to the exposure, so if the exposure is f11 without the filter, it would be f5.6 with the filter. The camera meter would take care of this. Polarisers are also useful to increase color saturation and darken blue skies – as you rotate the polarizer you can see the sky getting darker or lighter. It’s a very useful tool to have in your camera bag. This is a photograph from a flight between Delhi and Leh using a polarizer:

Tip 3: Try to avoid shooting at the middle of the day

When the sun is high in the sky, the shadows are harsh and the light is also extremely flat and contrast. Unless there is no option, try to avoid mid day shooting and focus on the golden hours, a couple of hours before sunset and after sunrise.

Tip 4: Use both raw plus JPEG basic

There is always a debate regarding shooting only raw or to shoot JPEG but with most DSLRs you can shoot both. Memory cards are now big and cheap and so shooting Raw+Jpeg Basic would be the way to go. The raw files would remain for the more serious work and the Jpegs can be immediately sent out by e mail or used in blogs/web sites/facebook etc.

Tip 5: Sometimes a tele lens is better suited to landscapes than a wide angle!

When shooting mountain landscapes, we invariably reach for a wide angle lens as we want to get it all in. However, sometimes a telephoto lens is better suited for mountain landscapes. The dramatic perspective of say a 200 mm lens changes the whole scene and creates an image which is a lot different than what a wide angle or normal lens would deliver. The photograph below is taken on a trek to Gokyo in Nepal using a 70-300 zoom illustrates this:

Tip 6: Shoot the same image both horizontally and vertically

When shooting a mountain landscape, take both horizontal and vertical shots. You never know what would be required. For example, a magazine cover would need a vertical shot whereas a two page layout could use a horizontal frame. It helps to cover all possibilities in the camera so that while editing the most suitable frame can be used.

Tip 7: A beautiful view does not always translate into a great photograph

Sometimes when walking in the mountains we see a view which is just awesome! The valleys are green, the mountain tops glistening with white fresh snow, an azure blue sky,  you know what I mean! So we raise our cameras and shoot – plenty of shots- one after the other! However, when you are back in front of the computer, the view doesn’t look all that great any more! Why? The reason usually is that a view requires a point of interest and if you don’t have this, the photograph is not likely to be as awe inspiring as it was in real life. The camera and the eye don’t see the same thing, so look for a point of interest, change the angle, maybe zoom in with a longer lens or go down on the ground with a wide angle! There are so many possibilities which can work for you and create that awe inspiring image!

Tip 8: Expose correctly for the snow

Mountain landscapes sometimes have vast areas of snow and that dazzling white expanse is difficult expose correctly. The tendency of the meter would be to underexpose resulting in the snow looking grey and flat and not sparkling white. You need to meter from some area other than the snow, perhaps your hand or even the blue sky and adjust the exposure accordingly. Finally always bracket exposures so that you have a number of images to choose from! An example of this sort of photograph metered off the sky is here: 

 My outfit, South Col Expeditions, is running a five day trek cum photo workshop in the Annapurna hills of Nepal in December 2012. Those of you who may be interested please do visit http://www.southcol.com or e-mail me at sujoyrdas@gmail.com for more information.