On the Edge

Milvus 35/1.4 @f7.1, at sunset; Nikon D600 periphery of the village, 2400 m

Honey

Sigma 100-400 @400mm, f6.3, 2500 m; Nikon D750 Wild bees honey harvested selectively

Yak

Sigma 50/1.4 A @f9; Nikon D600 Yak and dzo grazing near a village (3500 m)

Kani

Milvus 35/1.4 @f9, 2 900 m; Nikon D600 Entering or leaving a village the passerby go through a stone gateway, Kani. Glancing up they’re reminded of the essential.

Gompa III

Nikkor 24/1.8G @f7.1; Nikon D600

Stairs

Sigma 100-400 OS C @105mm, f8; Nikon D750 (2400 m)

House II

Milvus 35/1.4 @f9, 1/30s; Nikon D600 (2650 m) close to sunset

House

Sigma 50/1.4 A @f2.5; Nikon D600 Houses in the middle of vast expanses of wilderness are common sight; hours of fast-pace treks through a difficult terrain to reach the nearest people. A working man, boy, dog and chauri visible in the field above the house are easier to see on a larger display. (2700 m)

Ancestors

Sigma 50/1.4 A @f1.4, sunset; Nikon D600 (3050 m) There are many types of stone mounds serving various purposes. These are burial mounds of people held in high esteem.

At the Well

Milvus 35/1.4 @f8, after sunset; Nikon D600 (3370 m ) Water for the next day. Earthquake damage can still be seen in many villages.

Jungle II

Milvus 35/1.4 @f8, afternoon; Nikon D600 Jungle climbing rocks at 1350 m

High Fields

Nikkor 24/1.8G @f8, 2800 m, Nikon D600 There is little space to grow food here. Villages and individual houses are scattered sparsely across vast distances were conditions give a chance to live. As the farmers form bond with the land they breathe and see as the soil they work. They feel the order of the cycles, the floods rushing past, the sun rays, the winds blowing, the rain and snow awake and in their sleep.

Prayers

Nikkor 24/1.8G @f3.2; Nikon D600 (3350 m)

Rice Fields

Milvus 35/1.4 @f11, diffused sunlight, humid, clouds/vapour in the air; Nikon D600 (750 m) Harvested rice left to dry out.

Gully

Milvus 35/1.4 @f7.1, early morning, 1550 m; Nikon D600 Prime habitats of the langurs that can still be seen at up to about 3500 m of altitude in half October at good places before they move lower for the colder months. Following the rivers may seem easy on the map but trekking in the young mountains of the region is strictly climbing steep sides of the cliffs up and down, all the time; which is what the area is famous for. We estimated that you climb 2 km up and go 1 down before you get 1 km higher. Anything that is not vertical is covered with a lush forest. Any chance of a flatter ground and the forest gets very productive.

Gompa II

Milvus 35/1.4 @f10, morning; Nikon D600 (3600 m) two eagles soaring above the top

Tibetan Woman II

Nikkor 24/1.8G @f10, a half stop underexposed; Nikon D600 (3420 m)

Twilight

Milvus 35/1.4 @f8, 20 min. after sunset; Nikon D600 (3350 m)

Tibetan Woman

Nikkor 24/1.8G @f8; Nikon D600 (3420 m)

Morning

Sigma 50/1.4 A f8; Nikon D600 (2600 m)

The Jungle

Nikkor 24/1.8G @f8; Nikon D600 We saw a group of langurs gathered by the steam but they were skittish and quick to disappear. This is 2200 m elevation jungle that covers bare rock on the steeper slopes. Most of the large trees grow in the valleys and gullies where the soil is deeper. Late afternoon and mid October mean the forest is getting dark early.

The Black Horse

Nikkor 24/1.8G @f8; Nikon D600 (3300 m) Weak points start to concentrate forces of erosion in young mountain ranges. Due to relatively close proximity (of most of the Central Himalayas) to the wetter and warmer Eastern part (Bhutan), the rain/snowfall here is quite high. River flows fluctuate considerably during the year and the periodic rivers are frequent features of the mountainous landscape. The wild horse is in the middle of the lower part of the frame. On the opposite right side of the bank on the edge of the gully (behind the upper part of the stone wall) is a white one among 4 or 5 of others. They don’t perceive people as a threat but they are shy and stick to their rules.

Rain

Sigma 50/1.4 A @f2.8; Nikon D600 We walked in waves of downpours until the dark. Warm temperate forest at 1 400 – 2 600 m elevations is very productive, filled with giant fir, spruce, rhododendron, wild bee hives, fruiting trees supporting abundant wildlife like Nepal grey langur.

Gompa

Sigma 50/1.4 A @f5.6; Nikon D600 A small village on the cliffs (¾ of a km high). The gompa is barely visible, mostly its flags. It’s 2 o’clock from the house in the middle (the small cloud of smoke that is between them and the lower fall are in one line). Viewing large size reveals yak in the fields.