The details
A walk planned around the light
I am a licensed trekking and tour guide, and I have been a photographer since about 2012. On this kind of walk, the day is shaped by the light. We start early when the morning is worth it, walk through the flat light of the middle of the day, and stop in time for the evening.
You carry the camera and make the photographs. I take care of the route, the timing, the permits and the lodges. I don’t photograph you or for you: my own camera is for my own work.
What a day can look like
- Up before sunrise when the morning is clear, to a viewpoint near the lodge.
- Breakfast, then walking while the light is flat.
- A slower afternoon, so we arrive with time to spare.
- The last light of the evening, then dinner and an early night.
Extra days help a lot. Clouds come and go in the mountains, and a spare morning often gives the view you hoped for.
Where the light is good
- High mountains: the Everest and Annapurna regions, with clear mornings in autumn and spring.
- Villages and culture: Sherpa, Gurung and Tamang villages along the trails, with daily life, prayer flags and old houses.
- Night sky: high, dry and dark nights, best in autumn and winter.
- The Kathmandu Valley: the heritage squares and stupas early in the morning, before the crowds.
Photographing people with respect
In villages I introduce you first, and we ask before any portrait. If someone says no, we accept it and walk on. Some monasteries and temples do not allow photographs inside; I tell you before we go in.
Cameras in the cold
Batteries drain quickly in the cold. Keep them in an inside pocket by day and in your sleeping bag at night. Higher up, lodges charge a small fee to charge a battery or a phone, so bring spares and a power bank. Dust is common on dry trails; a simple cover for the camera helps.
Drones
Flying a drone in Nepal needs permission from the authorities before the trip, and it is not allowed everywhere, including in some protected areas and near heritage sites. It can take time. If the permission does not come, we don’t fly. The permit is paid at cost.
What it costs
You pay my day rate as a guide, the same as for any walk. I am your private guide for 1 to 5 people at one rate. Permits, lodges, meals, transport, a porter if you want one, and a drone permit if you fly are paid at cost. I don’t sell packages.
