Walking Around The Outskirts

It took me two hours of walking until I finally warmed up to photographing. I don’t know what it was – but I just wasn’t really feeling my shots. I wasn’t in the mood to pull out the camera and really work things. So I walked. And I kept walking. Uphill even.

First I went uphill and to the East, away from the Bodhnath Stupa – I didn’t know how far I would go, just that I would walk until I didn’t feel like walking uphill anymore. An hour later, I turned around. Of course I didn’t see another photographer and I definitely didn’t see anyone other than the people that live here. As I continued walking I’d wave hello to the shopkeepers, or the metal workers, or… the people lying down in the fields of dead grass and garbage. That was on the way up.

On the way back, I pulled out my camera and started looking for shots. While some photographers will tell you that they love their long, 300mm lenses when they travel because they can ‘catch’ people – I’ll tell you that I love my 35mm prime. Sure it’s a 50mm on my camera body – but that’s perfect.  Because you don’t get shots like these from 40 feet back, and you can’t get them without having a technique to how you photograph. There’s no hiding when all you’ve got is a prime lens and you have to get within five feet of your subject – or closer.

With a 300mm lens – you’re rarely getting anyone looking right into your camera. And for me – if they’re not looking right down my lens then what’s the point? I want the connection between me and the subject – even if it’s just for 1/125 of a second and three frames.

See you tomorrow.

Kathmandu. Nepal. Photos. Bodhnath. Stupa. Bohda. Travel. Photography. LeahAndMark.com