It’s not photography I’m in love with

Dear all,

Over the last few months, I’ve been spending a lot of time out on the mountain bike. An activity which brought me to a shocking insight, namely that I may not be in love with photography. I had been wondering for some time why, here in Nepal, I tend to reach for my bike instead of for my camera? Because, let’s be honest, the photographic opportunities in Nepal are endless. Yet instead of looking for the golden light in and around Kathmandu, I find myself getting up early, crossing the ringroad and heading for one of the many steep climbs up the valley rim. Once there, if lucky, I’m treated with some of the most stunning views one can imagine, and not once did I miss my camera. Instead, I rejoyce in the moment, the achievement of the climb, absorbing the scenery, occasionally capturing the moment with my phone (which ain’t an easy task due to the scale of it all, we are in the Himalaya after all, hence sometimes you better go for the detail).

Kathmandu valley field detail, Nepal (2013)

And that’s where the insight hit me, I long for the outdoor, regardless of the means. What I search for is being out there, leaving the city behind and feeling the wild touching upon me. On the African plains, photography is the perfect means to do so, hence my love for nature and wildlife photography in that context, yet here in Nepal there is no way to do so on short notice. I can jump on my bike though, and within 20 minutes I can be in places which feel like they could be hours away from the capital city.

Trail bridge in the haze, Pharping, Nepal (2013)

 

To conclude, don’t get me wrong, I could spend my life being out in the wild, photographing nature and wildlife, and somewhere in the future, I’m sure my job will again bring me close to the animals I love so much, at which point I’m sure I’ll be reaching for my camera again. Till then, I’ll be shredding the Nepali hills on my MTB, in preparation of an ultra endurance event in September 2015.

I’ll be back,

Guy