Photography
Bringing a video camera to Nepal poses no real problem and there are no video fees to worry about. The exception to this is in the upper Mustang region, where there is technically an astonishing US$1000 fee to take video footage, though unless you're obviously a professional film crew it's highly unlikely anyone will ask you for this.
Film & Equipment
- Almost all flavours of memory stick, flash card etc and batteries are available in Kathmandu. Note that travellers have reported buying cheap cards in Kathmandu that do not have as much memory as the packet claims.
Photographing People
- Most Nepalis are content to have their photograph taken, but always ask permission first. Sherpa people are an exception and can be very camera-shy.
- Bear in mind that if a sadhu (holy man) poses for you, they will probably insist on being given baksheesh (a tip).
Restrictions
- It is not uncommon for temple guardians to not allow photos of their temple, and these wishes should be respected.
- Don’t photograph army camps, checkpoints or bridges.
Technical Tips
- To photograph Nepal’s diverse attractions you need a variety of lenses, from a wide-angle lens for compact temple compounds to a long telephoto lens for mountain shots or close-ups of wildlife.
- A polarising filter is useful to increase contrast and bring out the blue of the sky.
- Remember to allow for the intensity of mountain light when setting exposures at high altitude.
- When it comes to taking portraits, remember that the bright Nepalese sky and darker Nepalese skin can be too much of a contrast for your camera. A fill-in flash can do wonders to the quality of your images.
Courses
Budding bloggers, photojournalists and citizen journalists might be interested in the annual eight-day photography course run by Kathmandu Inside Out (www.kathmanduinsideout.com), which focuses on storytelling through photos. The US$1600 fee includes the course and funding for two aspiring Nepali journalists. The course usually takes place in November or December.
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