To Tibet I Will Go

[Hugo Zhang]

With my beloved Graflex super d
a monopod screwed to its bottom
a 210 lanthar lens mounted on the front
a bag holder locked into its back
and three boxes of tri-x film
75 sheets of HP5
in my backpack....

Yes, to Tibet I will go
and roam these narrow streets in the holy city of Lhasa
full of wandering souls...

Any suggestions and ideas??

[Amedeus]

Take me with you ...

[Robert Langham]

Take a wider lens!

[David Lobato]

Utterly fascinating. A 135mm lens would seem better for narrow streets, though the 210mm would be good for portraits. Use all of the film you carry and have a great trip.

[Arne Croell]

I was in Lhasa in 2010 for 4 days, with an Ebony RW and 4 lenses (90, 120, 180, 240mm). That was all I could handle, and thank god for my Readyload stock. I also brought a Bessa III MF folder for candid photography. Take things really slow the day you arrive and the day after, altitude sickness is a real danger. The hotels and some small shops (much cheaper than hotels) on the street sell cans with oxygen (look like hairspray cans, but come with a nosepiece). It helps to use one of those the first night after you arrive to get to sleep, they last about 15-20min, but it makes a difference. In terms of photography, I found the Jokhang temple much more rewarding than the Potala palace; one reason is that the Potala is overrun, so they are herding the people through. Here is an image of the Jokhang roof: http://www.arnecroell.com/p131787813/h5670e04#h5670e04.

Arne

[Arne Croell]

Three more things: 1. As Robert said, bring a wider lens in addition, my image above was done with a 120mm. 2. Inside the buildings/temples it is usually quite dark, and a monopod won't cut it, but a tripod is often not an option either (either not allowed or too many people/pilgrims moving around). So don't set your heart on photographing Buddha statues and/or Thangkas inside. 3. Be aware that, at least in 2010, on the Barkhor (the market + pilgrimage path around the Jokhang) every few 100 ft there was a gazebo with 5-6 PRC soldiers holding automatic weapons, in addition to the local police walking around. At the time, I decided to not set up the tripod and camera given the heavy security. A bit further away though, it was ok.
Having said that, Lhasa was a great experience and I would go back in a heartbeat.

[JMB]

Don't forget your Dalai Lama T-Shirt.

[pierre506]

Dear hogo,
I'd been to Tibet about one mouth this season last year.
I don't wanna give any more suggestion about how to overcome the attitude sickness because there are too many information and you have a good friend, Hass.
I have to mention:
The regulation about trip in Tibet is more restricted this year to everyone, including foreigners and Chinese. I believe you have the passport.
Now, the Tibet trip certificate is difficult and too complicated to get than the past years, even for Chinese citizen.
Please enjoy your Tibet trip if you'd already done the headache works.

P.S.
Do not try to take any picture of things relating with the military buildings, soldiers and security guards.
I got a problem when I hung up my SWC...
115867
115868
115869

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yes, take a wider lens.

[richardman]

WHat? No Chamonix?! Say it ain't so! :-)

[StoneNYC]

Just be safe, I've seen documentaries about photo restrictions by the government who want to hide the atrocities happening there.

[Leszek Vogt]

Hugo, are you sure you have enough film with you ? I just compared some prices and it looks little wacky (in my analysis). A flight to Beijing from US will roughly cost as much as Beijing to Lhasa, except the ladder is about 1/3 the distance. Anyway, have a good trip -- thinking about going to China next year.

Les

[Richard Johnson]

I don't think you need more than one lens or camera - simple and light is best - but if I were taking a second camera then it would be a cheap Instax for gift prints.

[Jim Galli]

Hugo, don't be a wandering soul.

[sun of sand]

you can't get a wider lens in it really
I tried a tiny 158 cooke but couldn't do it
maybe you could focus to around 10-15ft? I don't remember



They're cumbersome already
I've never used a monopod but I wonder if a simple chain held under your feet would be easier to carry

[NancyP]

See your doctor before going - you might benefit from prophylaxis.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/altitude-illness

[joselsgil]

Hugo,

No color film?

[Matt Stage]

Take lots of high SPF Sunscreen -- too easy to get your skin fried in the bright sun and thin air ditto for a wide brimmed hat
Take lots of warmest clothes you can manage -- hot in day but bitter cold at night
Don't miss going to a Sky Funeral (better not to research it too much before hand -- Just go!)
Enjoy the yak butter tea and fresh fruits, roasted yak too
Don't bother buying snow leopard pelts -- they won't let you take them out of the country

[Tri Tran]

Take lots of high SPF Sunscreen -- too easy to get your skin fried in the bright sun and thin air ditto for a wide brimmed hat
Take lots of warmest clothes you can manage -- hot in day but bitter cold at night
Don't miss going to a Sky Funeral (better not to research it too much before hand -- Just go!)
Enjoy the yak butter tea and fresh fruits, roasted yak too
Don't bother buying snow leopard pelts -- they won't let you take them out of the country

Don't worry for Hugo Matt. As of last bing I know he's till moving. 200 4x5 frames so far and I also look forward to see those neg when he come back. Good job Hugo.

[jbenedict]

I would just suggest to be very aware of government restrictions on your travel and photographic subjects. Tibet has been/is/will be a hot spot for political intrigue for years to come.

I would try and sneak in a few sheets of some sort of color film in the mix. Maybe 20 sheets of Ektar or Portra 400. The pictures I have seen in National Geographic et. al. had many brilliant colors and that would be great to capture.

[Hugo Zhang]

Yes I am back in US, but I have lost part of my soul in that land of snow. I have developed all my negatives and about 15% of them are exposure errors (double exposures, blanks and etc. ). I have gone half of those printable ones with rough 4x5 contact sheets. I will be posting some of them here to share with you.

[Hugo Zhang]

Pasang is our Tibetan tour guide who is so nice and funny. As a foreigner, you have to have a Tibet Entry Permit to visit Tibet and have to get that through a travel agency and have to have a guide all the time.

[Hugo Zhang]

Dark narrow Lhasa streets...

[Hugo Zhang]

Mr. Wang is a 22 years old Chinese man we met on our way to Mt. Everest and this is the 79th day of his bike ride from Beijing to Mt. Everest. Simply amazing!

[Richard Johnson]

Your worst shots are better than most people's portfolio images.... please keep them coming!

[Hugo Zhang]

Monks at Rongbuk monastery near the base of the north side of Mount Everest at 4,980 metres (16,340 ft) above sea level.

[Hugo Zhang]

Inside another monastery where over 800 monks lives today.

[Rayt]

I was in Lhasa ten years ago. Against the advice from the guide books I opted not to acclimate by resting for 24 hours and immediately went out shooting. The next morning my friend knocked on my door but I couldn't move my limbs. Finally the hotel manager opened the door and they had to carry me into a taxi straight for the airport. I am sure I suffered some brain damage.

[StoneNYC]

I was in Lhasa ten years ago. Against the advice from the guide books I opted not to acclimate by resting for 24 hours and immediately went out shooting. The next morning my friend knocked on my door but I couldn't move my limbs. Finally the hotel manager opened the door and they had to carry me into a taxi straight for the airport. I am sure I suffered some brain damage.

Considering the fact you risked your life and didn't listen to the wise advice by others, the damage may have been done previously to this incident ;)

[Hugo Zhang]

Mr. Putin reincarnated as a Tibetan monk meditating in a sunny garden. :)

[Hugo Zhang]

Female roofers at work...

[Hugo Zhang]

Fruit seller...

[Hugo Zhang]

A lady at monastery hands out cypress plants, aromatic grass and zanba (roasted highland barley flour) to be burnt for auspicious smoke.

[Hugo Zhang]

I was warned before my trip that would be many uniformed and plain cloth policemen on Lhasa streets. Yes, they were many and I did not want to draw their unnecessary attention to me because of my equipment. Partly for this reason, I chose to bring a Graflex Super D 4x5 with a 190mm f/3.5 Cooke lens because I would like mainly to take pictures of people. It was a good decision.

I screwed a monopod into the camera base and carried the camera with my right hand and walked the streets. Most people didn't know what it was before I opened it. Another American in our group thought I was a plain cloth Chinese cop assigned to protect their group with a special weapon. :)

Anyway, I would bring a bigger view camera with full movement and wider lenses plus a tripod and dark cloth if I just wanted to shoot the architectures and landscapes. But I am glad that I brought my Graflex as a point and shoot camera. A big plus of this camera was to show people what was on the ground glass through the chimney finder and I usually opened the aperture at F3.5 and many of people were seduced by what they saw on the ground glass and they became my willing models. :)

[richardman]

Hugo, your photos are excellent! Thanks for showing.

[Hugo Zhang]

A few more from streets in Lhasa...

[mdarnton]

Inspired by these photos, this weekend I spruced up a Super D that I was given by a good friend about 40 years ago, but haven't used in a couple of decades, dug out my monopod, and thought about going to Tibet carrying this combo. Hugo, you are one intrepid guy! Just carrying the thing and some holders home from work in a big messenger bag was a load; I can't imagine bringing it on vacation. Anyway, thanks for the inspiration--now that I've got the thing polished up, I will try wandering a bit close to home with it and see if I can make anything of it.

[Hugo Zhang]

Hi Michael,

Have fun with that Super D! Here are a few more pictures...

Thanks.
Hugo

[Andrew Plume]

Hi Hugo

I've really enjoyed your work from this trip................more to post, hopefully.....?

best

andrew

[John Bowen]

Hugo,
thanks so much for sharing your methods and results.
John

[Hugo Zhang]

Yes and a few more...

[Hugo Zhang]

And a few more...

[Hugo Zhang]

A few more...

[Hugo Zhang]

A few more from Lhasa streets...

[Hugo Zhang]

A few more...

[Hugo Zhang]

Last few...

[StoneNYC]

What film did you use? I can't recall if you've said?

[Hugo Zhang]

75 sheets of HP5 and 150 sheets of Tri-X.

[Andrew Plume]

Hi Hugo

and so

with one Camera (albeit one without any movements (unless I'm wrong)) and a single lens, you've put together an absolutely blinding mini portfolio..............great stuff

best

andrew

[StoneNYC]

75 sheets of HP5 and 150 sheets of Tri-X.

Wow! Awesome!!!!

[Dan Dozer]

So - when does the "Travels with Hugo" book come out on Blurb? Great stuff my friend.

[tangyimail]

Great work, Hugo.

[swittmann]

So - when does the "Travels with Hugo" book come out on Blurb? Great stuff my friend.

This was my thought also. Wonderful work, real treasures you shared with us. Thank you so much, Hugo.

[Hugo Zhang]

Dan and Sandra,

Thank you for your kind words! I have thought about Blurb, but I am not sure about its printing quality. I have bought a book before from a forum member published by Blurb and was very disappointed by the quality of the printing. And I admire him so much.

If I have to do a book, is it possible that all images (30-40?) in the book be 4x5 contact prints only? Anybody here have some experiences to come out with a book like this?

[richardman]

Hugo, not sure how long ago that book was done, but Blurb books can look quite decent! Just make sure you use proper colorspace profile. I and my friends have done Blurb books in colors and B&W and generally very happy with them.

The big problem is the cost. although if you do 4x5 contact print size, then it's a very small book and the cost can be very low indeed.

[swittmann]

Hugo,

I once bought a blurb book from a member of this forum as well and was not convinced of the print quality either. I love this book nonetheless, because I love this photographer's work and prefer looking at photos on paper rather than on a computer screen, however, maybe there are other, better options than blurb...

Maybe you could open a new thread so that you hear about first-hand experiences from those who already published a book at blurb or elsewhere. Wherever you publish, I will happily buy your book. Good luck with everything!

Best regards,
Sandra

[Richard Johnson]

Blurb has quality control problems more frequently than a commercially printed art book but if you complain to them about your copy, they will fall all over themselves to correct it. However, especially for the B&W images, the author/designer/production person have to carefully follow their instructions regarding color profiles appropriate for the book creation method, they can't correct improper files.

In general they will produce B&W with muddier shadows and mid-tones and perhaps a slight green tint. You can cheat the files to be about 10-15% more open. Be sure to have a solid black in them.

There are custom on-demand printers that will do a higher level of quality control for more money but I do not yet know of any that are using the HP Indigo digital press that Blurb does. Instead these higher quality printers use Epsons and Roland ink jets, then handcut and traditionally bind artist's books.

The Blurb book may cost $50 and the artist's book $500. You get what you pay for.

Of course you could work with a traditional book binder and your own Epson prints, read up and test. It could be the ultimate way to do short run books that cost in the low hundreds (rather than thousands) of dollars.

I'm afraid there is no high quality yet inexpensive option, at least here on Earth ;-p

Another option that I think you could market is a limited edition set of portfolios, similar to what Ansel Adams did back in the day. Basically make 5-10 excellent contact prints with generous borders. Get some archival boxes with your name/logo silkscreened on them, assemble and sell.

But first I would try to find a good magazine photo editor to publish them in a better magazine along with a back story about you and your Graflex. Perhaps pitch it as a modern contrast to the Heinrich Harrier "7 Years in Tibet" Leica photographs since Brad Pitt made the story sexy. This would build your audience and help increase your photos' value. Aim for something like the Smithsonian magazine, not View Camera (no offense).