Tours Abroad

Wow! We had the best time in Qinghai. From start to finish the workshop was beyond our expectations. Nick’s tutorage was exceptional considering the vast difference in experience between myself and some of the other participants. Nick was there with pertinent advice at all times, imparting his enormous wealth of knowledge along with a smile, a joke, a story or 3 and nothing fazed him.  We have been asked by so many people what was the highlight of our trip, and honestly it’s pretty hard to say. To find ourselves in the Tibetan Highlands, that has to be my highlight………I want to go back! NOW!  –Victoria, photographer

Even as a non photographer what a fantastic place and an opportunity to share the whole experience with a group of enthusiastic people. Having the time to repeat the visits to some of the villages was very special.  To have to time to sit with the ‘locals’ and to be recognised the next time we visited had to be a highlight for me. – Janelle, companion

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For a report of our 2011 photo workshop to the shaman festivals, check out Nick Rains’ website here. Nick has also produced a video of the 2011 workshop, which can be found here.

The Shaman Festivals in Qinghai Province last for more than a week, moving from village to village in this ethnically Tibetan region. With great parades and every monastery dressed up in its finery, with hordes of monks and devout locals in a craze of rituals and pious worshipping the scenes are vibrant beyond description and cry out for a photographic record.

We aim to be in the thick of the action throughout the festivities using local knowledge to ensure that we are good positions for each of the colorful events. Since Tongren (the Chinese name for the same area) is renowned as a center for art the colours are never lacking in vibrancy or quality.

Some aspects of the ceremonies will appear contrary to Buddhist doctrine but visitors must remember that the Tibetan form of Buddhism absorbed many aspects unfamilar to the original Indian teachings en-route and much from the indigenous Bon religion upon arrival. Revelry is a key word and since everyone will be enjoying the events perhaps it is not worth worrying too much about the underlying philosophy.

Our program allows for a couple of detours: to several lamaseries in the area, and to the grasslands that lie above the tree line where the Tibetan nomads pasture their yak and sheep herds during the warm summer months.