Expedition photography tips by Ann-Maria Pavalache

A monk in red robes walks along a mountainous dirt path to a monastary — Phuktal Monastery, Zanskar, Ladakh, northern India. ‘Deep in the isolated Lungnak Valley in Ladakh lies Phuktal Monastery, a place of peace, where the dazzling red and flowing robes of the young monks distract from the harsh physical existence’

Documenting isolated communities in Asia’s highest regions and other remote places

People sometimes ask me, “Why do you have this curiosity for different places,” says Romanian-born photographer Ana-Maria Pavalache. ‘I come from an ex-Soviet country that was very closed and closed-minded, but somehow I had that open door. My father worked in the Gulf countries, and although we never travelled with him, we used to go to the airport and wait for him. I would have images of those places in my mind and in a country where you see very little, you learn very little, that was kind of like my open door.’

That childhood curiosity has since taken Pavalache far and wide – trekking in Ladakh, sailing in the Pacific Northwest, exploring glaciers in the Karakoram range and working with wildlife in Tajikistan. Her most recent expedition was in the Middle East. ‘I was involved with Mark Evans – we did a traverse of Saudi Arabia following the route taken by [Harry St John Bridger] Philby 106 years ago,’ she says.

After studying economics and geopolitics, Pavalache worked for a few years in the banking industry. ‘I found myself in a career that didn’t fit me, but then I was lucky to get involved with different projects in Central Asia,’ she says. Working on those projects, she often found herself with a camera in her hand and slowly but surely, photography became an essential part of her life. ‘The camera was like my passport to interact with people,’ she says. ‘It was the perfect excuse to go, and to connect with the elements and the environment and the people. I become so immersed in what I’m doing that it’s as though there is nothing around me.’

Currently based in Vevey, Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva, Pavalache works part-time as a social educator, but is always on the lookout for ways to return to the isolated communities that she has grown to love, particularly in Asia’s highest regions. ‘For me, it’s the place where I can finally breathe.’

www.anamariapavalache.com

Portrait of a young woman in green robes against a doorframe in india — Portrait of a young woman from the village of Kupwara in northern Kashmir, India. ‘Her beautiful eyes reflect the natural beauty of the region’

The green Basho Valley in Pakistan with mountains in the background — Basho Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. ‘High among the clouds of the western Himalaya hangs the valley of Basho. Sultanabad is the uppermost village in the valley, culminating in the gateway to the villages’ common grazing areas and one of Baltistan’s largest natural forests, where locals collect firewood, both for food preparation and heating during the long, cold winter’

A woman in a boat on Dal Lake, Srinagar, Jammu, and Kashmir, India — A traditional *shikara* crafted from deodar wood on Dal Lake, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Horses running across a green field in Ladakh, northern India — Ladakh, northern India. ‘Is there anything wilder than horses running free across the Tibetan plateau?’

A man sits atop Baltoro Glacier in northern Pakistan — Baltoro Glacier, Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan, with the Great Trango Tower in the background

A nomad in traditional robe stands on the edge of Lake Tso Moriri in Ladakh, India — Lake TsoMoriri, Ladakh, India. ‘A nomad’s traditional robe is framed by the lake’s crystalline waters, which light up the surrounding mountains’

What Ana says…

…on her purpose

To immerse people in some of the world’s less-known places, and to bring them an understanding of our place in the world using visual storytelling. And hopefully show people that what we do here can have an impact in those beautiful environments out there.

…on her inspiration

I studied economics and I have always been interested in the impact of the Old World economies on human beings, so Sebastião Salgado has always been an inspiration. His work is very touching. And Henri Cartier-Bresson and the ‘decisive moment’.

…on her advice

Have an open mind. Try to keep learning all of the time, but at the same time, be prepared to fail. Take creative risks. Look at different types of art and take inspiration from them. Surround yourself with inspiring people. And just to go out and explore.