Seven years after my first trip to Tibet I retraced my steps and was able to take a lot of my photos all over again with much better gear and a lot more experience.  This time we spent 8 days in Tibet and took a trip the Mt. Everest base camp, which was moved further down the mountain.  We stayed at the monastery guesthouse instead of the tents, which was a little more comfortable and has an amazing view of the mountain out the window.  It was nice sleeping on soft beds, but there was no heat (except for heated mattress pads).

Tibet – Compare & contrast after 7 years:

• – Now you need to pay to take photos inside temples & monasteries.
• – There are a lot more metal detectors and checkpoints.
• – Some of the “local charm” of Lhasa has left.
• – More commercialized by China.
• – There is a Burger King across from Jokhang Square.

Photography notes:  All of these photos were shot using the Fuji X-Pro2 with the 16mm f1.4 lens – except a couple photos at Mt. Everest (50-230mm lens).  Because the light and shadows are so intense in Tibet some extra processing was required in Lightroom to stretch the dynamic range.

 

Potala Palace

Mt Everest at sunset (0F with 20mph wind)

Switchbacks with the Himalayas in the background

Guesthouse at the Rongbuk Monastery

Local Tibet man painting his house

Buddhas in temple

Monks praying at Jokhang Temple (Lhasa)

Lhasa street scene

Lhasa market

Monks in Lhasa

Lhasa pilgrims

Prayer circuit around Jokhang Temple (Lhasa)

Courtyard of Pala Manor (Lhasa)

Costumes for photos (Lhasa)

Tibet pilgrims in Lhasa

Monk at Jokhang Temple

Prayer wheels outside Jokhang Temple

Prostrate prayers at Jokhang Temple

Offering “wax” at temple

Our guide (Nema) and driver

Potala Palace

Rongbuk monastery at Mt. Everest

View out the window at Rongbuk monastery guest house (Mt. Everest)

Sakya (in front of our hotel)

Potala Palace tourists

Potala Palace newlyweds

Yamdrotso Lake

Yamdrotso Lake

Karola Glacier – with 50% GONE since my last visit 7 years ago!

Feet of Buddha

Mt. Everest base camp

Mt. Everest (Mt. Qomolangma)

Prayer flags on the way to the Himalayas

Jokhang Temple

Bags hanging in Tibetan house

Outside the Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple courtyard

Street scene (Lhasa)

In front of the Jokhang Temple

Near the Jokhang Temple

Near the Jokhang Temple

Prayer wheels near the Jokhang Temple

Near the Jokhang Temple

Near the Jokhang Temple

Near the Jokhang Temple

Potala Palace pilgrim

Monk in monastery

Pilgrims in Lhasa

Potala Palace

Potala Palace

Potala Palace

Potala Palace

Potala Palace

Potala Palace

Buring juniper branches at a monastery

Chinese tourists at Jokhang Temple

Tibetan home improvement

And his wife…