Essential Gear for Your Photography Tour to Spiti Valley

Spiti Valley – a land that needs no introduction now, is an ideal space for photography. Its picturesque beauty can often leave you speechless! But amidst all the awe and admiration, do not forget to pick up your camera, for you will regret not capturing the beauty of the valley.

For any Spiti photography tour, there is some bare minimum equipment one needs to carry. Do remember not to carry equipment in excess, as that will only add weight and not utility. Below is a list of equipment we feel is essential, but do let us know in the comments if you feel otherwise:

1. A camera with at least 20 megapixels

Needless to say, one needs to carry a DSLR or Mirrorless camera (and not depend on phone camera), but ensure that your camera is at least a 20 megapixel one. The reason being, if you are using images for digital screens (mobile phones/Laptops) and social media or even prints of A3 size, 20 megapixels would suffice.

More megapixels give more creative freedom in editing photos. You can crop and zoom into photos without worrying about them becoming pixelated or blurry. Also, if you plan for large prints or cropping, aim for 24-36 megapixels or higher.

2. Lenses

The primary function of a camera lens is to gather and focus light from the scene being photographed, creating a sharp and clear image. Different lenses allow photographers to control focal length, aperture, and depth of field, enabling them to capture a wide range of scenes with varying perspectives and levels of detail.

Landscape / travel photography typically needs lenses that offer a wide field of view, sharpness, and good depth of field. One can carry a standard kit lens, typically a zoom lens 18 – 55mm / 18-105mm (crop sensor) or 18-35mm / 24-120mm lens (full frame), which provides a versatile range for general photography. Also, one can use wide-angle (35mm or shorter) or ultrawide-angle lenses (10-24mm) for extreme perspectives or dramatic compositions.

For daylight images f.4-f.22 aperture is perfect, which is provided in standard kit lenses. However, for evening low light situations f1.8-f.4 plays an important role based on your shooting style.

Spiti is also home to exotic wildlife like Blue Sheep, Red Fox, etc. Carry a telephoto lens (70 – 200 mm/ 100 – 400 mm) to capture the incredible wildlife of this valley, or super telephoto lenses with a focal length of 400mm or above.

3. Filters

Lens filters are accessories that attach to the front of a lens. It is a piece of glass/plastic that attaches to the front of a camera lens to modify or enhance the captured image by selectively blocking or allowing certain wavelengths of light.

There are different kinds of lens filters and their uses, but here we will discuss only three of them, which are mainly used in landscape photography.

(i) UV Filter - The basic filter used by most photographers is called a UV filter, which reduces the effects of ultraviolet light,t especially in high altitude or bright conditions, and protects the lens from dust and scratches.

(ii) ND Filter - Neutral Density filters are used to reduce the amount of light entering the lens, allowing longer exposures in bright light conditions. It darkens the scene by blocking the light in F-stop reduction. They come in different f-stop numbers such as ND2, ND4, ND8, etc. Choosing the right strength of ND filter depends on the lighting conditions and the effect you’re trying to achieve.

(iii) Polarizer Filter - A polarizing or CPL (Circular Polarizing) filter is a must-have tool for landscape photography. It can reduce reflections from glass, water, and wet surfaces. It can be used to reduce atmospheric haze and to make the scene look much more vivid.

4. For Astro-photography

Photography tours to Spiti are incomplete if you don’t indulge in some astro-photography under those clear skies of the Middle Land.  

Find a dark sky location far from city lights. Next, carry a sturdy tripod with you. Without a tripod, you cannot imagine trying out astro-photography. No human hand is stable enough to hold onto cameras for long exposure shots (like 5-30 minutes).

Invest in a good intervalometer. Also, download a few star tracker apps in which you can see star positions and constellations (like Night Sky).

5. Other Miscellaneous Equipment

A few other equipment is required. For example, use a camera belt/strap. It becomes tedious to put the camera back in the bag after every shot. A strap/belt helps in simply hanging the camera by your shoulders.

Carry at least two sets of batteries. High altitudes tend to drain camera batteries faster.

Also, carry a lens cleaner kit. Spiti is largely a desert valley, and the weather is dry and dusty. A lens cleaning kit will come in handy.

Lastly, carry extra SD Cards, because storage should not be an impediment in shooting!

In case you are going to Spiti through photography workshops or guided photography tours, do reach out to the organisers and ask if they have any other specific equipment, they want you to carry.

From Sunrise to Sunset: A Complete Photography Tour to Spiti Valley

The Art of Photography: Capturing Light in Landscapes

Photography’s literal meaning is ‘drawing with light’. We, as photographers, deal with different kinds of lighting conditions, but we majorly strive for soft light, especially in landscape photography.

During sunrise, the light carries blue and violet tones and the evening light has a warmer softer tone to it, commonly referred to as the golden hour. Both morning and evening lights are soft and create long shadows, adding a sense of three-dimensionality to your subjects.

Spiti Valley: A Photographer’s Dream Destination

Every photographer dreams of creating images during soft-lighting conditions like sunrise and sunset, as lighting conditions are favorable. But some landscapes are capable of giving you good images even during the day. Spiti, the Middle Land, is one such breathtaking location.

Best Morning Photography Spots in Spiti

• Komic Village: A Rustic Wonderland at 15,000 ft

If you find yourself on a Spiti photography tour and wish to start your day with striking morning light images, do explore Komic village – set at approximately 15,000 ft. above sea level, where the rustic mountains will be caught beautifully in nature’s light. The looped roads seen from an aerial view make way for astonishing landscape images.

• Losar: Rocky Mountains & Lush Green Fields

Morning light can also be captured well in Losar. The uniqueness of Losar lies in the rocky mountains contrasting with the lush green fields below. The rocks are layered like steps leading up to the top and can be a good component for landscape images. In fact, photography tours to Spiti can feel incomplete if one misses out on exploring the landscape in Losar.

• Kye Monastery: Aesthetic Landscapes & Spiritual Essence

Do not forget to explore the morning light in Kye Monastery. The monastery and the vastness of the aesthetic landscape behind it together create a striking well-composed image. You can even consider capturing landscapes from inside the monastery. A windy morning can give you a good image with a ‘fluttering’ feel.

Capturing Landscapes During the Day

During the day, all spots of the village look like slices of heaven, giving a good light and shadow work on the rocky mountains. But while you’re on a Photography Tour to Spiti Valley, make sure you make use of the chiaroscuro involved on a good sunny day, otherwise harsh light images tend to give a flat look.

Best Evening & Sunset Photography Locations

• Spiti River-Bed: A Glistening Landscape

Towards the evening/ sunset time, do set out to explore off-beat locations. For example, the Spiti riverbed, seen from a vantage point, gives the river a glistening look, creating a well-textured landscape image. If you are not at a vantage point but on the road somewhere in Kaza, use the landscape on the other side of the river.

Also, do not forget that the best images sometimes come out unexpectedly from the not-so-famous nooks and corners. Keep an eye out for places that give out great composition (even if they do not form part of a famous tourist spot) and make use of them.

• Dhankar & Pin Valley: Soft-Light Sunset Photography

Lastly, do visit Dhankar or Pin Valley for soft-light sunset images. Dhankar’s large rocky formations make a scale-oriented image, and on a day when clouds are persisting, they can add to the image’s skyline. And as is said about Pin Valley, its serenity speaks volumes and its vastness creates a well-scaled image.

How to Plan the Perfect Photography Trip to Spiti?

In our fast-moving lives, we are always chasing something like our goals, office deadlines, etc. In all this rush we forget to cherish the beautiful world around us. We all need a reset button in the middle of all this chaos. That’s where travel plays an important role we can connect with Mother Nature, breathe in fresh air, soak in the calm surroundings, and truly be present. For many, photography is a way to hold onto those moments by capturing those feelings, telling a story, and making memories.

The Mountains: A Landscape Photographer’s Paradise

A landscape photographer’s first choice of paradise is the mountains. Stand at a vantage point and see layers of mountains, one after another, line up for your camera from foreground to background!

Spiti Valley: A Hidden Gem in the Himalayas

In India, you can find this paradise in any corner of the Himalayan ranges. One such corner is the quaint village of Spiti, which is home to rustic and rocky gigantic mountains and beautiful and rare flora and fauna with streams and rivers that run like its veins.

Planning Your Spiti Photography Tour: The Full Tribal Circuit

If you are planning a photography tour to Spiti, you must attempt the full tribal circuit, i.e., Shimla-Spiti-Manali, or vice versa. Take at least 8-9 days out of your work schedule for this trip. Any Spiti photography tour of less than that duration will only make you yearn for the place more. On your way to Kaza from Shimla, explore the snow-capped hills of Kalpa and introduce yourself to the rocky terrain from Nako. Or enter from the Manali route and immerse yourself in the greenery of Lahaul. Keep in mind that the Manali route only opens up towards the end of May/ beginning of June.

Having kept aside the time for the trip, focus on visiting places that may not be famous but will offer good lighting conditions, i.e., not just soft bright light but a good play of chiaroscuro. For instance, Komic, a small village set atop Kaza, will give you a good aerial view of the mountains, and during the daytime, you will see clouds form stark shadows on the roads and hills. Of course, take out time to visit Langza and try image-making with the enormous Buddha Statue.

Exploring Lesser-Known Spots for Perfect Lighting

But do not hesitate to make stops on your ride while you’re on your way to any location. Surprisingly, the best images come not from planned visits but from stumbling upon some beauty and if your luck favours you, you might get a glance at the incredible wildlife of the Himalayan region like Blue Sheep, Ibex, Red Fox etc.

Losar: A Must-Visit Destination for Stunning Landscapes

Make special room for Losar in your Spiti Valley Photography Tour, as it will surely take your breath away. You’ll get to absorb its beauty on your way to Kaza from Kunzum La Pass, and this is a terrain not seen anywhere else. The land has fertile soil and lush green vegetation and standing behind those green fields are the towering rocky mountains. On some of these mountains are rock pillar formations, and on a day with good cloud activity, you will see clouds galivant around those pillars!

But take some time out to indulge in documentary and portrait photography as well. Locals’ portraits can often exhibit powerful expressions however remember they may be shy or reserved, so approach them with kindness and respect and ask for their permission before clicking their pictures.