Bumthang

Tamshing is a small temple in the central Bhutanese region of Bumthang. This is a small temple with just a handful of monks, but each year the community gathers to celebrate the spirit and traditions of Bhutan. Cham dances are performed during the Tamshing Tsechu over the course of three days, with monks dressing in the black-hat and other cham costumes.

A landscape of powerful rivers, silent mountains and sacred temples. Central Bhutan is a long drive from the cities of Paro and Thimphu, a winding route that hugs the valleys. But a beautiful drive. You get a sense of the wilderness that is Bhutan, a taste of the forests and a glimpse of life in the Himalayas.

Softly softly, like a snow leopard hiding in the Himalayas. The quiet temple of Tamshing rests peacefully all year, until the annual festival. Rustling with colour and kindness, the locals crowd inside to celebrate the monks, the chams, the blessings. It's festive, unpredictable and vibrant.

Bhutan is also known as "The land of the thunder dragon", which sounds like they must have terrible weather or something. Maybe if you plan to go hiking at 7,000m, that gets a little snowy. It's always a surprise for my guests when they discover how gorgeous Bhutan is in the middle of winter. It does get cold overnight but while the sun is shining in the daytime the light is magnificent and the air is full of joy. It's my favourite time of year to be in the Himalayas. These images were taken on my trusty little Lumix G9 during the 2019 photo tour, just before Christmas.

Every temple in Bhutan has a festival once a year. Some are big and some are small, but all of them are unique. This year I took my photography tour to Bumthang, one of my favourite parts of the country, and met some lovely novice monks in a very modest temple. Some were cheeky, some were serene and a few were slightly drunk. Together they were wonderful.

This set of images inspired a feature I wrote about letting the experience take precedence over the exposures. The idea is to take your time and experience the moment before you try to capture the moment. It's a technique that gives you greater ability to express something special in your travel photography, but also opens the door to unexpected and wonderful experiences. It's what follows from my three guiding principles... Go Slow, Get Closer, Let the Light Guide You.