Kathmandu Valley: Ancient Kingdoms Through the Lens

After a short orientation walk through Thamel's vibrant market alleys, we head to Swayambhunath — the Monkey Temple — perched on a wooded hill above the city. The afternoon light falls at an ideal angle across the whitewashed stupa and its gilded spire. We photograph the intricate painted eyes of the Buddha, the spinning prayer wheels, and the resident rhesus macaques that have made this sanctuary their own. As the city lights emerge below, we make our first attempts at dusk street photography on the descent through the old bazaar.

The Goal of the Day: Settle into Kathmandu's visual rhythm and make your first frames: wide architecture, texture, and ambient available light.

We rise before dawn to reach Boudhanath Stupa as the first monks begin circumambulation. In the pre-dawn quiet, the enormous whitewashed dome reflects the city glow while butter-lamp candles trace slow circles around its base. By sunrise, the gilded spire is lit from the east and the scene transforms minute by minute. After breakfast we move to Pashupatinath — Nepal's holiest Hindu temple — where cremation ceremonies on the riverside ghats offer one of photography's most profound and delicate subjects. We discuss ethical documentary approaches before entering.

The Goal of the Day: Master pre-dawn and low-light techniques; develop a respectful documentary approach to sacred and sensitive subjects.

Bhaktapur, the most intact of the three ancient Newar kingdoms, is a full-day immersion. We begin in Durbar Square as local vendors set up their morning stalls, photograph the 55-Window Palace and the towering five-tiered Nyatapola Temple, then move to the potters' quarter, where families have worked clay on the same wheels for centuries. Afternoon light in the narrow alleyways is extraordinary — deep shadows, shafts of warm gold, faces that belong to another era entirely. The evening critique session reviews the day's strongest portfolio candidates.

The Goal of the Day: Develop street portraiture and the ability to work with harsh contrast, deep shadow, and complex foreground-background relationships.

Our final morning brings us to Patan — the city of fine arts — where the Durbar Square contains some of the finest Newari craftsmanship in existence. The Golden Temple courtyard, the 17th-century Krishna Mandir, and the ancient stone water spouts of the Manga Hiti offer rich photographic detail. After a final shoot in the early-morning quiet before crowds arrive, we gather for the group critique: each participant presents their three strongest images from the four days, and Professor Nasrul Eam provides individual editorial feedback. The afternoon is free for personal exploration.

The Goal of the Day: Apply the full visual vocabulary developed across all four days; present a cohesive portfolio that tells the story of Kathmandu.