“You don’t have anyone in your family?” the indigenous woman asked me. There was a long pause between us. She stared at me for a while and then moved on. In Guatemala, I was strolling in Antigua city when a Maya woman selling handicrafts approached me. “Would you like to buy this?” she showed me … Read more
Some said, “it’s pure madness.” Others read, “it’s suicide.” Some considered, “why are they risking life for nothing? They have no regard for their families.” Another said, “It’s just for personal recognition.” Other people advised, “what use has such activity? Go find proper work.” So why do some people risk everything to reach the top … Read more
“It is unfortunate that mountaineering has no value in our country. Everywhere I go, I have to tell who I am and narrate my achievements. In other countries, mountaineers are considered as heroes and don’t have to introduce themselves.” Fazal Ali is a veteran high altitude porter (HAP) from Shimshal, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. He has … Read more
“In 2004, there were so many climbers on K2 that I felt I was in Raja Bazar, Rawalpindi. Two years later, we were only two people on 8,000m tall Broad Peak in winter. At that time, I learnt that the most difficult part of mountaineering is descending without a rope. That experience still helps me … Read more
They call it the Savage Mountain. It is the second-highest peak on Earth. For every four people who summited K2 (8,611m), one died on the mountain. On 1st August 2008, twenty-five climbers left Camp IV to attempt the K2 summit, but eleven never returned. It was a perfect day for climbing, one in a million, … Read more
They call it the Savage Mountain. It is the second-highest peak on Earth. For every four people who summited K2 (8,611m), one died on the mountain. On 1st August 2008, twenty-five climbers left the Camp IV to attempt the K2 summit, but eleven never returned. It was a perfect day for climbing, one in a … Read more
From Passu, a jeep track covered with dust and shadows clings to steep mountains and zigzags on its way to Shimshal—The Valley of Mountaineers. Over 20 Shimshalis from 250 households here have climbed 8000ers. Qudrat Ali is one of them. He is among the top climbers of Pakistan. His first adventure was a 3-day trek … Read more
Happy World Photography Day! I had an established career when my life took a strange twist. One day, I was a programmer, the next day, a bicycle traveller. I had nothing but a bicycle, a camera and a burning desire to see the world. Little did I know where my travels would take me. Little … Read more
What does it mean to “be alpha”? How did a personal journey turn into a way of life? Does photography have the power to redefine the purpose of someone’s life? And why is it important to have a purpose in life after all? A cyclist photographer takes a look back and connects the dots in … Read more
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