Category Archives: Personal Story
Huayhuash Trek, Peru
It just kept coming into my head. “You can’t always get what you want…” Mick Jagger was along for the ride. For us, this was Peru’s Huayhuash Trek.
We knew we were starting out on the trekking shoulder season, but when our guide and donkey driver, Epi, showed up in knee high rubber boots for the eleven day trek, we feared the worse. The rainy season was far from over. By 2 pm the first day, it was a monsoon. By 8pm our campsite was flooding. To make matters worse, Peruvians eat chicken breakfast, lunch and dinner. I loathe chicken. On the second day I woke in the middle of the night, shaking uncontrollably, and headed out into the rainy darkness. I would spend the night in the mud outside the tent, emptying my stomach, feverish and unable to drink anything for 20 hours. This, at 4000 meters, makes for some unpleasant headaches. Things weren’t going well.
Janine, day 1
Sick and anything but cozy
Day three I spent in the tent, trying to sleep it off. Janine waited me out with little to do in the pouring rain. Above, and all around, the guide assured her were the best views in all of the Huayhuash. Gee, thanks.
For the remainder of the trip we had a simple schedule, our day went as follows. Up at 6, breakfast, packing up, hiking by 7:30. Arrive to next camp by 2pm before the rain starts, sit in tent, eat (avoid chicken), asleep by 8. Repeat. All this without going below 4000 meters for 11 days made for long nights with much time to think…
Around the 6th day I realized that the situation was so grim that it had become perfect. Ever since Nepal, I had been wondering what it would be like to go on a trip like this without a camera. As a photographer, we are continually looking for, thinking about, and making images. It is all consuming. Part of me longs to travel without this way of thinking, and so in Huayhuash I thought to give it a try, to just give in and be a traveler, not a photographer with responsibilty. It worked well until the skies parted and we could see something, then I was right back to work.
With each day so similar, the journey is a blur. The trail was so saturated with rainfall that for long stretches it had become a bog. We literally slopped our way through in places, careful to not get our feet stuck in the deep mud. The big views were rare so we scanned for interesting trailside items which often came in the form of small families living in this inhospitable environment. Their means of survival fascinated us as they have no power, thatched grass roofs, the closest supplies are several days walk away, and the weather anything but friendly. As we’d walk near their homesites with our cameras out, the adults would scatter like prairie dogs to holes when a hawk flies above. Our guide informed us of what we had already figured out in town, Peruvians loathe having their photo made. Thankfully there were children, and they were savvy to the fact that we carried sweets.
Day 11 was different. Our last day required that we get a 4am start to make a bus in our exit village. In the darkness, the night was crystal clear, something we had not yet seen. With headlamps on we marched through another bog. As Janine and Epi charged along, I stopped to have a look behind at the pre-dawn glow on the peaks and glaciers above. Standing there alone, I took in what was our first clear view of the Andes. Suddenly a dark figure loomed in front of me, a gaucho on horseback very much in Clint Eastwood style. In the twilight I could see him tip his hat to me and just barely make out some eye contact, then he was gone, the sound of the horse hooves disappearing into the morning. All this without making a photo, just the experience that is as vivid now as if I had made one, but even better.
Turns out I just had to let Mick finish, “But if you try sometimes well you just might find, you get what you need….. oh yeah”.
Climbing one of many passes
Waking up to a dry morning after a night of rain & sleet
A Peruvian cowboy trots by camp as we pack up one morning
Janine walking through the only village we would pass through in 11 days
Peruvian women at market. Huaraz, Peru
Street life. Huaraz, Peru
Traditionally dressed Peruvian women
Typically, we are not huge fans of HDR photography, but in the case of this trip a touch of HDR seemed appropriate. The scenes intensify, become darker, moodier, and for the Peruvian women, colors pop and are in your face. To our eye, this is how it all looked and felt. It was a trip full of contrasts and intensity, the images need to reflect that feeling.
What do you think?
Huge thanks to Deuter Packs, Lowepro Camera Gear and Patagonia clothing : As always, perfect gear! Patagonia’s new footwear line is superb, and we can personally confirm that their Gore-Tex boots work quite well.
_________________________________________________________
Interested in following what we do, as we do it, via your favorite Social Media:
Nepal Photography
While traveling and shooting in intense locations, a pre-dawn wake up alarm typically brings about a combined feeling of dread and excitement. Dread to dive into the crazy mix but anxious enthusiasm for what might be found. While neighboring India is almost overwhelmingly intense, Nepal is India-Lite, yet India like as well. The culture is visually rich for image making and the people some of the kindest, gentlest we have met anywhere. Where India assaults your senses, Nepal simply welcomes you.
Dan making the very photo, above
At the beginning of the winter, Janine and I realized we had little interest in ski touring 100+ days as we normally do. We decided to skip winter and tick off some life list destinations. On the top of our list for the last twelve years was Nepal. But, for so many reasons we had never gone. Seemingly the ideal destination, it combines what we love to shoot for work, mountain sports and lifestyle, with what we are most passionate to shoot for ourselves, a foreign culture.
Nepal proved true for all the things we hoped for. While tromping around the Himalaya we were able to put our mountain sport images alongside the culture we so love. And within Buddhism and Hinduism, we could disappear into another world to explore and study everything in the hopes of finding that magical image. For us, nothing is so stimulating as wandering countless hours only to come across what we are so visually intrigued by, then successfully getting it into our camera. We were each lucky to have several amazing finds in Nepal, we’re pretty thrilled with the results. Below is a sampling of our favorite images, a mix just as we experienced it, our life walking through the mountains and a few interesting things we saw along the way.
Swayambhu Stupa prayer wheel
Janine hiking along a mani stone wall
Man praying, dog sleeping. Boudhanath Stupa
Lung burning acclimatization run, Namche Bazar
A Hindu family watches a family member’s cremation at Pashupati Nath
Gokyo Valley
Best to let the Yak put the track in
Wandering Namche Bazar
Buddhism
_____________________________________________
We hope you enjoyed these images and would love to hear your comments.
Next up, we head to Peru for a similar trip. We’ll post fun stories and random photos while we’re on the go.
If you are interested in following what we do, as we do it, choose your favorite Social Media:
Nepal Travel Expectations
Things are starting to backup, early stages of the Donkey Jam
I could actually feel the warm puff of air on my face from the donkey’s ass. There was no mistaking what had just happened. I’d paid the price for getting too close in this absurd traffic jam. Amongst the swirling dust clouds, reeking donkey piss & shit, garbage lined trail and cigarette smoke – I had also been farted on.
“What the hell is this?”, I whined to myself, “This is not the mountain environment or experience I want.” My mind saw only the negative. The night before I’d lain awake fully annoyed at the fact that some distant, soothing Buddhist chants had been drowned out by thumping Nepalese techno from the billiard hall next door. Yes, Himalayan billiard hall. I’d come for the Buddhist chants, not the modern intrusions into my idea of how Nepal should be.
I have spent a lot of time in this part of the world and know from experience that the key to staying sane is to forget about expectations, and to keep a good sense of humor. It was just day one of our sixteen day trek in the Everest region and we were still in the more populated lowlands while on the way to Namche Bazar, but already I was feeling some inner disturbance. I charged ahead through the flatulent donkeys, past the cigarette smoking, trash tossing Nepalese load carriers and broke away up the trail. Once off the front, I was able to walk alone to let my head settle down. My irritation stemmed from my perception of how I wanted it be vs. reality. I reminded myself that what it really is is what I came for, and will provide the experience that I will take away, depending on how I accept it. …Deep breath. Suddenly, I came around a corner into a clearing and there they were, my first glimpse of the giants. The view literally stopped me in my tracks.
My entire adult life, 25 years, have been spent playing, working and simply loving being in the mountains. The Himalaya are the mountain lover’s Mecca and I had just found myself at the threshold. Spread out before me were Lhotse, Nuptse and Sagarmatha – Everest.
With a huge grin and more than a few goosebumps, I put my head down, laughed at myself and with a clear head, continued walking. It is what it is.
________________________________________________________
Interested in following what we do, as we do it, via your favorite Social Media:
The Khumjung Monastery
“Can we go in?”
A heavy, well worn curtain hung between us and what we so badly wanted to see. From inside the monastery came the distinct, exotic sounds of Buddhist prayer, chanting and the occasional gong. Suddenly, a young monk swept the curtain aside and ran across the courtyard only to disappear, then reappear a moment later. Back he ran to the curtain where he stopped, looked toward us, smiled and gestured that it was okay to enter. Without hesitation, we followed.
Inside it was ice cold with only a couple of out of place fluorescent lights illuminating the scene before us. Six early twentysomething monks, all wrapped in various robes and blankets, sat facing each other reading from prayer books that a seventh monk rotated through the line. Upon entering, they all looked to us and smiled. Clearly, they were as amused by our presence as we were mystified by their practice. After a few minutes inside it became obvious that, while monks, they were also boys without adult supervision.
Prayer book library
Finally one spoke up, “Dog”, he barked, pointing to his neighbor. “Goat”, he pointed at another. “Cat”, “Bird”, and so it went for each monk, they all laughed. I felt obligated to identify myself, and thanks to my long, filthy, disheveled hair the choice was obvious, “Yak” I announced. A roar of laughter confirmed I’d done well. We were in with the monks.
We continued to sit and spectate while they carried on as if we weren’t there. As a monk finished a prayer book, he would push it forward for the runner monk to gather up and either put away or pass to another. In the pause between prayer books, the monk would do as any other twenty year old on the planet would do, he’d pull out his phone and find something to stare at.
And so it all went; pray, chant, gong, phone. The longer we watched, the more it became obvious that for Dog, Goat, Cat and friends, this was business as usual. Finally, we stood, nodded thanks and waved farewell. Time to step back through the curtain. Once outside we were back where we had started, but now we had a memory where before we had so much curiosity.
Spoons and Monk Fights
The contestants minus myself and one clever monk
The Monk’s eyes went wild as I lunged across the table and tackled him. This peaceful man’s hands, unaccustomed to combat, fought my own in a desperate attempt to keep me away. Moments before he’d been sitting alone quietly on the other side of the room, no one took him seriously when he asked to sit in for a game. Turns out this monk was like Cool Hand Luke, he played a good hand and was quick on the draw. When the cards fell we reached for the silver. I’d won the last game and was maybe feeling a little cocky. Suddenly I was facing down a monk and he was in better position, he beat me on the table top. I had to do what was necessary.
“To hell with compassion”, I thought to myself, “Give me that damned spoon”! I tore at his robes as we went mano a mano.
The Australians, who’d taught us this game, roared with delight at the site of a white guy taking out the Buddhist monk. But we had all been warned ahead of time that a game of spoons can get rough, and so it did. No one was laughing harder than the monk himself as his attachment to the spoon proved mightier than my own. I was eliminated while the guy in the orange robe advanced to the next round.
________________________________________________________
Interested in following what we do, as we do it, via your favorite Social Media:
Nepal Security Procedures
Yet another 3rd world toxic taxi ride while looking not at all like our passport photos
While we edit and prepare all our images from the last month in Nepal, we’ll post short stories written during our travels – quick, fun, journal entries for a few days until we have some images to show.
The 3rd world likes to compensate for any real infrastructure by flexing its bureaucratic muscle. Endless red tape, useless rules & regs, this & that in triplicate, countless permits, and checkpoints enforced by gunmen toting arms from the US Civil War era. Best to keep quiet, let them do their thing and hope it really does end up just providing entertainment value with only minor delays.
Our five hour return to Kathmandu via taxi from the Langtang trek included no less than six military checkpoints. Our car would be surrounded by armed servicemen demanding ID which would then be followed by a lengthy visual inspection. Each time, the officer leaned through the window and compared each of us to our passport photo. Then, with a nod of approval, he’d wave us through. On we’d drive, having never once removed our full dust protection face masks, sunglasses or hats.
Meanwhile, the security flying to and from Lukla was equally as rigorous. There we were subject to, not a X-ray, but a pat down resembling an awkward embrace from a disliked uncle on Thanksgiving. Next up the inquiry, “Do you have any lighters?”, and finally our carryons were inspected with a quick heft and groping of the exterior. Done, pass, enjoy your flight.
_________________________________________________________
Interested in following what we do, as we do it, via your favorite Social Media:
Celebrating 25 Years in the Outdoor Industry
Patagonia 2009 Calendar Cover
Saying “Yes” to try climbing changed my life. I grew up racing sailboats, but the first day I climbed rocks I was an all new 18 year old. Turns out I had an inner dirtbag that was set free when I discovered the yacht club & topsider free world of the crags. My calling had been answered. Shortly thereafter I had myself a job in the bike department at an REI. I didn’t really know squat about climbing, but I did know bikes, so with an eye on the wall of cams and carabiners, I started my career in the outdoor industry. That was 1987.
Now, 25 years later, many of the same people I knew then, like myself, are still in the industry. A kind of family. By 1991 I was a full fledged dirtbag climber. I lived in my truck, sold espresso while on the road to make some money, dined in the bin aisles of grocery stores and actually wore white lycra (It’s back in, but not for climbing). Suddenly, I even had companies willing to “sponsor” my choice of lifestyle. My duties to them; climb, be a nice guy, make some photos and do some slideshows. One thing led to another and I got really into the making photos part.
The early days, 1998, of Beth Rodden. It later became an ad on the back cover of Climbing Magazine.
In 1997 I was managing my best friend’s Climbing Gym, the Rocknasium, in Davis, California. One day a tiny little girl walked in and tried climbing for the first time. Her parents supported her, she was happy, and, she was very, very good. Her name was Beth Rodden and she would go on to become one of the best climbers on the planet. We became close friends, and it was with Beth that I started to learn how to be a photographer by documenting her career as it took off.
1998 was a turning point, I wasn’t getting any younger and I certainly wasn’t getting rich as a bike racer or climber. I was falling in love with making photos and so decided to go back to school and study photography. I went from being a fulltime athlete, climber and road racer, to living in Santa Barbara, California and going to class. Notice I didn’t say anything about any other classes up until this point… this kind of references that inner dirtbag thing.
At the Brooks Institute of Photography I met Janine. Soon, she too was sucked into the vortex of the Outdoor Industry. She also found herself living in a vehicle. A nice girl from Switzerland, with endless talent who also happened to be an architect, was suddenly getting intimate with my version of American life.
But that American Life turned into this American Dream come true.
Our vision was simple, to live and work precisely in line with what we love; to be outside, in the mountains, as athletes, travelers, and photographers of it all. We wanted to work with companies who made gear we really used and to shoot magazine stories that we’d like to read. This we continue to do, but we have also been owners of a stock agency, consultants, multi-media producers, spokespeople, and product testers & developers. Finally, we started our own online Mountain Sport Athlete website, DolomiteSport, a spinoff of our energy and love for this lifestyle.
25 years later, we both know something about the outdoor industry. It has supported our photo business for 12 years, given us endless opportunities, inspired us, challenged us and it has been the source of countless friends.
The photography that is found in our Portfolio reveals who we are as creative people. But the examples of work found on our Clips page reveals even more. It is the result of how we have combined everything we love; making photos, supporting & working with brands and still being true to our vision which is living and working in line with our passion.
PatitucciPhoto's Published Work Samples : Click to View
________________________________________________________
Interested in following what we do, as we do it, via your favorite Social Media:
Kalymnos Greece Climbing
As we are back to climbing this year, there is one phrase that keeps coming up over and over again, “You must climb in Kalymnos, Greece”. With the need for a holiday break from, well, mountain sports, we thought we’d go on climbing holiday. All we ever do is mountain sports, but always with the camera and the necessary focus that goes along with shooting for work. This trip was for us, climb everyday, make some friends, enjoy ourselves. But one day, in the famed Grande Grotta I had to pull out the camera, and for obvious reasons.
So was Kalymnos worth all the hype? YES! …and come November you will know where to find us for our end of season getaway.
Connect with us
