Paul Zizka 11/8/22 Paul Zizka 11/8/22

Land of the Eternal Blue Sky: 5 Favourite Images From Mongolia

It seems impossible to take a bad photo in Mongolia. With towering sand dunes that glow during magic hour, vast landscapes that seem to stretch on for eternity, and welcoming people who share their traditional way of life and—a photographer will find endless possibilities. It’s no wonder that OFFBEAT returned to the “Land of the Eternal Blue Sky” this June to host two photography workshops: The Gobi Desert and The Wild West.

After a long commute from Canada (in my case) to Mongolia, we were gifted with smooth logistics, perfect weather, and incredible light. Although I spent most of my time focused on leading these workshops, I managed to come home with thousands of photos. I’ve sifted through them all and am excited to share my 5 favourite images along with the story behind each one.

View the collection of Mongolia images available as Limited Edition Prints!

1. “Khongoryn Els”

A tight frame of sand dunes where every single pixel is 100% sand. I have been to this location before and fell in love with shooting more intimate scenes within the scene. Upon arrival in the Gobi Desert, I started to seek out these compositions. I shot a number of those images that day and this is my favourite one.

2. “The Camel Herder and the Supermoon”

Our time in the Gobi Desert coincided with the June super moon, also known as the Strawberry Moon. We arranged for camel handlers and their camels to join us for sunset and nighttime photo shoots. We came up with the concept of positioning one of the camel herders on a distant dune in order to make the most of the rising super moon. We were fortunate to have soft light and some low-hanging clouds that didn’t obscure the moon as it rose. It was definitely a magical moment to see all those elements align in front of our eyes.

3. “The White Stupa”

This image is the result of childlike curiosity. The image was taken in an intriguing feature that I spotted from far away alongside trip co-leader Curtis Jones. When we investigated closely, the feature turned out to be a massive keyhole that we could drop into and shoot out of. I shot a few frames right away to take advantage of the alpenglow and by a stroke of luck, a few birds flew through the frame. To me, this image represents the importance of being curious in photography and, and following your nose and sticking your head and things.

4. “Ulaagchiin Khar”

This was taken at Ulaagchiin Khar Lake in West Central Mongolia after the photography workshop came to a close. This was a place that took a lot of working and driving to get to. We didn’t have much time at this location so I made the most of it by shooting in the early morning. I shot the sunrise from the top of the biggest dune in a vast dune field that juts out into the middle of the turquoise lake. I started looking for interesting foregrounds as soon as I reached the top of the dune and found amazing ripples to work with. Those ripples became the leading lines in this classic landscape shot featuring beautiful rich light and some nice geometry.

5. “Jenisbeck”

Last but not least, we have this tight portrait of eagle hunter Serik Jenisbek in the village of Sag Sai. We created this image at sunset in some phenomenal natural light. I must have shot thousands of images of Serik Jenisbek, both with his eagle and on his horse. This is one of my favourite shots of the lot because it has a candid feel and capturing the intimate connection between Jenisbek and his eagle was a very special moment.

Overall, this trip to the Gobi Desert and Western Mongolia was absolutely incredible. Mongolia is quickly becoming one of my favourite countries in the world, not just for the photography but for the people and the sense of isolation you experience when you’re there. I hope these images convey the natural beauty and variety that Mongolia has to offer.

View the collection of Mongolia images available as Limited Edition Prints!

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Thank you to Mongolia Expeditions for being terrific hosts.

Paul Zizka 2/3/22 Paul Zizka 2/3/22

Memories from Africa: Wildlife, Climbing and the Last Glaciers

A collection of my favourite images from a recent photography workshop and photo mission to capture the last ice in Botswana and Uganda.

After a long pause from leading workshops abroad, I was fortunate to embark on two trips in the latter half of 2021. The most recent was a journey to beautiful Botswana, a must-see for landscape and wildlife lovers alike. This particular adventure provided the best of both worlds; it began with an immersive OFFBEAT workshop experience and ended with a personal trip to document some of the only remaining ice on the African continent. Both resulted in memories I will cherish for a long time.

Breathless in Botswana

The workshop went marvellously well. We split our time between the Khwai Private Reserve of the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. We were fortunate to spot elephants, big cats, giraffes, hippos, baboons, and birds of many feathers. Since we could never predict which animals we would come across, each game drive and boat cruise provided a completely unique experience. Each of our participants went home with thousands of photographs of dozens of animals. For me, the most memorable encounters involved cheetahs, elephants, and lions bathing in magical African light.

One of Covid’s silver linings has been renewed appreciation. While I recognized the value of travel prior to the pandemic, it all felt a touch more special this time around. Whether gathering with old friends, meeting new faces, teaching again, drinking local coffee, or sitting quietly with a lion—it all seemed even more precious.

If you’ve never been to Botswana, you absolutely need to add it to your bucket list. Everything about this country, from its diverse landscapes and animals to its generous people, will leave you breathless.

A mother and baby elephant in Chobe National Park, Botswana. Photo by Paul Zizka Photography.

The Mountains of the Moon

After wrapping up the workshop, I embarked on a personal journey to find and photograph the last remnants of ice on the African continent. I chase ice because of its surreal beauty, its impact on the land and its people, and because it's so quickly disappearing. Chasing ice in Africa led me deep into the Rwenzori Mountains, located on the border between Botswana and Uganda. They are also known as the Mountains of the Moon.

Much of the multi-day trek was spent following our local guides through an otherworldly landscape of tropical plants and ancient rock shrouded by mist and rain. The highlight of the trip was the surreal summit day high on Mount Stanley. There I was in an extremely remote area, at one of the last remaining glaciers in Africa. I was sitting at 5,109 m above sea level in -20C temperatures and zero visibility with one butt cheek in Congo and the other in Uganda. I was there, in that quiet and sacred place, as news from the outside world trickled in: the Omicron variant was beginning to shut down travel to many African nations. It was a bizarre experience and an emotional rollercoaster.

You may think of glaciers when you think of Africa, but ice does exist there—for the time being. The now-tiny glaciers of that region have existed for a long, long time. They have had a massive impact on the land and the locals throughout history. They carved the valleys into what you see today and they provided water for life to fill those valleys. I chase ice because of its surreal beauty, its impact on the land and its people, and because it's so quickly disappearing. Embarking on this trip to see those glaciers in their terminal state was deeply moving and well-worth documenting for me.