Announcing Winners for May 2018 Photo Contest

We saw over 500 entries coming in for the May 2018 Photo Contest. And what a variety of landscapes they covered! From the the dramatic scenes at Kedartal to the frozen Roopkund to the lush green meadows of Dayara Bugyal, the photographers brought their treks alive for us.

We even saw some interesting portrait shots this time.

Our judges have picked the top three entries for Trek Photographer of the Month. We also have a Trekkers’ Choice award for the photograph that received the maximum number of votes.

Scroll down to see the results.

Winner – Trek Photographer of the Month May 2018

Hidden in the mountains under the sky – Atish Waghwase

This is an unusual picture of Roopkund. We never get to see the lake from this angle. The photographer has perfect control on the lighting and sharpness. The whole subject remains in focus, at the same time maintaining a certain depth.

First Runner Up

Woman at work in the Himalayas – Picture by Sushma Honnappa

The drives to base camps of all our treks take you past villages and farms in the Himalayas. This is a great photograph of lives of people in the mountains, clicked at Raithal, base camp of the Dayara Bugyal trek. The landscape in the background is very well captured. The lighting on the crops, the backlit lady and sun rays steaming behind come together seamlessly to make this picture stand out.

Second Runner Up

Kedar Kharak Campsite – Picture by Arnab Manna

Such variety in a single picture! There’s water, the mountains, the sky and tents all in the same frame. Both the tents are perfectly placed in the frame. We are also in awe of the sharpness of the image. This one is from the Kedartal trek.

Trekkers’ Choice Award

Spirit of trekkers on the path to Gaumukh – Picture by Hemant Gadape

This picture of trekkers walking through fresh snow on the Gaumukh trek is simply delightful. As you trace the trail from the top left to the bottom left corner, you realise how well it is composed.

Nominations

Water plunging down from Upper Waterfall – Picture by Anurag

We have seen hundreds of pictures of the waterfall on the Rupin Pass trek. This is an unusual one clicked from the top. The placement of the main subject in the centre of the photograph is perfect. The trekker, water and the sky are beautifully captured in a single frame.

The perfect wallpaper pose by Mt Trishul – Picture by Ranjeet

This is a very well known sight from the Roopkund trek. We love how distinctly the three different mountains and three different textures of the landscape are captured in this photograph.

Sunrise on Mt Trishul – Picture by Sadguru Prajapati

Here’s another photograph from the Roopkund trek. Looking at the snow dust, you can feel the intensity of the wind hitting the mountain. Though this is a sunrise picture, the light is on the side, highlighting the snow dust while the mountain face is still subdued.

Caught between a mountain and a snow storm – Sushma Honnappa

Here’s another photograph by Sushma, this one from the Kedartal trek. This trek experienced sudden snowstorms and avalanches in early May. Capturing the drama created by the snowstorm on the landscape is one thing. But being a part of the storm while doing it is quite an achievement.

Magnificent Rupin Gully – Picture by Lomesh Gururaj

Walking through the powdery snow at the Rupin Gully is a delight for any trekker. This image of the Rupin gully stands out for two reasons. One is the subject – the trekkers just as they are about to enter the gully and the lone trekker at the back looking on. Second is all the contrasting elements present in the image – snow, sky and the shadow of the mountain.

The stoneman and his friend at Osla – Picture by Samatv Iyer

Here is another picture that beautifully captures the people of the mountains and their lives. This one is from Har ki Dun, our culture trek that takes you past villages that are hundreds of years old. In addition to what it depicts, this picture has perfect exposure and lighting.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominated photographers!

What you should do now

1. If you’d like to see a few great photo stories from our tresk: You’ll find our photo stories on this page.

2. If you’re a professional photographer: Perhaps we could sponsor your trek! We take photo trekkers on our treks if they can showcase our beautiful Himalayas with their skills. To apply, send your portfolio to sneha@indiahikes.com and tell us why you want to be a photo trekker with us.

3. If you would like some tips on photography specifically for treks: Click here, or here or here.

4. If you want to see some videos on how to manage camera gear: Watch this video.

5. If you ended up here by chance and were actually looking for treks to do: Then head over to our upcoming treks page. You’ll find all our Himalayan treks there.

6. If you want to see the 13 best treks of India: Then get our guide here.