Might and glory of Himalayas

Exploring one of the still unexplored and insanely beautiful stretches of the Indian Himalayas with landscapes and high snowy peaks stretching up to the sky, Hyderabad-based photographer Sathyaprasad Yachendra treks thousands of feet to try and capture perfect pictures of the glorious beauty. The former Ranji Trophy cricketer and the current zonal head of Andhra Cricket Association, took to travelling and photography in 2004 after his trip to Mansarovar with his friends. The then-casual trip turned out to be life-changing for Sathyaprasad, who was awestruck by the scenic beauty of the mountains. Since then he has travelled to various parts of the Himalayas every year.

A child at Turtuk village in Ladakh. This village was part of Pakistan before the 1971 war

An evening by the Zanskar river at Zanskar

Though Sathyaprasad was passionate about photography since childhood, his cricketing career kept him too busy to take it seriously. “My first camera — a Click III — was gifted by dad when I was ten years old. It was priced just at Rs 5 back then,” reminisces Sathyaprasad with a smile, and adds, “My uncle and father were both into photography and I used to click the landscapes at Tirupati with them. But after I got into college, photography took a backseat as I got selected in the Ranji Trophy team.”

Older people from the region carry prayer sticks and keep chanting. This image was shot at Lamayaru Monastery, Ladakh

Shyok River, Nubra Valley in Ladakh. Yachendra captured this image late in the evening, and the magical light falling on the mountain gave him the opportunity to capture this image

The 2004 trip to Mansarovar changed it all for him. “One day I was looking at the sun rays on a mountain there, it had this beautiful golden glow. I wished I had a camera with me then. After I came back to Hyderabad, I started pursuing photography at the Andhra Pradesh Photography Society. I interacted with many great photographers such as Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell and it has been an amazing journey. I fell in love with the Himalayas and have made 26 trips to the place so far. Other than the scenic beauty, I also love the people there. Life is very harsh for them and they are still so welcoming and happy with what they have. I’ve stayed at many homestays there and learnt a lot about life,” says Sathyaprasad, who is the current president of the Telangana State Photography Society.

A view of Drang Drung Glacier, Zanskar in Jammu and Kashmir.

An abstract of an entrance of the house in Lachung village, North Sikkim

After 26 trips to the place, isn’t the photographer tired of clicking the same place? “My love for the Himalayas will never fade. I’m totally focused on clicking more pictures of the place. I’ve been to Ladakh, Lahaul, Kinnaur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tibet and Meghalaya among other places. Last October I went to North Sikkim and clicked the mountains in the backdrop of the Gurudongmar Lake. I was one of the first photographers to do so. I started at 4.30 am in the morning and it was freezing at minus 15 degrees Celsius. I can never give up photography,” he says.

A view near Turuk, West Sikkim, capturing the tonal layers of the mountains

The Stakna Monastery in the evening. Yachendra wanted to showcase the monastery location with the backdrop of mountains in the evening light

He has showcased his works at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, and has had solo and group shows at Hyderabad and Puducherry among other places in the country. He is now planning to pen a book on his experiences. He also loves cultural music and reading books. Appreciating his wife Prashanti’s support, he says, “Photography and cricket both need travelling. And my wife has been very understanding.”

View from Stonge De Monastery, Zanskar

A view of sun setting at Dal Lake

Talking about the challenges he faces, Sathyaprasad says, “Nature is not in our hands. So when you’re a landscape photographer, you must be prepared for the worst. It’s important to not get disappointed easily and be very patient. Light is the most important thing in photography and it gets very tricky while using only natural light.” His advice for amateur photographers: “To quote Pablo Picasso: ‘Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist’. It’s important to learn professional photography before you start clicking by yourself. And enjoy what you’re doing.”