Marty Mellway Photography

Key Gompa, an ancient monastery in the Spiti Valley, a high altitude desert valley cut off from rainfall and the outside world by soaring mountains and treacherous roads in the state of Himachel Pradesh, North India. We stayed here over night while trekking through from Kibber to Kaza. Tea and meals with the monks was so much fun. We were called to meals and tea by the sound of a conch shell horn. One of the younger monks showed us many of the sacred inner rooms of the monastery which housed thousand year old scriptures and Thangkas (Tibetan paintings) which had been brought over from Tibet over the last thousand years. Some rooms were so sacred that outsiders were not even allowed to look in, which I really like because it leaves some mystery, which there ought to be in a thousand year old temple deep in the Himalayas  The monks take there meals in an ancient kitchen, along one wall there are big stone wood fire stoves. On top of the stoves huge blackened metal pots 3 feet acro

2 sec   ƒ/3.5   ISO 400  17 mm This photograph is taken in a Balinese Hindu temple at night during a festival. The illumination of the backs of the people sitting in the foreground was caused by them lighting incense.  A little light goes a long way in a long exposure. One thing I like about this photograph which I didn't notice the first few times is the statue of a god on the right hand side which is looking down over all the praying Balinese. It is truly an amazing thing to witness. The sounds of bells, and the deep voice of the priests chanting prayers. The smell of incense and fresh flowers. This same scene might have been taking place over a thousand years ago. Photography tips: Of course with a long exposure you always want to use a tripod and a self-timer/remote. Best way to avoid people looking at you while you photograph something like this is to sit down and interact a little bit, within a minute people will start to ignore you. Than once you are "invis

Settings:  1/50       ƒ/1.8     ISO400       50 mm This is a photograph I took in the Tsuglag Khang Monastery in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, in the State of Himachel Pradesh, North India. This was during a ceremony and the three monks were carrying some kind of liquid (maybe tea) in a small bowl which they were offering to the Older monks who were sitting. One of my favourite things about this photograph is how they are holding they robes in their mouths. The focus falls dead center on the monk in the middle but quickly my eyes get drawn down to the monks reading prayers in the bottom left. Photography Tips: Frame your scene and wait for the perfect composition. Some people just constantly snap photos and hope for a good one, but this leave no time to think, you need to be paying attention to all the little details. If your too busy constantly taking photos you might miss that perfect moment. This photo is using a very shallow depth of field (ƒ/1.8 ) to draw your attention to th