A country built for wide views
Mongolia offers huge skies, long horizons and scenery that changes quickly with the weather. That is a gift for photographers, and also a challenge: wide, empty landscapes can look flat in a photograph unless there is a point of interest, a sense of scale or good light. The tips below are general and apply to anything from a phone to a full camera kit.
Working with light
The light in open country is strong and, in the middle of the day, harsh. Early morning and late afternoon give softer, warmer tones and longer shadows that bring out the shape of dunes, hills and valleys. In summer in the north, daylight can last late into the evening, which stretches the useful hours; in winter they are short.
Some practical habits:
- Plan the day so you are in a good spot at sunrise or the hour before sunset, rather than driving through it.
- Look for side light, which reveals texture on grass, rock and sand. Flat midday light suits less.
- Watch the sky. Fast-moving cloud creates patches of light and shadow that can make a scene, so be patient and wait for the moment.
- Give the camera help with exposure. Bright skies and dark ground can confuse automatic settings, and bracketing or checking the histogram is a useful safeguard.
- At night, away from city light, the sky can be very dark. Visitors interested in the stars will want a tripod and some practice before the trip.
Giving the landscape scale
Wide scenes read better with something to anchor them: a ger, a line of horses, a lone tree, a winding track or a person at a distance. The herder’s camp is part of the landscape, and a Mongolian ger makes a natural anchor. Include foreground interest such as flowers, rocks or ripples in the sand, and use the horizon sparingly, placing it high or low rather than in the middle. Different terrain suits different approaches, from the open grassland described in the steppe grasslands article to the dunes, which reward careful composition because wind erases footprints and can leave beautiful patterns.
Dust, wind and sand
In dry areas, especially the south, fine dust gets into everything.
- Change lenses indoors or in a vehicle with the windows up, with the camera facing down.
- Keep gear in sealed bags and use a lens cloth and blower brush.
- A clear filter or lens hood gives some protection.
- Avoid putting the camera on the ground during wind.
- On dune days, shield the camera from blown sand, and wash or wipe equipment gently afterward rather than rubbing grains across glass.
Vehicles on unpaved tracks produce dust and vibration too, so keep cameras cushioned in a padded bag or on your lap rather than loose on the seat.
Cold and batteries
Cold shortens battery life, and it can arrive suddenly in the mountains, at night and in the shoulder months. Carry spares in an inside pocket close to the body, and swap them as they fade. Moving a cold camera into a warm ger can cause condensation, so let it warm slowly inside a closed bag. Phones behave in the same way. Mongolian winter is the extreme case, and frozen lakes in the north are a rewarding subject. Gloves that allow some finger dexterity are worth packing.
Photographing people with respect
Herders and townspeople are not scenery, and a polite approach matters far more than a perfect shot.
- Ask first, with a smile and a gesture, or through your guide. If the answer is no, accept it.
- Do not photograph inside a ger without permission. Ger etiquette also covers where to sit and what to touch.
- Be careful with children, and ask their parents.
- Do not offer money to people to pose in a way that treats them as an attraction, and follow your guide’s advice about gifts, and tipping customs are best learned from them.
- Share pictures if you can, for example by showing the image on the back of the camera, which is often appreciated.
General Mongolian etiquette applies: greet people, be patient and avoid pointing cameras at them uninvited.
Sacred places and ceremonies
Monasteries, ovoo cairns and shamanic sites can have rules about photography. Look for signs, ask a guide or monk, and do not use flash in temples or during ceremonies. At festivals, stay out of the way of competitors and officials, and do not step into performance areas. Mongolian festivals have their own atmosphere and rules. If you are unsure, put the camera down and watch.
Drones and permits
Rules on flying drones, and on photographing certain sites or border areas, change and may require permission. Check with official sources and your guide before bringing equipment, and avoid flying near animals, herders’ camps and wildlife.
Keeping it simple
You do not need much equipment. A wide-angle lens, a moderate zoom, a sturdy tripod if you enjoy long exposures, spare batteries and memory cards, and a way to keep dust away will cover most situations. Back up images each evening where possible. And leave time to put the camera down: some of the best moments in Mongolia, such as weather rolling across a plain, are better enjoyed than recorded.