The Day the Light Disappeared

Written By Gautam Dhimal
In the high-altitude Himalayas, the climate can shift in minutes. We could have packed up, but instead, we decided to make the changing weather part of the story. Out came the Profoto strobes.

Some mornings, you think you have the day all figured out. The location is perfect, the wardrobe is ready, the crew is in sync, and the light is about to pour in exactly where you want it. That was the plan in Mustang, Nepal, during the first shoot of the day for a Himalayan Fashion Adventure campaign.

We were aiming for that golden light streaming from behind the majestic Himalayas. At 6:38 AM, it looked promising. At 6:42 AM, the clouds began to creep in. By 6:45 AM, the sun had completely vanished behind a wall of mist and fast moving weather.

In the high altitude Himalayas, the climate can shift in minutes. We could have packed up, but instead, we decided to make the changing weather part of the story. Out came the Profoto strobes. One B1 with a Profoto Deep Umbrella Silver became our key light, giving the model a soft yet crisp look. I asked her to lean into the mood of the moment, acting gloomy and pensive to match the drama above us. A Profoto B10 Plus, bare bulb and placed far behind the model, created a natural rim light that mimicked the sun that had just disappeared.

The Fujifilm GFX 100 delivered immaculate files with every click, capturing texture and tone with unmatched fidelity. The Profoto gear worked flawlessly in the thin mountain air. The models embraced the mood, the crew adapted without missing a beat, and we ended up with award worthy shots that looked like they belonged in a cinematic fashion spread.

By midday, the snow peaks started playing hide and seek again. Every shift in the clouds gave us new possibilities, and we chased them all. The light had disappeared, but the magic stayed.

Explore more from this shoot and others at Himalayan Fashion Adventure’s official site and see how high altitude fashion campaigns come to life.

Gautam Dhimal

Visual storytelling has always been the beating heart that drives Gautam Dhimal's professional career; and also his life. Primarily, working as producer, line producer and assistant director for films while lending his photography skills for fashion, advertising and nature & wildlife, Gautam blends his sense of humanity with his love for nature and travel. He has conjointly worked with numerous local and international production teams. Some of the acclaimed International studios that he has collaborated are BBC One, FOX, and Disney along with global brands like Red Bull, Nestea, Coca Cola, Panasonic, Vicks, Nippon Paint, Samsonite, Doosan, Kellogg's and many others.

Gautam maintains that the key to his success is to simply see life as a fun adventure and that we must make the most of it. When he is not on the lot filming with his crew or in a studio, lighting and snapping away fashion photos, he spends most of his time in the wild outdoors - shooting rare footage and pictures of animals, plants, flowers, insects, reptiles and birds to accelerate his experience and portfolio. Exploration has always been a passionate hobby for Gautam - who believes that the further you explore outside your small bubble, the humbler you will get and the more appreciative you will be of the unknown wonders around you.

https://www.gautamdhimal.com
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The Frame Before the Shot