𝐀𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐓 𝐃𝐨𝐫𝐣𝐢

Karma T. Dorji is a photographer renowned for his suggestive portrayals of Bhutan’s landscapes and cultural heritage. With a background encompassing banking, social entrepreneurship, and volunteerism, Dorji’s photography reflects a deep-seated connection to the natural world and a profound appreciation for stillness and patience. His solo exhibition “PATIENCE – Life at My Pace” captures the serene beauty and subtle rhythms of the Snowman Trek, inviting viewers to contemplate the profound aspects of nature and existence through his lens. Through his work, Dorji inspires a deeper appreciation for Bhutan’s unique landscapes and the quiet moments within them.

Q:Can you tell us about your journey into photography? What initially drew you to this art form?
A. My journey began 30 years ago when I was in high school. My passion for the mountains, being in nature, and my interest in photography complemented each other. As a student at Yangchenphug High School, my friends and I embarked on our first trek from Thimphu to Paro. We were young and lacked proper trekking gear, but our passion drove us forward. It was an impromptu trip with my friends. We spent the night at Phajoding and reached Paro the next day.
During that trek, I fell in love with the forest, the sounds of the night, and the peaceful landscapes along the trail. It was then that I discovered my love for trekking. Back then, we didn’t have mobile phones, and I didn’t even have a camera, so those memories are all stored in my mind.

Q: What role do stillness and patience play in your approach to capturing moments through photography?
A. When I started loving the mountains and began doing photography, everything began to evolve. I realized the importance of patience, which became evident in my work. Initially, the focus of my exhibition was the highlands and heartstrings. Then my daughter and my better half, Chimi, started to trek with me. People said that everyone knew the exhibition would be about mountains because of social media and my love for them. However, they didn’t understand the deeper connection to my heartstrings. We brainstormed and decided that every time I held a camera or trekked to the mountains, there must be something that deeply represented me.
Upon reflection, I felt that ‘patience’ was the right concept to express, which led to the title of my exhibition. It required a lot of patience to arrange the treks and to capture the perfect shots of the mountains or portraits. Sometimes, I had to wait even 15 minutes for the perfect shot, knowing that the next moment could be ideal. This patience is deeply connected to my experiences because, like photography, trekking requires patience. Every step and breath in the mountains initially feels like a struggle, but the patience within me helps me reach passes and overcome difficulties on my journey.

Q: Could you share a memorable experience or story from your time spent photographing in the mountains of Bhutan?
A. I normally don’t follow the typical routes that tourists take. I always move away from the standard paths and try to find different routes. The pictures I have exhibited here, especially of the mountains, are from unique perspectives and viewpoints that tourists or those following the usual tracks would not see. One of the most memorable and challenging periods in my photography career was during the Masagang trek. As we climbed to the base of Masagang, Tsendengang Mountain stood opposite us.
During our ascent, we heard a loud roar. The sky was clear, and I sensed something was wrong. Then, on the other side, I saw an avalanche falling. It was one of those moments where I had to quickly take out my camera. I managed to get only two shots, but I was lucky. One of them captured the avalanche on Tsendengang, which I have exhibited here. It’s quite rare to capture an avalanche. In my 15 years of loving the mountains and photographing them, this is the second and best one.

Q: How do you hope viewers will connect with the landscapes and people of Bhutan through your exhibition?
A. My solo exhibition, “Patience-Life at My Pace,” owes its success to Azha Kama, founder of Vast Bhutan, and my better half, Chimi. They were my pillars throughout this journey. As a photographer, I could capture good shots, but their curation of the pictures and the installation of artworks offered a unique perspective to the audience. This exhibition, themed around my experiences, featured two main parts. The first showcased six 4 feet by 3 feet photographs that hold personal significance to me, taken during my Snowman Trek II.
This epic journey spanned 29 days from Paro to Bumthang, interrupted by the pandemic after completing the Paro to Laya leg initially. The second part highlighted Bhutan’s major mountains, spanning from west to central regions. Each photo series invites viewers to embark on a visual journey, experiencing the mountains through different perspectives. The third segment featured an installation artwork, a daunting task initially. Azha proposed a massive 18 feet by 9 feet poster of Tshorim Tsho, situated at 5300 meters. Witnessing its display left me awestruck.

Q: What challenges did you face while curating “PATIENCE – Life at My Pace”? How did you overcome them?
A. This is an inside story about me and my curator. I lacked confidence after being selected as one of the four artists exhibiting this year, with another four scheduled for next year. I went through my collection of nearly 3,000 to 5,000 pictures, wanting to showcase them all. I felt that some of my photos were my best work and deserved to be exhibited. However, my curator, Azha Karma, insisted that if the exhibition was to be thematic, we would not choose the best pictures but those that aligned with the exhibition theme.
That was the first challenge I faced, as it was difficult to see some of my best pictures being removed. Another challenge was the logistical arrangements, especially the printing of the pictures. Printing large-scale images is not possible in Bhutan, so we had to print them outside the country, which was always expensive. That was a significant hurdle. The third challenge was installing my pictures in the Vast Bhutan gallery. As the exhibition date approached, I became a bit nervous.

Q: As someone deeply connected to both the mountains and photography, how do you think your perspective on these subjects has evolved over the years?
A. When I started trekking, it was more than just a trek. When I began photographing, it wasn’t just to show my friends but for myself. That marked the beginning, and now I can see the evolution of my interest and patience. As I mentioned earlier, the patience I developed allowed me to connect not just with the mountains but with the entire journey. I want to talk about more than just the mountains and photography. It’s about the people I’ve met and the families I’ve become close to during my treks. Ten years ago, I met a young boy named Karma Tenzin, whom we call Parasite.
He is always with me, along with his horses, helping carry my bags and guiding me to spots where people normally don’t go to capture beautiful shots of the mountains and landscapes. Another important aspect is the family I’ve formed through trekking. We trek together not just for the love of the mountains but because of our shared passion, which connects us deeply and makes us like family.
Over the years of trekking and photographing the mountains, I’ve had to carry heavy camera equipment weighing 15 to 18 kilograms. This has made it crucial for me to stay fit and healthy, so being physically fit has become an integral part of my life. My journey has evolved in many ways. It’s not just about photography and mountains; it’s a whole chain of connections with me, my friends, and the people I’ve met. I would say I have become a better person than before. My perspective through my lens has changed. Patience is my number one priority. Whenever I take a photograph, I ensure I have at least 20 shots of the subject.

Message:

Yesterday, I was very happy after the exhibition opened. A group of students visited, and my goal is to have youths and students come to the exhibition. When I was young, we didn’t have such opportunities, and there were no exhibitions around. We could only see the mountains with our naked eyes and couldn’t imagine what life could be like up there. I consider myself lucky to have developed a love for the mountains, followed my passion, and pursued my dream. I photographed the mountains and now, displaying them. My main goal is for young people to come and see what our country has to offer.