“The Joy of Tashi”
The story of a young monk in Nepal, on a journey to discover where photography and Buddhism come together.
Thank you to the following companies who are have generously supported this project
Help us do something special in the Himalayas, and help a talented young monk on his journey to learn photography. The more resources we can bring into the production stage, the better our chances of getting Tashi's story out into the world.
Where Your Donations Go
$2,000 A new laptop for Tashi to edit photos. $260 Peak Design sling for Tashi's new camera gear.
$300 DxO PhotoLabs for Tashi. $980 Covers an iPad for our local production team to track project updates. $1,100 Macro lens for Tashi. $1,500 Renting studio lights for filming interviews. $1,400 License to operate a drone in Nepal. $2,800 Donation to a monastery in Kathmandu as appreciation for filming on location. $3,000 Hire a local audio engineer. $5,300 Full frame camera with three prime lenses for Tashi. $5,000 Is what we want to donate to Tashi’s parents to support their basic living expenses. $12,800 Lets us hire two jeeps with driver for our journey through the Mustang Valley. $9,900 32TB of SSD storage while on location. $1,600 Fly our DOP to Kathmandu. $1,500 Private van while filming in Kathmandu. $600 OKKO magnetic filter set – 82mm x3 plates and NDs. $500 Set of A3 inkjet prints to give to our host in Bhaktapur. $350 8x10 prints for each of the novice monks in Marpha Gompa. $320 New mobile phone for our porter (Ram) who broke the screen on his a few months ago. $75 Buy us breakfast! Coffee and a pastry at a local croissant shop in Kathmandu becomes a little treat to lift the spirits of the entire team during the 40 day production schedule. We are very happy to receive multiple brekky sponsors!Filming Begins March 2025
This project is going ahead with whatever level of support we can manage. We have our plane tickets and hotels booked and have cleared our client schedules. We will send our donors updates with each new milestone we hit while in production.
High in the Himalayas a young monk is learning the art of photography. And then he met a professional photographer and mentor. Together they start a new journey.
Editorial photographer Ewen Bell has been travelling to Nepal for over a decade, and when he met a monk named Tashi he knew this was the beginning of a very unique story.
This is a series about photography, the Himalayas, and Tashi's talent for sharing his joy. It's about how we learn, how we connect and how we find our place in the world.
In a modest temple located on the edge of the Mustang Kingdom is a monk named Tashi. He is a teacher for the temple, respected and admired by the younger novices.
Tashi speaks excellent English, and has also started learning how to drive a camera. His joy with the craft is obvious, and the joy it brings to those around him even more so. He is humble, generous and eager to go far on his journey.
The hero of this production will certainly be Tashi. Behind the scenes Ewen is the architect, but on screen his role is merely offering guidance to our monk. It is Tashi’s words that will carry the story, and Tashi’s charisma that will reach through the screen.
Tashi has been a life-long student of Buddhism and has excelled as a teacher. But he is also enamoured with the beauty of photography and it’s ability to bring joy to others.
Over the course of four weeks we will take him on a journey around Nepal to explore where his photography and culture connect. We want to give him the chance to step deeper into the creative world, and discover how the camera can compliment his life as a monk.
For fifteen years my journeys into the Himalayas have been a source of humility and inspiration. The people, the cultures, and the photography. My time in Nepal has simply made me a better person, and given me guidance in the task of mentoring others.
Nepal is a place that changes people for the better. Not everyone will visit the Himalayas in their lifetime, so I want to make a TV series that can bring millions of others along for the ride, and follow in the footsteps of one very inspiring monk.
For two decades I have shared my travel and photography knowledge in workshops, writing for magazines, publishing on my blog and my YouTube channel. I’m an ambassador for LUMIX and Sigma in Australia.
Ewen has an established treatment style for his video work in Nepal, which leans heavily on his editorial photography style. Realistic and gentle, with a light touch on the sliders. Light and bright plus plenty of warm tones.
Powerful landscapes at dusk and dawn are useful for setting the context of life in the Himalayas. A strong focus will also be on intimate moments with Tashi, dramatic lighting inside temples and the occasional goat herd heading out at dawn. The emphasis is on the beauty of daily life in the Himalayas, not a postcard perfect rendition of hotels.
Expect to see lots of hazy smoke from burning incense, warm glows from butter lamps, and natural light filtering through windows.
Behind the scenes are an amazing group of people. Ewen has worked with a small group of Nepalese guides for the past decade, and they already have experience assisting foreign film crews in addition to running photography workshops. These are long trusted colleagues who understand the demands of a shoot schedule, and the quirks of creative projects.
These are the people Ewen trusts to help him deliver the best possible logistics.
The other Executive Producer for this project is Cameron Barnett, a deeply experienced DOP and Director with credits to hundreds of productions ranging from Netflix comedy specials to live performances with P!nk. Not only does Cam bring a depth of knowledge to filming on location and the rigors of production, but his creative vision is something that moves the entire prodcution forward.
The Tashi Team
Growing up on the fringes of the Mustang Kingdom, Tashi's dream has always been to belong to the monastary and teach Buddhism. Along the way he discovered a joy and a talent for photography. The two come together as an expression of joy and spirit. We'll get to know Tashi is detail through the episodes of our television series.
Our lead for all the Nepal logistics, Tsering and her family has been working with Ewen for a decade. Tsering is from the Sherpa region of Nepal and has a special appreciation for the practice of Buddhism in the Mustang region. She also has immense patience for the slow and contemplative nature of photographers :)
Fifteen years of travel and photography in Nepal has given Ewen a deep connection to this part of the world. When he met Tashi in a village on the edge of the Mustang Kingdom, he realised that this monk was the story he had been waiting to share. Their journey together is the basis of this series.
With decades of experience filming live performances and serial content for streaming services, Cam brings a depth of experience to this project. A long time friend and collaborator with Ewen, Cam has been integral to the direction of this production since it's first inception.
Project Updates
You can help us on our journey to share Tashi's journey. We are building this project with minimal funds with a view to seeking an international audience. The better we can execute this production, the better our chances of getting this wonderful story out into the world. We want to make this production the best it can be, and you can help us do that.