Dajie, Ciding and Gengqiu Qupeng grew up together and are herdsman photographers from Angsai Township, Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, their hometown is known as the "hometown of China's snow leopards", and it is also the core area of the Lancang River Source Park in Sanjiangyuan National Park. When they were young, the three of them herded cattle together every day, never imagined that the hands that once held the whip were now holding a DSLR camera and "transformed" from herders to professional wildlife photographers.
On March 3, the reporter followed this herdsmen's photography team and embarked on their road of "sweeping mountains". In the evening, the best time to "meet" snow leopards is the best time. The three took up their cameras and prepared to go to the mountains behind the village to "try their luck".
【Live sound】Herdsman photographer Dajie
This is fox droppings, Kawanishi pika's footprints, they just came a few days ago.
【Commentary】In recent years, photographers from all over the world who come here to "encounter snow leopards" are endless, and they continue to communicate and learn with photographers, from the beginning of using ordinary digital zoom card machines to photograph various wild animals encountered on the way to grazing, to now holding a telephoto lens to shoot more professionally the precious pictures of snow leopards "parenting" and eating, photography has also changed from the "hobby" of the three of them to "career", many photographic works have frequently won awards, bringing honor and bringing them part of the income.
【Contemporaneous】Herdsman photographer Daje
When we were shooting the little snow leopard in 2019, when we saw the little snow leopard over there, the little snow leopard had not yet opened its eyes, and the three of us went to shoot the little snow leopard together, and we filmed for a total of 35 days.
【During the same period】Herdsman photographer Seek Qu Peng even more
Today I go to guard, tomorrow it is Dajie, the day after tomorrow it is Jiding, and that's it.
【Contemporaneous】Herdsman photographer Tsetin
(in order not to disturb the snow leopard) can only go to one person on duty a day.
【During the same period】Herdsman photographer Seek Qu Peng even more
When we first saw it, there was a pass, there was a stone blocking it, the location was very good, we were hiding here, the snow leopard was behind the pass, we went in from a hidden place to shoot, it would not affect the snow leopard, it would not be discovered, and they went out to find food at noon and so on.
【Commentary】In 2020, the Sanjiangyuan wildlife photography works taken by this photography team were exhibited in Shanghai. Dajie told reporters that many photography enthusiasts who go to see the exhibition are very interested in their works, and he is proud to let more people know his hometown and know the wildlife here.
Dajie's love of photography also influenced his daughter Kang Zhuo. When Kandro was 7 years old, under the guidance of his father, he successfully photographed snow leopards, making him the youngest photographer in the world to capture clear pictures of snow leopards at that time. Now in the third grade of elementary school, Kangzhuo still drags his father to the mountains to look for wildlife tracks when he is on vacation.
【Ambient Sound】I asked Dajie to present the award to Gengzhuo together, and more Zhuo came up (up) to receive the award.
【Commentary】Nowadays, more and more young people in Angsai Township have begun to pick up cameras and show the world the ecology of the Sanjiangyuan area by means of images, and the team of herdsman photographers is gradually growing.
(Reporting by reporter Zhou Ruichenzi and Yushu, Qinghai)
Responsible Editor: [Luo Pan]