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December 1, 2008 |
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Created and Maintained by: The Photoimaging Information Council |
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In 1982, aspiring photographer Leslie DiRusso took a year off from her New York City teaching job and bought a one-way ticket to London. Armed with the dream of becoming a travel photographer, and some cash from the settlement of a traffic accident, DiRusso headed for China. She didn't realize it then, but the trip would change her life. TakeGreatPictures.com caught up with Leslie in New York and experienced the Heinrich Harrer Limited Edition Portfolio first hand, the latest chapter in DiRusso's continuing fascination with the images of the fast-disappearing culture of Tibet.  TGP: What drew you to China? DiRusso: Curiosity. Sixty percent of my students were Asian and I wanted to find out more about that part of the world. I had been practicing on shorter trips to Latin America and the Middle East, so I really was familiar with my equipment, but this was the "great adventure." I took two cameras, three lenses and a hundred rolls of film. Looking back, I'd wish I'd taken a lot more film; it was very expensive and hard to come by in China. Photo: Leslie DiRusso TGP: Any second thoughts? DiRusso: I probably should have done more research on China and Tibet. I had seen Eve Arnold's shot of the Potala, the Dalai Lama's Winter Palace in Lhasa, and I was determined to shoot this magnificent building myself. Before I left I knew little about Tibet; I had never heard of the Dalai Lama. But I did have lots of time, six months in China and half of it in the "closed provinces" of Tibet. It took several attempts and long rides on trains and trucks, but eventually I hitchhiked into Lhasa with another American woman I met in China. We stayed in Lhasa three weeks, so I was able to shoot the Potala many times, at different times of day and in different weather conditions, and I did get the shot I wanted!  The Ancient City of Lhasa - Photo: Leslie DiRusso TGP: What spawned your interest in 'Heinrich Harrer'? In Lhasa, I learned more about the history of Tibet and China. But the real breakthrough was when another traveler gave me a copy of Heinrich Harrer's Seven Years in Tibet, which tells the story of Harrer's trek into Lhasa in the 1940s and his friendship with the young Dalai Lama.
The book included photographs that Harrer had taken thirty years earlier and I was intrigued by how much Tibet had changed. I never forgot Harrer's pictures.  Photo: Leslie DiRusso cont...
Heinrich Harrer probably didn't realize it at the time, but his photographs captured a culture that has now all but vanished. His photographs are significant because he was actually shooting for the Dalai Lama, documenting Lhasa so the Dalai Lama could see what life was like outside the Potala. That gave Harrer unique access to ceremonies and scenes of everyday life that no other Westerner has ever had.
It's really miraculous that these photographs exist at all. Heinrich Harrer discovered a can of unexposed 35mm movie film and bought a used camera from a Tibetan friend. He didn't have a light meter, but he had five years to study the city and its people.  Photo: Leslie DiRusso International Socialist Day for Children, June 1st, 1982. He learned to speak Tibetan and he had friends who were willing to pose for him, so he was able to shoot very economically. And, from time to time, he'd borrow other cameras, which allowed him to shoot more.  Photo: Leslie DiRusso TGP: You've just published a portfolio of Heinrich Harrer's photos of Tibet. How did that come about? DiRusso: 1991 was the International Year of Tibet, so I wrote to Heinrich Harrer proposing the idea of a touring exhibition of his photographs to help educate Americans about the traditional culture of Tibet. He said yes, and the exhibition traveled for nine years and was seen by more than a million people. Along the way I decided to produce a limited edition portfolio of photographs selected from the exhibition, because these rare photographs have great historical value.  Photo: Leslie DiRusso TGP: Any tips for travelers who want to take better pictures? Learn to use your equipment to its full potential. DiRusso: Lots, but these are the most important. Prepare before you go. Practice using your equipment under various circumstances -- indoors, outdoors, with and without flash -- and learn how the exposure meter in your camera works. Read the manuals carefully. If you're heading to a cold climate, check to make sure that your equipment will work in low temperatures. Research your destination before you leave to get an idea of what to expect. Take as much film as you can. Remember, film is the least expensive part of your trip. Print film is easier to work with because it's more forgiving. Pack your film in a separate small bag and have it visually inspected at the airport -- no X-rays -- and brings lots of Ziplock bags to store it in. Bring a tripod or a monopod so you can shoot landscapes and night scenes. Keep the inside of your camera clean and dust-free. Once you arrive, spend some time getting a feel for the place before you start taking pictures. Ask the locals about the most scenic or interesting spots, and study postcards. Make the moment count; capture the memory while you have the chance. You might never have it again. Pay attention to the fundamentals like composition and lighting when you shoot, and bracket your exposures. The few extra moments you spend will reward you for a lifetime. Jot down caption information in a notebook as you shoot and mark your film canisters so you can identify your shots. If you do run out of film, use whatever film you can find. Do whatever it takes to keep shooting, even if it means using disposable cameras or unfamiliar film. Take as many photos as you can. They may not all come out, but the more you shoot, the better your chances of having more great shots when you get home.  Photo: Leslie DiRusso The Heinrich Harrer Portfolio The Heinrich Harrer Limited Edition Portfolio is a collector's item. It is the first limited edition portfolio ever produced from noted explorer Heinrich Harrer's unique treasury of 3,000 images of traditional Tibet shot between 1948 and 1951.
Click below to view some of the Harrer's extrodinary images captured during his time Lhasa. 
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