Jared Cruce

PORTFOLIO: WORLD

Senge He River, TibetChiang are the wild donkeys of Tibet.Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
Spring time and the barley harvest completed, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic clans gather outside a village for a time of celebration. There are no tourists in this part of the country, except us. Young Khampas, and tough young men play pool on haggard tables, dancing and singing and libations of chinese beer abound. A antique movie projector plays a grade c chinese action movie onto a large white sheet that waivers in the breeze. The Tibetans watch the movie from both sides of the screen, applauding, hooting and hollering.Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
Semi nomadic yak herders on the steppe of Western Tibet. Ngari, TibetPhotograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
     
  
   
  
During our kayak first descent of the Senge He river we stumbled upon a remote monastery. We beached our kayaks and walked a mile up to the monastery where we found a handfull of monks living in a life so alone and isolated it was hard to comprehend. The morning we were leaving, we invited them down to see us off. They had never seen kayaks, let alone white people dressed in colored suits. Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
     
  
Mt. Kailash, TibetPhotograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
Gathering outside for the morning chant, fifty or so young monks dawn the yellow hats, and scarves, maroon robes and shoes, identifying the Gelupa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Tashiluhnpo is the home of the Panchen Llama who according to Tibetans is 2nd in the chain of wisdom, knowledge and leadership behind the Dalai Llama. Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
With time and space an irrelevant issue in the monastery, young monks pda someone, somewhere!Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
     
  
The circumambulation of Mt. Kailash is certainly the most sacred mountiain in all of Asia and perhaps the world. We hiked around the mountain in a clockwise fashion for three days reaching 18,600 feet. Joined by Buddhists and Hindus alike, we took in the harsh drama of the broken landscape. Bon Pos, who believe in a blend of early animsim circumambulate the mountain in the counter clockwise direction, an offered face to face meetings along our journey. These young Tibetan Bon Pos were here on vacation and were filled with the enthusiasm and delight of two college girls on a spring break road trip. Which is exactly what they were. Except for 36 miles of prostrating jagged boulder fields with little or no food or water, I would say they compare.Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
     
  
Circumambulation of Mt. Kailash, Tibet.Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
  
     
  
   
Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
   
LHASA, TIBETLIke a time traveler from deep in the past, this Tibetan pilgrim had traveled a long, and hard road to the center of Tibetan culture and religion. Standing before the Johkang temple in the center of the Lhasa, the deep forehead scar tells of miles of prostration and relinquishing of physical hardship through meditation and prayer. Photograph Jared Cruce - Professional Commercial, Editorial photographer - Oregon.
     
  
   
Moonrise over the Gangdise Mountains, Tibet.