Mikey Wier and SOULFISH made the May 06 Issue of Nationl Geographic Magazine. This Photo was taken on an Exploratory tip of Northern Maongolia while filming for the SOULFISH movie. The photo, that made the back page of the May Issue, was caputed by Corey Rich while staying at a small gear camp near the Egan Gol in the Bulgan Province. Corey is world renound photographer who joind the expedition to shoot some photos for Patagonia. Corey's work has graced the pages of magazines world wide. For more about Corey and his photography, visit www.coreyrich.com.
This image was captured at 12:30 in the morning. Corey opened up the exposure while I painted in the light on the tree with a headlamp. The orange glow comming from the gear is the natual candle light comming through the white canvas. The photo is cool because it shows the stucture that makes up the gears walls. One detail you can't see at night is the ornate traditional paintings on the door and around the top ring of the tent. The only reason you can see the candle light so well, was because the gear had not yet been lined with felt for the winter. The canvas was held aruond the wooden framing with hand woven hourse tail hair rope. The whole structure can come down in a matter of minutes and be packed small enough to be carried by a single Yach. Most Monglians who live in the countryside move at lest two times a year. Once in the spring, and again in the fall.
The stars were amazing from the mongolian countryside. There wasn't a single electic light bulb for dozens of miles. The milky way was the most vidid i have ever seen. We would sit for hours telling stories and drinking the local Vokda. Chimbuat Chulum, our camp host makes his own Vadka from distilled goat milk. The potant liqure comes on strong and has an even stronger after taste. Peter Mullett, our trip host, is a seasoned Mongolia veteran. He has and endless armada of stories. Between him, his partner, Genavevie and our interperator Tumen, we had some great jokes and stories to pass around the camp fire. We talked, laughed and drank many a night away.
Just after this photo was taken, we set out on an exporatory float trip down the Eg River. We didn't see another single person, besides our group, in three days on the river. It was pure excitement to fish for Taimen in their native habitat. The Hucho Tiamen is the largest of the salmonid species. Their native habitat ranges from the Danube river in the Czech Republic, through Eastern China and Northern Mongolia and up to into Eastern Russia. They are now concidered threatened in most of their native range. Northern Mongolia has become a stronghold for these ancient fish. Many of the rivers are starting to become protected. Local gorups like the Taimen Foundation, have been able to pass laws to protect these magnificent fish from poaching. There are many efforts underway to protect these increadable fish and the locals are starting to see the value of keeping these fish alive instead of net harvesting the rivers. For more info on the Taimen or Mongolia, check out, www.mongofly.com
MikeyWier
Corey Rich on the train to Erdenet just after seeing a Black Wolf. Our inteperator said it was a good omen.
