The Blue Lakes of Shahimardan: A Photo Essay

More than 1,500 metres above sea level. A gorge in the Alay Mountains. From Shahimardan, the "Uzbek Switzerland", we made our way to the Blue Lakes by an old cable car. Despite my fear, I have been afraid of heights all my life, I managed to capture the mountains as we travelled, taking both photographs and video. It became a personal challenge, and a chance to overcome my fear. On the rocks, I noticed amusing little figures of wild animals. Looking at them, you find yourself coming out of that state of fear and getting distracted.

The idea of photographing nature in its pristine state, without visual noise, even before the grasses and trees have begun to bloom, worked beautifully. At this time of year, long before the hot days and the start of the holiday season, the main, larger lake has no water at all. Instead, an extraordinary, almost otherworldly view opens up onto its completely flat, dry bed. Here and there, overturned boats lay waiting for spring. There were people too, but very few, nothing like the crowds of the summer season.

There was one thing that saddened us: everywhere we saw traces of human presence. Litter and the remnants of everyday life distracted from the extraordinary beauty of this place. Yet this is not a problem limited to this particular site. We encounter it in other protected areas across our vast country as well. Every time I photograph remote, little-visited places and overcome the logistical difficulties of reaching them, I become more convinced that people need to think about how we treat our heritage, both natural and man-made. And it makes no difference which country it happens to be in.