Uzbekistan

About Uzbekistan
The people of Uzbekistan are noted for their
kindness and hospitality. In fact, the people of
Uzbekistan are so generous we were invited to a
rural wedding. We met the families, experienced the
traditions and were free to photograph as much, or
as little, as we liked. In return, we provided the
family with prints of this truly special occasion.

Bhukara, Khiva, and Samarkand are UNESCO World

U z b e k i s t a n

Heritage sites that must be visited during a visit to

Uzbekistan. A journey through Uzbek architecture is
a journey through time itself, from magnificent
palaces to intricate mosques. Since Uzbekistan is a
relatively new tourist destination, traditional ways 2
of life are very much part of the daily routine.
 City View

This shot of Bukhara’s skyline

was taken around sunset from a
hidden location, that is off-
limits to most visitors. Thanks to
my local contacts I am able to
find such locations. While the
obvious shot from here would
be with a longer lens and fill the
frame with the stunning
mosque, I was looking for
something different with my
28mm lens. I used the wall and
the lone man to create 3 layers
to this shot.

Location
Bukara
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F-Stop
f/5.6
ISO Speed
800
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Exposure Time
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 The Wedding

I think everyone would agree

that the rural wedding was the
highlight of the tour. The whole
experience will be remembered
for the rest of my life and we
were made to feel so welcome.
The costumes were so intricate,
the ancient customs were
fascinating and the entire event
was simple to shoot as it was so
visually interesting.

Location
Gazalkent village
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F-Stop
f/4
ISO Speed
200
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Exposure Time
1/250 sec
 Testimonial
“
Wow, what an adventure! My trip to Uzbekistan with
Tom was filled with amazing sights, delectable food,
and fascinating culture all experienced with the
company of the truly wonderful people who also
joined the tour. Tom is kind and gracious with a subtle
wit. He paid attention to every detail to ensure that
our journey was enjoyable.
The people, the architecture, and the landscape of
Uzbekistan provided endless opportunities for
photography.
U z b e k i s t a n

The tour exceeded my expectations in every way. I

learned a lot, I had a blast, and was enriched by the
experience. I look forward to exploring another part
of our amazing planet with Tom in the future.
Rob P 5

Uzbekistan photo tour 2022 participant

 The Baker

This bakery is in chorsu bazaar,

Tashkent’s huge, vibrant
market. The bakers are friendly
and they were more than
happy to allow us to get close
and photograph. The Baker’s
gold teeth are a common sign
in the Uzbek culture and
something that very much
intrigued our group.

Location
Tashkent
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F-Stop
f/2
ISO Speed
200
6
Exposure Time
1/500 sec
 The Busker
This was one of those pure
chance scenes. It’s a moment
we stumbled on by simply
crossing a road and there was
this young man looking like a
total rock star surrounded by
beautiful soft light. I have other
variations of this image but this
one works best as it is almost
totally symetrical and there
are no other people in the
background, which would have
been a distraction.

Location
Tashkent
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F-Stop
f/4
ISO Speed
1000
7
Exposure Time
1/500 sec
 Testimonial
“
I had the privilege to join Tom and on this incredible
trip to Uzbekistan. When I was first invited to join the
group I thought, will it be dangerous? Well, nothing
could be further from the truth. Uzbekistan is a
country full of extremely inviting people with ready
smiles...Tom took us to places that I could have only
imagined, from barren lands where we spent time in
a yurt and were entertained by local people to the
magnificent UNESCO sites and cities full of history
and culture. Tom is a great teacher and took time out
to help each and every one of us. No question was
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ever too ‘silly’ to ask. I would not hesitate to join him

on another photography tour. Everything was well
planned and not rushed. The trip was perfect

Lori V 8

Uzbekistan photo tour 2022 participant

 The Weaver

I met this weaver in Fergana,

she showed me the whole
weaving process. The
traditional way that the silk is
still spun to this day is
fascinating. I intentionally
composed the shot to have the
woman’s face nicely framed by
the spokes but with her hand
still visible and showing the
thread.

Location
Fergana Valley
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F-Stop
f/5
ISO Speed
400
9
Exposure Time
1/500 sec
 The shop
This woman was good fun, you can
probably tell that from the look on
her face. Visiting a madrasa in
Samarkand and she promised us a
secret look inside one of the old
classrooms, knowing this story
would end in her trying to sell me
something I went along with it.
She knew that I knew what she
was up to and we both laughed as
she opened the door to reveal a
shop full of local produce.

Location
Samarkand
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F-Stop
f/5.6
ISO Speed
250
10
Exposure Time
1/125 sec
 Testimonial
“
Taking now the second photography tour with Tom
and following part of the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, I
can tell you all his tours are life-changing
experiences, not only as a photographer but as
human being. I learned so much about my camera
and photography in these trips, probably what I
would accumulate in an entire year on my own.
Talented photographer, outstanding group leader and
patient mentor, Tom organized another beautiful and
diverse trip, packed with unique places and
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memorable experiences. My favorite was definitely

the traditional Uzbek wedding, where we got to
capture rituals and customs of thousand years old
culture.

Andra G 11

Uzbekistan photo tour 2022 participant

 The Streets

One thing you will notice if you

ever travel to Uzbekistan is just
how clean the country is. Every
morning you’re bound to see
people sweeping and cleaning
pathways. This shot was taken
in the early hours while
exploring Khiva and nicely
shows the woman silhouetted
against the ancient walled city.

Location
Khiva
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F-Stop
f/5
ISO Speed
200
12
Exposure Time
1/800 sec
 The Dress

The architecture at Registon

Square in Samarkand is simply
incredible, it’s almost a
photographer's playground. My
personal style always looks to
include a human element in the
scene. I set my shot up with an
interesting background of the
blue arches. It wasn’t long until I
was fortunate enough for a
woman in a red dress to walk
directly through my frame

Location
Samarkand
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F-Stop
f/4
ISO Speed
160
13
Exposure Time
1/1000 sec
 Testimonial

“
After two inspirational tours with Tom, I won’t
hesitate to join again. Both Kyrgyzstan and
Uzbekistan are magnificent countries to visit. The
people are kind and generous (and photogenic).
The trip was well planned and there was
excellent guidance. Thank you for a memorable
experience!
U z b e k i s t a n

Louise V
Uzbekistan photo tour 2022 participant
14
 Group Photos
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elit.
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15
 Join me in
Uzbekistan 2023
After an amazing tour in 2022, we've updated
this adventure along the silk route, where
you´ll witness some of the most breath-taking
architecture in the world.
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SIGN UP

16
 Itinerary 2023
28th May- 8th June

Day 3 & 4
Day 3 will be an early start as we head to the
huge market of Chorsu Bazaar, which is one of
the best markets in the world for photographers.
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Day 1 & 2
Upon arrival at Fergana international airport, you
will be transferred to your hotel. Later we will meet
the tour guide for a half-day guided tour to explore
the local ways of life and visit a traditional silk
factory.
Day 2 we will continue the Silk Road theme with a
visit to a pottery studio and have lunch with a
blacksmith who will show us around his workshop.
We will then get the fast train to Tashkent.

There's just so much to capture. After lunch we

will return to the hotel, visiting some of the
spectacular metro stations that Tashkent is
famous for.
The following day, we will transfer to the
domestic airport for a flight to the ancient land
of Khorezm. After the flight, we will drive
directly to the ruins of 2 fortresses in the Kyzyl
Kum desert. Our accommodation will be
in traditional yurts.
 Day 5 & 6
After an early start to capture the desert at sunrise, we will drive
through the countryside, stopping off at small markets and
meeting village farmers. Our destination? The incredible city of
Khiva. We will meet local artisans and be able to climb on top of
the city wall for an incredible view as the sun sets.

Another early morning start will allow us to capture the ancient

streets at blue hour. After breakfast we will have a guided
Photo-
Day 7 & 8
sightseeing tour of the open-air museum-like city known as
Khiva, which is believed to have been founded by the son of graphs
Open
Day 7 Head to Bukhara, where we will explore Noah.
the old quarter. With over 300 mosques and a
network of backstreets to explore away from the Khiva is the most architecturally intact city on the silk road. The
tourists, Bukhara has much to offer. The 2500-
year-old city of Bukhara, the second UNESCO
intense green-and-blue tilework ranks as some of the most
magnificent in Central Asia.
Doors
site on this tour
We will visit many of the highlights, Ismail
Into The
Past
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Somoni Mouseleum, Boloi Havuz

Mosque, Poikalon Complex - the highlight of
the city that includes the Kalon Mosque and
Minaret, and the Mir-i-Arab Madrassah.
Day 8 is going to be a real highlight! We have
been invited to a small village where we will 18
have the chance to photograph a genuine
wedding in rural Uzbekistan as well as
participate in the local customs and traditions.
 Day 9 & 10
On day 9 we will continue to explore the streets of Bukhara
before departing via a fast train to Samarkand. We will arrive in
time to photograph Registan Square, the most famous landmark
in Samarkand, and possibly the whole country. We will capture
this remarkable building at sunset and stay for the blue hour.

An early start will take us to visit some of Samarkand's

highlights, including Sha Zinda Necropolis, Bibikhanum Mosque
and the Amir Temur Mauseleum Gur-e Amir complex.
Day 11, 12 & 13
On day 11 we will head into the countryside to
explore village life, and take a short hike to
explore nature and meet the locals.

By the evening we will have made our way back

to Samarkand for a final farewell dinner before
our departure early the following morning.
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19
 Photography
is the story
I fail to put
into words
Tom Bourdon, a multi-award-winning travel photographer specialising in
recording cultures across the globe. He has won multiple international
competitions and has been a finalist in the Travel Photographer of the
Year competition 8 times.
Tom's work has appeared in numerous international magazines,
newspapers, guidebooks and publications, such as the National
Geographic Traveller, The Sunday Times, The Independent, Wanderlust,
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Hello magazine, P&O, Insight Guides and Microsoft. Tom is also the Top
Guru at Gurushots, where he continues to educate and inspire
photographers of all abilities.
Tom relishes taking his camera to some of the world's craziest events
which can be seen on his website where you can also find out about his 20
authentic off the beaten track photo tours.
 The End
Thank You And I Hope See You Soon

Director at Raw.Tours

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