The Workshop 2017 for Protection of Cultural Heritagein Kathmandu, Nepal
15-20 November 2017

Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office,Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU)
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan

The Workshop 2017 for Protection of Cultural Heritagein Kathmandu, Nepal
15-20 November 2017

Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office,Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU)
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan

Edited and Published by
Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office,Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU)
757 Horen-cho, Nara 630-8113 Japan
Tel: +81 (0)742 20 5001
Fax: +81 (0)742 20 5701
e-mail: nara@accu.or.jp
URL: http://www.nara.accu.or.jp
Printed by MeishinshaⒸ Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office,Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) 2018

Preface

Since opening in 1999, the Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office, Asia/Pacific Cultural
Centre for UNESCO (ACCU Nara Office), has been involved in a variety of ways with international
cooperation related to the protection of cultural heritage in the Asia/Pacific region. One form of thiscooperation has been the development of personnel, centered on training programs.
Among our training programs conducted in Nara, there is first of all our Group Training Course, towhich we invite 15 specialists from 15 nations for one month of training on two themes, “Preservation
and Restoration of Wooden Structures” and “Research, Analysis and Preservation of ArchaeologicalSites and Remains,” held in alternate years. Because the participants come from 15 different nations,the lectures and other aspects are conducted in English. From 2000 to the present, there have been 18
persons from the Nepal participating in this group training.
Also conducted principally in Nara is an Individual Training Course, on themes selected by theparticipants, such as wooden structures, archaeology, conservation science, or museology and so forth,with the curriculum tailored individually in hand-made fashion. We annually invite participants fromtwo or three countries, with about two participants per nation, for up to one month of training.
A third type of training program is called a “Workshop,” . These are held not in Nara but in theparticipants’ countries overseas. Beginning with Cambodia in 2007, we have conducted this programin ten countries thus far. In Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Philippines the theme was methods forinvestigating and recording wooden structures, while in the other nations the content was related toarchaeological investigation and recording.
The theme of the current workshop in Kathmandu is “Photographic Documentation of Cultural
Heritage and Management/Utilisation of Digital Data.” This is the method of documentation,
we will introduce the making of a photographic record of a heritage data such as historical building
and museum collections. With the recent spread of inexpensive and easy to use cameras, anyone can
now take a digital photo by just pressing the shutter. But photographs related to cultural properties arefor the purpose of recording historical materials, and have the role of preserving the data for the future.
Accordingly, they require the proper quality, accuracy, and level of information content. Our aim is to
get the participants to think about photography from this perspective.
On the occasion of this workshop we are fortunate to have the Mohanchork in Hanumandoka palace,
an important building historically for the Nepal, made available as the stage for this training. This istruly a great honor. I am certain both those of us holding the workshop, and also the participants, will
be paying very close attention to the training because of this.
We were fortunate enough to receive the cooperation and support from Department of Archaeology(DOA), Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, as a co-organiser. I would like to extend mysincere gratitude to Mr Bhesh Narayan Dahal, Director General of DOA, Ms Mandakini Shrestha,
Deputy Director General of DOA, Mr Jaya Ram Shrestha, Head of National Museum, Ms Aruna
Nakarmi, Head of Hanumandhoka Durbar Office; Dr Suresh Suras Sheretha, Head of World Heritage
Conservation Section and to all related staff and parties for their cooperation. Also, special thanks
to OGAWA Masashi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Japan in Nepal,
NISHITANI Chisako, Second Secretary (Information and Culture), Embassy of Japan in Nepal,
YADOMI Toshio, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Nepal, NAGAMI Kozo, Senior Representative,
Japan International Cooperation Agency Nepal Office (JICA Nepal Office) and TORIUMI Yoji,
Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency Nepal Office; who provided useful
information on Nepal and gave the suggestion on our activity.
Lastly, I would like to express my appreciation to Nara National Research Institute for Cultural
Properties for their cooperation in dispatching an official to our workshop. I am also thankful to the
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan (Bunkacho) for their continuing support. We are greatly indebted tofor the preparations which have led up to this day. I offer them my heartfelt thanks.

NISHIMURA Yasushi
Director
Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office,Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU)Contents
PrefaceI.

Introduction
1. General Information… ……………………………………… 3
2. Programme Schedule… ……………………………………… 5

II.

Workshop Journal… ……………………………………… 7

III.

Reports by Participants… ………………………………… 31

IV.

Appendix
1. Participants… ……………………………………………… 55
2. Instructors…………………………………………………… 56
3. Interpreters… ……………………………………………… 56
4. Coordinator… ……………………………………………… 57
5. Supporters…………………………………………………… 57
6. Collaborators………………………………………………… 58
7. Organisers…………………………………………………… 58

I. Introduction

Nasal Chok, Hanuman Dhoka

1. General Information
Workshop 2017 for Protection of Cultural Heritagein Kathmandu, Nepal

1. OrganisersThis course is jointly organised by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan (Bunkacho); the Asia-Pacific
Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU); and the Department of Archaeology, Ministry of Culture,
Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal.
2. Background
Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia situated between China and India. It is rich in cultural
heritage nurtured by its long history and diverse culture, such as widely known World Heritage
sites, “Kathmandu Valley” and “Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha.” However, rapid
modernisation and urbanisation from the end of the 20th century have posed a new problem in theappropriate protection and inheritance of cultural heritage. In addition, the Gorkha Earthquake in 2015
inflicted enormous damage on the cultural heritage in Kathmandu Valley, and their rehabilitation is also
in urgent need. Under such circumstances, one of the pressing needs is human resource development in
the practical field of cultural heritage protection through international cooperation.
ACCU Nara Office has been working together with Nepal National Commission for UNESCO and
Department of Archaeology (DoA) under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation since
2000, accepting 12 participants from Nepal into cultural heritage protection training programme tocooperate and support the human resource development.The Gorkha Earthquake in 2015 affected
historical structures such as old palace and temples in Kathmandu Valley as well as museums andtheir collections. Proper documentation of both movables and immovables is indispensable for thedevelopment of future risk management for the cultural heritage.
Photographic documentation serves as effective information source for the future. In this regard andits usefulness, many participants from various countries highly appreciated the programme of cultural
heritage photography practice provided in the past ACCU training courses.
After mutual consultations on these issues, ACCU Nara Office and Department of Archaeology of
Nepal are to organise a workshop in Kathmandu on the photographic documentation of cultural3

heritage and data management and utilisation, aiming at the human resource development to protect
the cultural heritage in Nepal.
3. Location
GroupA: Hanuman Dhoka, Darbar SquareGroupB: National Museum in Kathmandu, Nepal
4. Dates
11 November (Sat.) to 22 November (Wed.) 2017 (including preparation and transfer)
Training period: for six days from 15 November (Wed.) to 20 November (Mon.) 2017
5. Theme
Photographic documentation of cultural heritage and management/utilisation of digital data
6. Curriculum
Lecture・Introduction to the photographic documentation of cultural properties
・Basics of photography
Practical Training
・Photography (traditional structures, archaeological artefacts, etc.)
・Management and utilisation of digital data
7. Participants
Twenty researchers who are involved in investigation, research and preservation of cultural properties
in Nepal, and who belong to a research institute, the management and preservation office for culturalproperties, or a museum.
8. Language
The main working language of the training course is Nepali, with consecutive interpretation fromJapanese.
9. Instructors
NAKAMURA Ichiro (Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties)
SUGIMOTO Kazuki (Saidaiji Photo Studio)4

2. Programme Schedule
Date

11

15

Morning (10:30–13:00)

Wed.

(10:30–11:30)
・Opening Ceremony(12:00–13:00)
・Orientation for the Workshop

Afternoon (14:00–16:30)
Lecture:(14:00–16:30)
・Basic Knowledge of Photography
・Introduction to Photography of Cultural
Properties(Instructor: Mr NAKAMURA Ichiro
and Mr SUGIMOTO Kazuki)(Venue: National Museum)(Group A)
Documentation of Traditional Structures(Instructor: Mr SUGIMOTO Kazuki)(Group B)
Documentation of Museum Collections(Instructor: Mr NAKAMURA Ichiro)・Lecture: Introduction to Photographic
Techniques for Traditional Structures
・Practical Training: Photographic
Techniques for Traditional Structures I

・Lecture: Introduction to Photographic
Techniques for Movable Cultural Properties
・Practical Training: Photographic Techniques for
Movable Cultural Properties I

・Practical Training: Photographic Techniques
for Traditional Structures II・Practical Training: Photographic Techniquesfor Movable Cultural Properties II・Practical Training: Photographic Techniques
for Traditional Structures III

・Practical Training: Photographic Techniquesfor Movable Cultural Properties III(Venue: Mohan Chok in Durbar Square)

16

17

18

Thu.

Fri.

Sat.

(Venue: National Museum)(Venue: National Museum)・Practical Training: Digital Data Management and Utilisation
19

Sun.

(Instructor: Mr NAKAMURA Ichiro)（Venue: Hotel Annapurna）

20

・Practical Training: Digital Data Management ・Discussion
and Utilisation
・Evaluation by Instructors(Instructor: Mr NAKAMURA Ichiro)(Instructor: Mr NAKAMURA Ichiro and Mr
Mon.
SUGIMOTO Kazuki)
・Closing Ceremony (16:30–17:00)（Venue: Hotel Annapurna）（Venue: Hotel Annapurna）

5

II. Workshop Journal

Wood curvings stored in Patan Durbar Square12 November (Sun.)
The ACCU Nara team, staff members and two instructors, departed from Kansai International Airport
for Nepal via Hong Kong and arrived at Tribhuvan Airport late at night.
13 November (Mon.)
Consultation with the National Museum of Nepal / Preparation for Opening Ceremony
ACCU Nara held a meeting with Dr Suresh Suras Sherestha (the former participant in the Group
Training Course 2009 in Nara) and Mr Jaya Ram Shrestha, Director of the National Museum of
Nepal, to make detailed arrangements for implementation of the workshop. Then ACCU Nara staff
went to Kathmandu to purchase necessary articles/tools for setting up the venue and for the training
programme.

Department of Archaeology

14 November (Tue.)
Signing Ceremony of MoU
The signing ceremony of MOU was held at the office of the Department of Archaeology. Mr Bhesh
Narayan Dahal, Director General of the Department of Archaeology, and Mr NISHIMURA, Directorof ACCU Nara, singed MOU of the workshop in the presence of ACCU Nara staff, instructors and Dr
Sherestha.
In the afternoon, ACCU Nara held a meeting with Mr TAI Tadatsugu and Ms HIRAI Nami from JICA
Nepal Office at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, to be used as a workshop venue. The conference
room in the south building of Mohan Chok was reserved for the lecture thanks to the cooperation of
JICA Nepal Office and the Department of Archaeology. In addition, we selected several buildings
appropriate for the practical training of photography.

9Department of Archaeology

Signing MoU between DoA and ACCU Nara

Meeting with Ms Nakarumi
at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Office

15 November (Wed.)
Opening Ceremony at the National Museum of Nepal
The opening ceremony was graced with the presence of Mr OGAWA Masashi, the ambassador ofJapan to Nepal, as a guest of honour. After his arrival, Dr Shrestha declared the inauguration of theceremony. At first, Ms WAKIYA Kayoko of ACCU Nara introduced the general information of theworkshop in Nepal: the background, the purpose, and the process to the implementation. Then, Mr
Ogawa and Mr Dahal performed the traditional lighting ceremony as Inauguration of the Training
Programme, followed by the opening addresses by Mr NISHIMURA Yasushi, Director for ACCU
Nara and Mr Bhesh Narayan Dahal, Director General of the Department of Archaeology. Finally, Mr

10

Mr Suresh Suras Sherestha

General Information from ACCU Nara

The traditional lighting ceremony

Mr Bhesh Narayan Dahal

Mr OGAWA Masashi

Mr NISHIMURA Yasushi

11

OGAWA Masashi, the ambassador of Japan to Nepal, delivered a congratulatory address as a guest of
honour.
Mr NISHIMURA briefly outlined the training activities of ACCU Nara, which had been inviting
many participants from Nepal; emphasized the importance of photographic recording of culturalproperties; and expressed his appreciation for the cooperation of the Department of Archaeology andthe related organisations. Mr Bhesh Narayan Dahal expressed his gratitude in return to ACCU Naraand the Government of Japan; ACCU Nara invited many officials of the Department of Archaeology
who learned a lot and acquired important skills necessary for cultural heritage protection and they are
now greatly contributing to the protection of cultural heritage all over Nepal. Mr OGAWA introduced
the Japanese support project for the earthquake disaster of Nepal in 2015; mentioned the ACCU
Nara training programmes; and expressed his expectation that this workshop will contribute toward
the progress of cultural heritage protection in Nepal and the establishment of a better cooperation
framework between the two countries.The group commemorative photographs were taken to conclude
the opening ceremony.
Orientation Session
ACCU Nara distributed the handouts; confirmed the training schedule and checked the names ofparticipants on the certificate. The lecture started in the afternoon.

Orientation

Self introduction by participants12Lecture：Basic Knowledge of Photography/ Introduction to Photography of Cultural Properties
NAKAMURA Ichiro (Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties) / SUGIMOTO Kazuki(Saidaiji Photo Studio)
Mr NAKAMURA introduced the different types of cameras; the performance of a camera isdetermined by pixel numbers and the size of an image sensor, which influences the information volume
into a camera. Considering those factors, we should select the camera suitable for shooting culturalproperties. He recommended a single-lens reflex camera that enables us to adjust an aperture and a
shutter speed, and to select the image data format for storing and he lectured on basic knowledge of it.
Mr SUGIMOTO subsequently demonstrated necessary techniques to take photographs of culturalproperties with a 4×5 camera as follows:・How to represent the correct shape of a subject: a telephoto lens provides the image with lessdistortion.

・How to represent the correct colour of a subject: a grey card provides the correct colour.

・How to focus a lens on a subject correctly.

・

How to preserve the data in good condition for a long period: black and white photographs are
suitable for storing.

The participants asked many questions on how long the black and white photographs could bepreserved; the structure of a 4×5 camera and lens performance and so on.

Lecture by Mr SUGIMOTO

Lecture by Mr NAKAMURA

13

16 November (Thur.)
For the next three days, the class was divided into two groups: ten members in each group. Mr
SUGIMOTO took charge of Group A: Documentation of Historical Building at Hanuman Dhoka, and Mr
NAKAMURA took charge of Group B: Documentation of Museum Collections at the National Museum.
Group AThe instructor confirmed three important points to remember for photography: (1) to represent theoriginal shape, (2) to represent the original colour and (3) to focus correctly. Then he lectured on
methods of colour representation by using a grey card; how to adjust light in combination of theaperture, the shutter speed and the ISO speed; and on the photography data format. To prepare theafternoon session, Group A made setting of their camera as follows:・

Setting of a shooting mode（AV：Aperture Priority Mode or M：Manual Mode）

・

Selection of the data storage format（For both JPEG and RAW formats）

・

Setting of ISO (ISO400 was set.）

After that, they took photographs in AV mode while checking the depth of field under a guidance of
the instructor. The instructor also showed how to set the desirable angle to shoot a large building.

Practical session at Nasal Chok

14

Group B
The classroom lecture started with the explanation of the exposure modes (the relation between
an aperture and a shutter speed), the depth of field, and appropriate lighting depending on thecharacteristics of a subject. In the afternoon, the participants set up a temporary photography platform
and the lighting stand for the practical training. Then, the instructor demonstrated how to handle thelighting properly in detail.

Lecture at National Museum

Making a temporary photography platform

15

17 November (Fri.)
Group AIn the morning lecture, the instructor reviewed the exposure modes (the relation between an apertureand a shutter speed) and explained the photographs taken under the different lighting and shooting
positions. He also presented with PPT the purpose of a grey card and compared the projected
photographs with and without on the screen; he explained how the length of focus (of a wide-angle
lens and a telephoto lens) would affect the images. In the afternoon session, the participants had thepractical training of taking photographs in a dark place with a flash lamp and lighting apparatus at thewest building of Lohan Chok. They also took photographs of elaborate woodcarvings with a flash lamp
at the south building of Mohan Chok.

Practical session at Lohan Chok

16

Photo session with flash lamp at Lohan Chok

Group B
In the morning, the participants set up additional temporary photography platforms and lighting stands
and prepared three platforms in total for shooting from the front and overhead. In the afternoon, they
selected the subjects for shooting such as a stone statue, earthenware and a coin, and started to takephotographs. The class was divided into three groups and each participant took photographs in turn
guided by the instructor’s advice on the handling of a camera and lighting. All of them experienced thewhole process of photography of the front and overhead shots.

Venue for practical session in National Museum17

18 November (Sat.)Group A
After reviewing the previous day’s practical training on photography, the instructor explained with
PPT the detailed procedures of shooting with a flash lamp in a dark place. He also introduced thecolour tone correction method with a grey card by comparing the images. Then, the group moved to
Mahadev Temple to take photographs in a dark place such as under eaves. They learned two types ofphotography in a dark place: by adjusting an aperture and with a flash lamp. Each of them exercised
their ingenuity by using a reflection board, adding several flash lamps and changing the aperture setting
to take photographs under the eave. In the afternoon, the participants selected image data among
today’s photographs to be used for the tomorrow lesson, Digital Data Management and Utilisation, andsubmitted them to the instructor. After the question and answer session, the practical training for threedays concluded.

18

Group B
For the next lesson, Digital Data Management and Utilisation, each participant prepared thephotographic images of their own. They took photographs of a stone statue, a painting, a coin andjewelry following instructor’s advice by devising fine adjustment on the camera settings depending on
different characteristics of a subject. The instructor reviewed and commented on the practical training
for three days to conclude the session.

19 November (Sun.)
Lecture: Digital Data Management and Utilisation I
Instructor: NAKAMURA Ichiro
The lecture was delivered at Hotel Annapurna. At first, the instructor reviewed with PPT theappropriate setting for each scene and the white balance and explained two methods for the colour tone
correction: by setting a white balance mode in a camera; by a grey card and a correction on PC. In the19

afternoon, the class was divided into groups of two or three, and practiced RAW data processing on
PC. They downloaded free software, Law Therapy, and loaded the photographic data. They learned themethods for adjusting the histogram and correcting colour tones of the image.
20 November (Mon.)
The participant continued their work on the procedures of data processing at Hotel Annapurna: a seriesof a workflow from data correction to storage. Then, the instructor lectured on the data storage methods
and introduced three methods for storage: TIFF, RAW, and JPEG. The JPEG format is not suitable
for later adjustment, so the TIFF/RAW format would be preferred for the important data. There areseveral storage media available for data including a memory card, a hard disk and DVD, but each typeof storage has advantages and disadvantages. So, he recommended that data should be stored in botha hard disk and a DVD-R for long period and should be updated appropriately. He explained about thecreation of database for photographic images and introduced the EXCEL database. To summarize thelecture, he emphasized the importance of the management of photographic data.

20

Evaluation and Discussion
Group B: Mr NAKAMURA Ichiro
The instructor chose several photographs taken by the participants and evaluated them as follows:・You should be careful about the direction of light: the facial expression of an engraved statue
totally changes according to the lighted direction. To light it from diagonally above of a
subject is desirable. If you light it from below, you will get scary expression.

・

You should pay attention to the background colour when shooting: The colour of red or blue
reflects the artefact and you cannot represent the accurate colour of it.

Group A: Mr SUGIMOTO Kazuki
The instructor chose several photographs taken by the participants and evaluated them as follows:・ You should select a right angle when shooting the large building: a photograph that contains
a whole building image without obstructive structures like poles in front.
・ Take photographs of large structures from a distance as far as possible, and you can get aphotograph with little distortion and much information, including the roof.
・ You should place a grey card as close as possible to the subject building.
After the lively question and answer session, the today’s lesson was concluded. The participants
submitted the training report and the workshop completed.

Adjusting colors by RAW Therapy software

21

Closing Ceremony
Closing Ceremony started closing address by Mr NISHIMURA. He expressed his hope that eachparticipant would contribute to handing down the cultural heritage of Nepal to the next generations byutilizing the newly acquired knowledge and techniques in the workshop. He also hoped that ACCU
Nara would consider the possibility of holding the similar workshop again in Nepal to complement
the short period of the workshop and that ACCU Nara would like to continue to cooperate with thecultural heritage protection efforts of Nepal. Then, Mr Bhesh Narayan Dahal and Mr NISHIMURA
jointly awarded a certificate of completion to each participant.
Remarks by Representatives of Participants
Mr Sunil Dongol of Group A
I have been working at the Department of Archaeology as a photographer, but I learned professional
skills and techniques for the first time. I understood that fine adjustment of lighting is very important toget correct images in addition to various settings. The programme of the workshop was well plannedand elaborated one. Lastly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to ACCU Nara representing all
participants.
Ms Yamuna Maharjan of Group B
The lecture was well organised and easy to follow step by step. I used to take photographs by setting
an automatic mode so far, but I really think I can take better photographs after attending this training
programme. I also learned what photographs are appropriate for the museum records. I feel sorry that
one week of the training period has passed so fast and I wish it would be longer. I hope that ACCU
Nara will implement the similar workshop again in the future.
Closing Address by Mr Bhesh Narayan Dahal, Director of the Department of Archaeology
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all related organisations including the Embassy ofJapan in Nepal, JICA Nepal Office and ACCU Nara. The workshop was an event having profoundsignificance for the Department of Archaeology. I expect that all participants of the workshop will
absorb the knowledge completely and fully utilize what they have acquired, back in their own
workplaces.
At the end, the Department of Archaeology presented a commemorative gift to ACCU Nara. The group
photograph was taken to commemorate the workshop and the closing ceremony was concluded.

22

Closing address by Mr NISHIMURA

Closing remarks by Mr Dahal

Certificate of completion

Remarks by Mr Sunil Dongol

23

Remarks by Ms Yamna Maharjan

21 November (Mon.)
The ACCU Nara team held a meeting at Patan Museum with Dr Sherestha of the Department ofArchaeology and Dr Rohit K. Ranjitkar of Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT). MrNISHIMURA expressed his appreciation for their assistance and cooperation for the workshop in
Nepal. Then the team moved to the Tribhuvan Airport and left Nepal on a midnight flight.
22 November (Mon.)
The ACCU Nara team arrived at Kansai International Airport via Hong Kong in the afternoon and was
dismissed after passing immigration.

24

Group A

Group B

25III. Report by Participants

Buddhist Art Gallery of National Museum1. Shubhadra Bhattarai, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Section, Department of Archaeology

Photography is a reflection of reality. It is an art as well as the science of capturing light and storing it
on some medium. It also gives a truthful depiction of the world. In brief, photographs are a medium bywhich we can document and record our heritage. So we often use photography as a tool to present ourvalued heritage in a way not possible to express in words. Photography skills are extremely essential in
the field of heritage conservation. So we (as archaeologists or conservators) should be required to haveknowledge of photographic techniques. That is why photographic training is a preference for our work.
It is also useful for making publications.
We all know that Nepal is very rich in cultural heritage. In Nepal, last year on the 25th of April adevastating earthquake caused massive destruction of heritage. Accordingly it was necessary to
conduct a photographic survey and make photographic documentation of the damaged cultural heritage
before starting any conservation/reconstruction work.
We are very happy to have this opportunity to be part of the training program. I gained knowledge
from the interactive lectures by the expert from ACCU Nara, and practical training in how to operatea professional camera for indoor and outdoor photography. Through this training I now understandthe concepts of photography, the techniques and skills of indoor and outdoor photography, using agray card, the relation between aperture and shutter speed, and about ISO sensitivity, flash and lightorientation. I also understand about lenses, image processing and data management. We examinedphotography from different angles and modes for historical buildings, and took, presented, andanalyzed various photos for comparison, and discussed what was lacking in each to learn about the best
options. This training will really benefit not only me but our institution as well. The knowledge gained
from the lectures and practical activities will benefit my day-to-day fieldwork and my profession. I
will try my best to execute these skills and I will definitely share this useful knowledge with my othercolleagues too.
At last, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the government of Japan, to ACCU Nara, andparticularly I would like to extend my thanks to our instructor Mr Sugimoto Kazuki for sharing his
valuable time, precise knowledge and experience with us.

33

2. Debendra Bhattarai, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

Nepal is now in the rehabilitation phase after an earthquake of 2015. The earthquake damaged a lot of
cultural heritage of Nepal. Some of the monuments were totally devastated and some were seriously
damaged. Documentation is of great importance in heritage conservation. Among such documentation,
photographic Documentation is perhaps the most important. The international community has
been providing a great deal of assistance for the conservation of cultural heritage in Nepal after theearthquake. Among such assistance, that provided by the government of Japan is highly significant.
Like so much other support provided for the conservation of cultural heritage, the week-long training
program on ‘Photographic Documentation of Historic Monuments and Museum Objects’ organized by
ACCU Nara, Japan, in close collaboration with the Department of Archaeology of the government of
Nepal, has also been a landmark support program in many ways.
I have done a lot of photography during my career as an archaeological officer. I have taken hundredsof pictures of damaged monuments after the earthquake for the purpose of documentation andinventory, and while I had some knowledge about photography as a separate discipline of study, I had
no clue at all that photography has so many technical aspects and dimensions. This training programorganized by ACCU Nara has not only boosted my interest in monument photography but also haschanged my opinion and perspective about the subject.
The professional photographers among the participants must also have benefited from the training, ina different way. I have gained an understanding of important aspects of photography such as aperture,
shutter speed, ISO speed, focus, color, use of a gray card, etc., and I am now able to use them tothe extent of my learning. Apart from photography, the training program in its last two days also
highlighted photo filing and data management, which will be very useful for the filing and managementof our photographic record.
I was especially impressed and highly influenced by the presence of Dr. NISIMURA Yasushi himself,
Director of ACCU Nara. It was an extraordinary opportunity for the participants to learn from highlevel experts from Japan Besides, I am also highly impressed by the humble and polite demeanor of allother officials from ACCU and both of the interpreters, SARASWATI Bharati and MANOJ Giri.

34

3. Purushottam Acharya, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

The training on photography and documentation about historical and archaeological monuments
conducted by the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO is very important and I’m very glad tohave been a part of it.
I’d like to thank all of the teachers from Japan along with the interpreters who translated the Japanese
into Nepali and made it easy for us to understand the subject matter.
The training on how to photograph and document historical and archaeological monuments conductedby the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO is very important and useful.
Even though the training was for a short period, I was able to learn a great many things. So, in myview and that of my colleagues, the training would have been better if it continued for about 15 days.
Thank You35

4. Shova Maharjan, Architect
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

The workshop 2017 organized by ACCU NARA from 15 November to 20 November, for six days in
Kathmandu valley for the protection of cultural heritage was quite satisfactory and very fruitful for
us. The main purpose of this worship was to provide knowledge of cultural properties photography, sothat such photographs can be used as research materials, and as a record. Cultural heritage is our pride,
which we have to preserve and transfer to future generations. Documentation is essential for preserving
this heritage, and while there are different forms of documentation, a photographic record is one of thebest forms.
Normally, we take photographs in ways focused on our requirements, but this workshop made clear for
us the seriousness of photography and its value for documentation. Photographs are actual images, so
minute details of reality should be reflected in their original color and surroundings. The best featureof this workshop was the combination of theoretical and practical classes, so that we could learn
a range from the basic knowledge of photography to techniques for actual camera adjustment andsettings, exposure settings based on aperture, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity, plus white balance
management, in various situations.
For the best photography, either in outdoor or indoor spaces, camera adjustment plays a great role. In
the case of dark surroundings, flash should be used and if that is not sufficient then extra LED lights
are used. Even on a sunny day, flash or other lighting can be used for shaded portions, which is reallyinteresting, and for color balancing, a grey card is used for taking photos. Use of a tripod and standcan also contribute to achieving the best photography. Data management was also an essential part ofthis workshop, and we learned that if all photographs which are created are saved as raw files, thenprocessing is easier.
Being an architect, this workshop was very interesting and informative for me. Detailed photographyof all facades of a monument, of its projections, roofing styles, of each and every joint detail seems
possible now with all these techniques of photography. This will obviously help in detailed drawing
work so that more precise work can be carried out. Hence I am very grateful to all the teachers, the
ACCU team, the mentors and management committee for allowing me to participate in this workshop.

36

5. Prem Laxmi Shakya, Engineer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

Culture heritage is our pride, which should be transferred from generation to generation. So it is our
responsibility to preserve it as it is. For preserving heritage, documentation is one of the essential
factors. Documentation will help to store records for future use.
Hence the training programme provided by ACCU Nara for the protection of culture heritage isvery important for us. This programme was held for six days in Chauni, Hanumandhoka, and Hotel
Annapurna.
The main objective of this workshop was to train us to take photographs of our heritage as it is.
All of the teachers and members of the team were very nice and informative throughout the training.
The training started with very basic knowledge of camera mechanisms, and the settings of the camera,
including exposure settings. The teachers also taught about the photographic configuration within thecamera and the development of cameras from the days of the original physical medium to today’s
digital format. They also taught about the configuration of the camera itself.
Classes began with theoretical topics, where we learned about the photographic environment andproper setting according to the environment. For outdoor photography, the aperture, shutter speed, andISO sensitivity are totally different than for pictures taken indoors. As we will need the best quality
image, the focus should be properly maintained. The aperture, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and whitebalance are the main things to keep in mind for perfectly exposed photography. The combination ofthese things will give the best photo. So for photos where there is not enough light, good results canbe obtained with help of flash or LED lights. Another very essential item we learned in this workshop
is that a gray card is also very important for getting the correct color in a photo and will also help inprocessing photographs in the computer.
In this way this workshop was very good for me, for knowing the details of the camera and theperspective of taking photographs to obtain better photos. Hence I want to thank the entire team andteachers.

37

6. Manjari Pradhan, Archaeological Officer, Engineer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

Workshop 2017 for Protection of Cultural Heritage started from the 15th of November and ran throughthe 20th of that month. The programme was hosted by Dr Suresh Shrestha, Vice Secretary, who was
accompanied by the Japanese Senseis (Teachers), Mr Bhesh Narayen Dhal, Director General of DoA,Mr Jayeram Shrestha, Chief of the National Museum, Ms Aruna Nakarmi, Chief of Hanumandhoka
Durwar Herchaha Adda, the ambassador of Japan to Nepal, and the participants from the National
Museum.
Being one of the participants in this programme, I became acquainted with some of the great amountof work done by the Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office, Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for
UNESCO, or ACCU Nara.
We participants were divided in to two parts, groups A and B. This workshop, in which I was allocatedto group A, took place in Hanumandhoka. As a matter of fact, the workshop was without doubt
enjoyable and informational. The credit for this astounding workshop goes to our teacher (Sensei)
as well as the interpreters, Ms Bharati Sarswoti and Mr Manoj Giri. Being from the cultural fieldof cultural heritage monuments, I had opportunity to learn numerous methods for taking picturesof heritage. Without appropriate photographs of cultural heritage and monuments our inventory is
incomplete, so I came to appreciate the importance of this photography session. Photography is aforemost method for safekeeping the actual form and architectural structure of cultural heritage andmonuments, and is suitable to the needs of management. If there is any damage to a heritage item, it
can be restored to its original form with the aid of these photographs.
Consequently, I feel blessed to be a part of this workshop provided by ACCU Nara, and look forward
accordingly to using the knowledge that I gained.

38

7. Nisha Sapkota, Engineer
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

First of all I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my ministry, the Ministry of Culture,
Tourism and Civil Aviation, and the Department of Archeology for giving me such a significant
opportunity to take part in the workshop 2017 for Protection of Cultural Heritage in Kathmandu,
Nepal.
I would like to convey my sincere thanks to ACCU Nara for providing such an important workshop
and their continuous guidance, suggestions, support, and encouragement during the workshop.
This is my first photography workshop so I am extremely satisfied with the contents because with thisworkshop I became well acquainted with a basic knowledge of photography, meaning the roles andtypes of photographs. This workshop also provided me with knowledge about the correlation of theaperture and shutter speed as the exposure setting on the camera. Besides this understanding, others
things this workshop provided me with are knowledge about the use of a grey card, processing digital
data, and shooting techniques. In my view the time for such a workshop should be a minimum of two
weeks so we could gain much more information about photography.
Of course I would recommend this training seminar to others, because this type of training seminar
gives knowledge about how to set up a camera for cultural properties photography, how to photographcultural properties, and also gives guidelines for the preservation and conservation of culturalproperties photographs centring on digital records, understandings of how to utilise and preserve
digital photographs, of the change in colour temperature with the time of day, how to interpret themeaning of a histogram, etc.
Lastly but not least I want to extend my appreciation to the interpreters for their cooperation in making
our workshop so much easier and friendly.

39

8. Narbada Shrestha, Photographer
Photography Section, Department of Archaeology

Workshop 2017 Protection of Cultural Heritage started from 15 November and continued through 20
November 2015. The programme was hosted by Dr Suresh Shrestha, Vice Secretary of the Departmentof Archaeology, accompanied by the Japanese Senseis (Teachers), Mr Bhesh Narayen Dhal, Director
General of DoA, Mr Nishimura Yasushi, Director of Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation
Office, ACCU, Mr Jaya Ram Shrestha, Chief of the National Museum, Ms Aruna Nakarmi, Chief ofHanumandhoka Durwar Herchaha Adda, the honorable Mr Masashi Ogawa, ambassador of Japan to
Nepal, and the participants from the National Museum.
Being one of the participants of this programme, I became acquainted with some of the abundant
work done by the Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office, Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for
UNESCO (ACCU Nara).
The participants were divided in to two groups, A and B. In this workshop I was put in group A,
which met in Hanumandhoka. As a matter of fact the workshop was undoubtedly enjoyable andinformational. The credit for this astounding workshop goes to our teacher (Sensei) as well as theinterpreters Ms Bharati Sarswoti and Mr Manoj Giri. Being from the cultural field of cultural heritage
monuments, I came to know about numerous methods for photographing heritage. Without appropriate
photographs of cultural heritage and monuments our inventory is imperfect, so I came to understandthe importance of this photography session. Photography being a foremost method for safekeeping theactual form and architecture of cultural heritage and monuments, it is suitable to management needs.
If there is any damage to a heritage item, it can be restored to its original form with the aid of thesephotographs.
Consequently, I feel blessed to be a part of this workshop by ACCU Nara, and accordingly lookforward to using the knowledge that I gained in all of my future pursuits.

40

9. Sunil Dongol, Photographer
Photography Section, Department of Archaeology

This is my first photography training after joining the Department of Archaeology. In this training,
I have come to know more about lighting, color reproduction, and shooting techniques. With theJapanese experts I learned more about photography. The most important thing I learned in this training
seminar is that we have to concentrate hard while we are taking a photo, as we must think about the
purpose for which we will take the photo, and we must use the right techniques and photographic
accessories to take better photos, and only then can we obtain the maximum value in terms ofphotographic documentation.
Thanks go to our teachers for providing us with valuable lessons about photographic documentation,and I’m very much impressed with WAKIYA Kayoko in the way she cooperated during the training.
I’m very grateful to the ACCU and the ACCU team for organizing this training workshop. So, in future
I’ll be very glad if I can get more advanced training in photographic documentation. Finally, I feel thistraining has been very useful for me even though the duration was short.

41

10. Srijana Subedi, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Conservation Section,
Department of Archaeology

The relationship between Japan and Nepal has long been influential, and Japan has been helping Nepal
in various fields related to construction, technology enhancement, and in the protection of cultural
heritage. And this program has also helped in the same way.
The entire training was very wonderful and I believe the training will be very beneficial for my entire
career. Various aspects regarding cultural properties photography and documentation were taught in apractical way, so that my photography of cultural properties shall be very much more effective in the
future. The major ideas about handling the camera during photography and the camera settings were
taught in the training through actual practice. The training included the overall concepts regarding thephotography and documentation of cultural properties. To sum these up from my understanding, themajor areas covered by the training were basic knowledge of cultural properties photography, change
in colour temperature with the time of day, camera settings for cultural properties photography, andguidelines for the preservation and proper documentation of such properties.
With regard to the recent devastating earthquake (April 25, 2015), the preservation and renovationof the historical properties became very challenging in the absence of proper documentation andphotography of those properties. There was no proper system for documentation with photography ofthose cultural properties, which created difficulty in assessing exact data for the destroyed historicalproperties.The training shall be very helpful in the proper documentation of historical monuments togenerate exact data about cultural properties.
One area of relevance for this training is the systematic documentation method for cultural properties,
or CHIMS as the abbreviated form of Cultural Heritage Information Management System, which has
been developed for the systematic documentation of heritage property datasets. We hope that with thehelp of CHIMS, we shall be able to conserve exact data on heritage materials so that we can minimize
the kind of loss we suffered before.
Lastly, I would like to thank the entire team of ACCU Nara, Japan, for conducting the training and theDepartment of Archeology for providing the opportunity to participate. I hope this type of training
shall be conducted in the future as well, and that I shall have an opportunity to participate again.

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11. Nabaraj Adhikari, Museum Officer
Department of Archaeology, Regional Museum in Surkhe

The cultural heritage (monuments and other properties) comprises a fundamental means for knowing
the past. Accordingly these heritage materials should be studied and researched. The study and researchof cultural heritage materials demand their proper documentation. Photography is the best meansof documentation for the cultural heritage. If the photography is not conducted properly, it becomes
more difficult to know our history. Accordingly, archaeologists and museum personnel need to know
the basics of professional photography in order to document the cultural heritage. In this regard, the
ACCU Nara workshop 2017 for protection of cultural heritage in Kathmandu, Nepal, has been fruitful.
The workshop focused on the importance of the following.
•

Light setting, camera settings, aperture, exposure, and ISO sensitivity•

Photographic tools and techniques of museum collection regarding antiquities in different
circumstances•

Color conversion and reproduction•

Processing raw digital data (such as NEF) into JPEG and other formats•

The preservation of photographs for future study and research

The workshop will contribute to strengthening our institutional capacity on the following bases.
 Development of professional insight and skills in the conduct of archaeological photography
 Enhanced confidence of personnel for documenting cultural properties
 Understanding by personnel of the vitality of light and shadow in photography
Hence the organizers should be acknowledged and thanked for this workshop. It would better if thisworkshop had the duration of seven days in order to have enough practice. It would better if theparticipants had their own cameras and laptops and it would be better to review the workshop with arefresher session within one year.

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12. Pratima Ranjit, Museum Officer
Department of Archaeology, National Art Museum, Bhakthapur

I started my career with the National Museum, Chhauni, 29 years ago. Now, I have been working as a

museum officer in the National Art Museum at Bhaktapur since 2013.
I feel privileged to participate in this workshop on the photographic documentation of cultural heritage
and the management/utilization of digital data, as training in basic knowledge of cultural properties
photography. As a whole the training is very beneficial to me in terms of its content and practicallearning. Moreover, I have learned how to manage photographic, visual data of our important objectsof cultural heritage, and utilize such data in the present digital world. I am very eager to put thelearning of this training to use in my professional life. I think this will help me to document objects ofcultural heritage at my office in the proper way. And this documentation will obviously be a milestone
in the preservation of this heritage in our records for the future.
In these 29 years of my work experience, this training has been unique for me. This is very wonderfultraining which makes available basic knowledge of cultural properties photographs. Therefore, I would
like to heartily thank to the organizer ACCU Nara, and the DOA of Nepal and all my fellow participantcolleagues. I also hope and wish to participate in this kind of capacity enhancement training in the
future.

THANK YOU44

13. Kaji Man Pyakurel, Museum Officer
Department of Archaeology,
Monument Conservation and Palace Maintenance Office Lalitpur

Nepal is rich in both cultural and natural heritage. Tangible and intangible cultural heritage is our prideand is situated all over the country. Kathmandu valley being the capital city consists of much living
heritage, having seven World Heritage Sites registered with UNESCO. The birthplace of the Buddha inLumbini and surrounding sites are part of the archaeological heritage of the country. After the massive
earthquake of 2015, many workshops, seminars and discussions have been organized and yielded
fruitful output for the recovery of damaged heritage.
In this regard, the ACCU workshop for the protection of cultural heritage through photographic
documentation aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of young and concerned professionals.
During the training, useful lectures were delivered on modern techniques of photography such as thecamera settings, exposure setting, lighting, color temperature and reproduction, and shooting andprocessing the digital data. I was also able to enhance my skills and techniques in the procedure ofsetting the aperture and shutter speed in relation to the ISO sensitivity. The role of the grey card isvery useful for the maintenance of the true color of the objects. The practical sessions of the workshop
provided many techniques and skills for setting the camera and shooting. Processing the digital data isa very useful application for protecting the photos and keeping a true record of the cultural heritage.
All of the lecture topics were very useful and achievable for the sustainable protection andconservation of our cultural heritage through the photographic documentation system. We always talkabout the authenticity of heritage, which is only possible to verify with a highly accurate technicalrecord. Maintaining the authenticity of heritage needs enhanced skills and professionalism as provided
by this workshop program. Therefore, I cannot say enough about the value of this workshop and thetraining achievement. We have no personnel with such a depth of knowledge about photography in ourorganization. While short but sweet, this training is very fruitful, amazing and wonderful. I would liketo make a fervent request to ACCU Nara, to please give priority to Nepal for similarly relevant future
training which can help us with the protection and recovery of our damaged heritage.

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14. Yamuna Maharjan, Museum Officer
Buddha Art Gallery, National Museum

I was immensely pleased with the workshop. Learning about photographic documentation and the

management/utilization of digital data was really enjoyable, along with being relevant to my work. It
was a most useful six-day workshop.
I enjoyed learning about the important aspects and tools of good photography. In the past, I had notconsidered things like aperture, shutter speed, exposure, arranging lights, original shape of the objects,
color temperature, or texture in my museum object/heritage photography work. I only used the automode on cameras and without further processing I used the photos in my report writing and also in our
digital inventory of museum objects. Now that I have learned new information on photography fromthe two Senseis, Nakamura Ichiro and Sugimoto Kazuki, who presented it very clearly, I believe I will
be able to take better and more accurate pictures for the digital record, publications and printing.
The workshop format was excellent, and the course materials were presented very clearly. It was easy
to follow as Ichiro Sensei highlighted the relevant parts of the slides as he went along. Additionally,receiving the handouts of the slides in advance which I can review on my own later, and getting tolearn practically, added value to my experience.
The facilitators were very knowledgeable, and addressed our questions right away with expert answers.
The interactive and practical sessions have been really valuable.

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15. Mimi Pradhan, Museum Officer
National Museum, Department of Archaeology

The lectures and practical training were held on the premises of the National Museum, Chhauni, in
Kathmandu. This workshop was very informative and fruitful, providing us with training in technicalmethods regarding photography. The collections of artifacts in the National Museum include around
10,000 items, out of which around 200 are in good condition and the rest are facing serious danger ofdeteriorating. However, the museum has not been able to take concrete steps due to a lack of proper
training and proper technical knowledge about the conservation of historical objects. So this workshop
gave very valuable training for obtaining precise data to keep from before and after any change ofcondition of historical properties. Through this workshop I have learned how to use a camera in theproper way. The lectures consisted of an outline and guidance regarding documentary photography.
The photographic documentation of the objects is a vital part of the initial step of an accession, andfor keeping a photographic inventory in the museum. Understanding the importance of photographic
documentation for research, conservation and storage, and learning step by step the basic techniques of
how to make accurate images of objects and how to preserve and utilize image files made me realizethat photographic documentation is very important for the safety and security of heritage.

From

the training as whole, I came to understand and experience the importance of using the camera withhistorical properties. As a result of this training, I will be able to use the functions of camera for proper
photography, to aid in the protection and recording of data for cultural properties in the museum.
Finally, my overall experience in this workshop was quite interesting, relevant and inspiring. It’s beena great opportunity to participate in the workshop conducted by ACCU and I gained terrific knowledge
and concepts of photography that are highly applicable to my own work. This will help me to develop
further knowledge and enhance my career in the field of the photography of cultural properties, andhelps to solve issues that I faced before in conducting photography. I will definitely apply the methods
I learned that are within our means to improve the practices at the National Museum, Chhauni.
I heartily extend my thanks to ACCU, Nara and its team. My special thanks go to Mr Nakamura Sensei
for his tremendous effort in giving me guidance and a better understanding of photography. I also thankMr Nakai San, Ms Suzuki San, Ms Wakiya San who gave us full attention in the entire workshop. I
generously thank the DOA for selecting me to participate in this worthwhile training workshop.

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16. harada Shiwakot, Museum Officer
National Numismatic Museum

From 15 November 2017 we participated in very useful training which was held for six days, thatis from 15 November – 20 November, in which we were given a delightful opportunity to learn
advanced, skillful, modern and very useful photographic techniques which will help us in the future
as well as in many ways such as taking perfect and appropriate photographs of various objects wesee, and it will be very much required in our official work also such as taking pictures of monuments,
museum objects, ancient objects, etc. Now we will no longer limit the beautify of things we see in life
to just seeing them, because we can take photos and keep them with us throughout our life time andlook at them whenever we want.
We were trained by a very worthy and extremely talented Japanese team, who taught us everything
in a very brief, organized, and systematic manner; the balance between lectures and practical training
was very amazing, as we were taught everything in detail and after that given the chance to practice
it as well, which made the concepts very much clearer to all of us and the training will surely remain
in everyone’s mind for a very long time. Everyone was given individual attention, and all the trainers
made sure that the concepts were clear to everyone and every individual learned in the best possible
manner. Now we no longer need to approach a professional photographer for shooting museum objects,
as we can all do it by ourselves, all thanks to the amazing Japanese trainers who made us somewhat
professional in such a short period of time, that is just six days. We learned everything in a systematicand brief manner where time management was a major factor. Every individual was taught techniquessuch as lightning, color contrast, focus, zooming in and out, cropping, and many more advanced skills.
I would highly recommend this training to everyone because in this modern era photographic skills
are very important for capturing the beautiful moments of life, which we would otherwise be limited
to seeing and living just in the moment. These six days of time were worthwhile and very fruitful. I
would like to thank ACCU Nara for providing us this opportunity to learn new things, meet amazing
people and learn much more about the facilitators’ culture, heritage, ancient history, lifestyle and much
more.

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17. Sharmila Upreti, Museum Officer
Buddha Art Gallery, National Museum

It was my great pleasure to be part of the photography training organized from 15 November to 20
November 2017 by the Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Division, Asia-Pacific Cultural
Centre for UNESCO (ACCU Nara), with the collaboration of the Department of Archeology (DOA).
I, being a museum officer in the National Museum, Chhauni, found the training very handy. It is very
essential for an officer like me to have primary knowledge of photography. Since it is my fundamental
task to conduct the documentation with photos of every object in the museum, this training has proved
very beneficial for me. I used to photograph the objects in the museum previously too, but this training
helped me to sharpen my skills in photography. The guidance in this program helped me to learn about
the settings of the camera such as resolution, light, exposure, ISO sensitivity, white balance focus, andmuch more. The training proved very valuable not only for me, but for all of the participants and was agreat opportunity for learning.
Concluding, I’d like to thank ACCU Nara for providing us the opportunity to participate in thephotography training, and I look forward to similar upcoming programs in the future.

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18. Subash Dangol, Museum Officer
Kapilvastu Museum

I am working as a Museum Officer in the Kapilvastu Museum which is under the supervision of the
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and the Department of Archeology of Nepal. The
Kapilvastu Museum, which is located at Tilaurakot, is one of the most important and famous museumsin the southwest Terai region of Nepal. This institution was established in 1962 at Taulihawa with theaim of collecting and displaying objects discovered from the excavation at Tilaurakot. Its main mission
is to manage and preserve all those objects in the proper manner for future generations. This museum
has rare collections of artifacts beginning from the 11th century BC to the 3rd century AD. Some art
objects, pottery and terracotta figurines displayed in this museum are comparable to the Pre-Buddhist,
Buddhist, Mauryan, Sunga and the Khusan period cultures.
The main objective of this workshop was to give knowledge and teach techniques on how to use thecamera to record different objects and artifacts in the proper way. Being involved in this workshop,
I gained a lot of knowledge on how to photograph cultural heritage objects, understandings about
histograms, camera settings for cultural properties, guidelines for the preservation of culturalproperties photographs centering on digital records, as well as photographic techniques for museum
objects. Besides that, I learned how to use a gray card in photography and also how to process a raw
file into a jpeg file with the help of a computer and without a computer. For a raw file, we have to use
photographic software such as RawTherapee, Picasa, and Adobe Photoshop, etc. Through this software
we can use different tools to make fine photos. So this type of software is very useful.
This workshop was very beneficial for me. Being involved in this workshop will definitely help me
apply the knowledge and methods in my museum activities. There are many valuable objects inside themuseum where I work, but there is no proper photographic documentation. After participating in thisworkshop, I will be able to make proper photographic documentation.
Lastly, I would like to thank ACCU Nara, and the Department of Archaeology, Nepal, who made it
possible for trainees like me to get to know more about the techniques and methods of photography. I
am sure everyone who participated in this training seminar will benefit and make use of the knowledge
in their particular fields.

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19. Jaya Narayan Karki, Museum Officer
Hanumandhoka Herchha Adda
(Hanumandhoka palace management and conservation office)The workshop entitled ‘Workshop 2017 for Protection of Cultural Heritage in Kathmandu Nepal’organized by the Cultural Heritage Protection Co-operation Office, Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for
UNESCO (ACCU, Nara), with close cooperation of the Department of Archaeology, was completed
on 20 November 2017.
A considerable amount of knowledge of photography and data management was obtained by all of
the participants over the six days of training provided by Mr. Nakamura Ichiro. The program was
facilitated by Mr. Manoj Giri, translating the lectures into the Nepali language. This enabled an
unprofessional person like myself, who did not even have basic knowledge about how to handle acamera and take a photo, to acquire adequate basic knowledge of photography through the lectures andpractical training. The lectures covered the necessary basics of photography, how to use a camera, how
to set up for good photography, and also the data management after the photography. It was wonderful
to know the use of the gray card and its effect and function in professional photography. Raw datasaving, and the use and function of a histogram, were additional lessons we got from this program.
Finally, I have found this six-day program highly beneficial, and I want to express my tremendous
gratitude to both of the instructors and all the officials from ACCU Nara.

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20. Ram Chandra Shrestha, Photographer
Photography Section, Department of Archaeology

I work as a photographer with the Department of Archaeology. This training was therefore highly
valuable for me, as I learned about recording the actual color, and proper size and view of the subject
to be photographed. I have worked as a photographer on the excavation of Tilaurakot in Kapilvastu,
and at Swayambhu and Pashupati, and also for the painting conservation of Shantipur Temple at
Swayambhu, and now I am engaged with the Documentation Unit of the Department of Archaeology,
which is associated with UNESCO. There are many more valuable subjects for photography. Even
though I am a professional photographer, I feel I have been lacking considerable knowledge in myfield. Day by day, there are many new items of software and instruments being launched in thisworld. Sometimes we cannot get information about them all and it is therefore difficult to handle
them properly by ourselves. Nakamura Ichiro Sensei and Sugimoto Kazuki Sensei provided us withthe proper techniques and methods of photography. I specially obtained knowledge of lighting, color
temperature, color reproduction, and the processing of digital data.
We got tremendous satisfaction from this training and I hope that many more training programs will belaunched in the upcoming future. But there were two separate groups in the practical workshops, so we
could not get the full range of knowledge of this training. If there had been more days, and we changed
from one group to another, this would have been better for us.
Being involved in this workshop will definitely help me in the documentation of cultural heritage andhistorical activities. After participating in this workshop, I will be able to make proper photographic
documentation. This workshop was very useful for me.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO of Nara, and theDepartment of Archaeology of Nepal, who gave me the chance for this training. Special thanks go to
Nakamura Sensei, Sugimoto Sensei, Nishimura Yasushi, Nakai Isao, Wakiya Kayoko, Suzuki Sonoko
and all the team members. I am sure everyone who participated in this training will benefit in their
particular fields.
I realize that I was in the dark room before this training. But now I feel I am the developed film which
can show its performance in future.

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IV. Appendix

Sundari Chok, Patan Durbar Square1. Participants
1.

Shubhadra Bhattarai, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Section, Department of Archaeology

2.

Debendra Bhattarai, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

3.

Purushottam Acharya, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

4.

Shova Maharjan, Architect
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

5.

Prem Laxmi Shakya, Engineer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

6.

Manjari Pradhan, Archaeological Officer, Engineer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

7.

Nisha Sapkota, Engineer
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

8.

Narbada Shrestha, Photographer
Photography Section, Department of Archaeology

9.

Sunil Dongol, Photographer
Photography Section, Department of Archaeology

10.

Srijana Subedi, Archaeological Officer
World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology

11.

Nabaraj Adhikari, Museum Officer
Department of Archaeology, Regional Museum in Surkhe

12.

Pratima Ranjit, Museum Officer
Department of Archaeology, National Art Museum, Bhakthapur

13.

Kaji Man Pyakurel, Museum Officer
Department of Archaeology , Monument Conservation and Palace Maintenance Office Lalitpur

14.

Yamuna Maharjan, Museum Officer
Buddha Art Gallery, National Museum

15.

Mimi Pradhan, Museum Officer
National Museum, Department of Archaeology

16.

Sharada Shiwakot, Museum Officer
National Numismatic Museum

17.

Sharmila Upreti, Museum Officer
Buddha Art Gallery, National Museum

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18.

Subash Dangol, Museum Officer
Kapilvastu Museum

19.

Jaya Narayan Karki, Museum Officer
Hanumandhoka Herchha Adda (Hanumandhoka palace management and conservation office)20.

Ram Chandra Shrestha, Photographer
Photography Section, Department of Archaeology

2. Instructors
NAKAMURA Ichiro
Official Research Photographer
Photograph Section, Nara National Research Institute forCultural Properties (NNRICP)
247-1 Saki-cho, Nara 630-8577 Japan
Tel: (+81) 742 30 6838 Fax: (+81) 742 30 6859
i-nakamura@nabunken.go.jp
SUGIMOTO Kazuki
Archaeological Photographer
Saidaiji Photo Studio4-28 Saidaiji Honmachi, Nara 631-0816 Japan
Tel/Fax: (+81) 742 33 0267
higeji@nabunken.go.jp

3. Interpreters
Manoj GiriFreelance Interpreter
girimanoj@hotmail.com

Bharati (Giri), Saraswoti
Freelance Interpretersarubharati@hotmail.com
saru.bharati@gmail.com

56

4. Coordinator
Suresh Suras Sherestha, Head,World Heritage Conservation Section,
Department of Archaeology

5. Supporters
TAI Tadatsugu
Cultural Heritage Advisor for Architectural Conservation(JICA Expert)
Department of Archaeology
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

HIRAI Sekiguchi Nami
Cultural Heritage Advisor for Project Management(JICA Expert)
Department of Archaeology
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

Hirakaji Maharjan, Consultant
Department of Archaeology

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6. Collaborators
OGAWA Masashi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Japan in Nepal
NISHITANI Chisako, Second Secretary (Information and Culture), Embassy of Japan in Nepal
YADOMI Toshio, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Nepal
NAGAMI Kozo, Senior Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency Nepal Office(JICA Nepal Office)TORIUMI Yoji, Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency Nepal Office(JICA Nepal Office)Rohit K. Ranjitkar, Nepal Program Director, Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT)

7. Organisers■

Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal
Ramshahpath, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: (+977) 1-4250685 Fax: (+977) 1-4262856
http://www.doa.gov.np
Bhesh Narayan Dahal, Director General, Department of Archaeology
Suresh Suras Sherestha, Head, World Heritage Conservation Section, Department of Archaeology
Jaya Ram Shrestha, Chief (Director), National Museum of Nepal
Aruna Nakarmi, Head, Hanumandhoka Durbar Office■

Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office,Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU)
757 Horen-cho, Nara 630-8113 Japan
Tel: (+81) 742 20 5001Fax: (+81) 742 20 5701
nara@accu.or.jp
http://www.nara.accu.or.jp
NISHIMURA Yasushi, Director
TAMAKI Shigeru, Deputy Director
NAKAI Isao, Director, Programme Operation Department
WAKIYA Kayoko, Director, International Cooperation Division
HORIKAWA Kazuko, Chief, Planning & Coordination Division
SAKIMOTO Keiko, Chief, International Cooperation Division
NISHIDA Michiko, Staff, Planning & Coordination Division
SUZUKI Sonoko, Staff, International Cooperation Division

58

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Group photo at Opening Ceremony

Memorandum of Understanding60