Photographing Mongolia: Nomads and Eagle Hunters

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Meet the people of Mongolia through the lens of Joseph Mak’s EOS 5D Mark IV

& Joseph Mak

Published on 2 June 2017 Updated on 29 January 2026

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Journey through Mongolia’s vast lands with travel photographer Joseph Mak and get a glimpse into the everyday lives of the world-famous nomads and eagle hunters.

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 16mm, ISO1000, 1/1250sec, f/8

Far west in the Altai region, where a horizon of rocky cliffs and barren grounds meet the eternal blue sky, the famed eagle hunters of Mongolia live in ways city-dwellers cannot imagine. Money is merely a concept, and survival is dependent on the sustenance that the earth provides.

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 17mm, ISO1600, 1/1600sec, f/11

The Mongols are the epitome of resilience, a people hardened by the trials that have been faced by their ancestors. Through harsh winters and blistering summers, they have been conditioned to brave the elements as single unit with one goal in mind: survival.

EOS 5D Mark IV, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 16mm, ISO100, 1/1000sec, f/4

Wondering what it would be like to walk a mile in their shoes? Now, if only for a moment, you have the chance to experience a life untethered to the trappings of the modern world.