The entire area lies above 1500 meters above sea level. Winter here lasts from October to May, so unpretentious food yaks and deer, other animals better adapted to severe frosts and winter fodder. Today on 5000 inhabitants of the area has 25,000 head of cattle. The most "prosperous" pastoralists hold from 300 to 900 horses, yaks, cows and haynakov – touchingly funny shaggy yak crossbreeds and cows. To feed all these herbivores army okintsy have developed a system of local migrations, allowing alternate grazing in summer and winter pastures. Most of the year the family spends on wintering (Zimnik "), where there is a Mighty warm carcass (borrowed from Russian settlers), the system outbuildings and paddock (hure). In early summer, herders migrate to summer pastures ("Annuals"), located at 20-40 km from the winter. In view of climatic features (short summer and the proximity to the surface of the permafrost), vegetables do not grow in the Eye, and the bulk of the diet people are meat and dairy products.

Their cooking is often accompanied by various domestic rituals: an offering of food to the spirits of mountains, water and fire. Many of the chores are clearly tied to the seasons, for example, dressing of leather, hay, clothing or slaughter. The most interesting for the photographer period – mowing begins in mid-July and lasts until late August, is strongly dependent on the weather. By this time the whole family gathers, and a unique opportunity observe the relationships within the family, take a picture of everyday rituals, cooking traditional food and other household activities.