Overview

I have travelled to remote corners of the world, lived and worked megacities. But whenever I take a trip back home to India, my perspective on life goes through a metamorphosis. As I embark upon this journey of India again, I invite select photographers to join me on this unprecedented expedition.

This is an intensive and rigorous 10-day photography travelogue - documenting India’s facets under the scorching sun while braving the elements on bone jarring commutes. I don’t guarantee the luxuries of travelling, but I commit to you an experience that will inspire you to new limits.

During the course of this trip, we will cover the following locales:

DELHI - The ‘Chaos’ Leg

The pulsating vibe of being the Indian capital, makes Delhi a melting pot of cultures, communities and ideologies that depict the nuances of India as a whole. From towering skyscrapers, to dusty bylanes of the old city, from the rich travelling in a fleet of cars, to the faces on the street revealing the struggles of survival; this is the Delhi we want to unravel.

Highlights-

• Learning technicalities of street photography
• Capturing historical monuments like Qutb Minar, Red fort, Humayun’s tomb, Jama Masjid, and the bustling bazaars of this Old Delhi.

VARANASI - The ‘Serenity’ Leg

The sacred city of India that needs no introduction. A place that is unbelievably colourful and exudes a mystic charm like no other place on the face of India.  Varanasi is one of the seven holy cities of Hinduism, and also one of world’s oldest continually inhabited cities. A pilgrim paradise, this place is where lakhs of visitors flood every single day to perform their religious duties. Imagine the scope of photography here, where one can capture life and death with equal closeness. The old city of Varanasi is situated along the banks of the Ganges and extends to a maze of narrow lanes, that lead to the heart of the city.

Highlights-

• Visit to the famous Manikarnika Ghat and other ghats
• Capturing mystic people and the life on Ghats
• Street Photography and a lot of opportunities for portrait photography

AGRA - The ‘History’ Leg

Agra is a city in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state. It's home to the iconic Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built for the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal (who died in childbirth in 1631). The imposing main building features a massive dome and intricately carved white marble inlaid with precious stones. This is set behind a reflecting pool inside a courtyard defined by 4 minarets.

• Exploring Taj Mahal

JAIPUR - The ‘Royal’ Leg

The colourful canvas of culture, Jaipur is Rajasthan’s most flamboyant city. A modern city that has still retained its classic royal elegance, this is truly a place to be. At city’s heart, are its amazing monuments and palace, that intrigues the world with its amazing architecture. The City Palace continues to be a residence to the former royal family; the Jantar Mantar, the royal observatory, maintains a heavenly charm; and the honeycomb Hawa Mahal gazes on the bazaar below.

Highlights-

• Monuments and bazaars
• Capturing people and everyday life of this city
• Architectural photography 

JODHPUR - The ‘Culture’ Leg

The blue city of Jodhpur is a magnificent spectacle and a masterpiece of culture. It is here where art can be seen, felt and touched in every corner. A city that allures globetrotters and continues to capture the imagination of artists, Jodhpur is truly beautiful. Here, you will see Indian culture in its most pristine avatar and learn nuances of photography in the most fascinating way possible.

Highlights-

• Covering places like Mehrangarh fort, Umaid Bhavan Palace, The Bazaar, and more of this magnificent blue city
• Learn to capture the colourful, mystic and magnificent culture, amazing portraits and beautiful streets. 

JAISELMER - The ‘Cold Desert’ Leg

Rajasthan’s biggest attraction with the backdrop of the Thar Desert, Jaisalmer, is a portrait photographer’s delight. It is a place that has retained its exotic charm, despite it being a tourist hotspot. This desert citadel allures your imagination and brings alive the mysteries of yesteryears. Here, we will explore the narrow and entwining lanes of the old city, magnificent Havelis, a sandstone fort and the mystic charm of the people living here.

Highlights-

• Stay in the Desert, Camel Rides, local music and dance performances. 
• Capturing intricate architecture of havelis and fort
• The Thar desert photography expedition

Photography modules: What will you learn?

Lighting & composition
Hands on training in location photography using professional lighting equipment as well as natural light. 

Style & genre
Exposure to different genres of photography, ranging from documentary and street to landscape and portraiture.

Professional equipment training
Applicants will have the opportunity to work with equipment from industry leaders, like Profoto, Nikon/Canon, and grips from industry leaders like Manfrotto to develop their styles in the best possible way.

Post-production & retouching
Basic training on post-production procedures using Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Camera RAW, and Bridge.

Workflow procedures & data management
Learn how to work with hard drives, memory cards and effectively manage data to store and archive your photographs. 

Workshop inclusions

•    Photography workshop by Trupal Pandya, with curated guest lecturers for every city.   
•    Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, accommodation and travel for 12 days
•    Packed drinking water throughout
•    Internal travel and airfare

Your flight tickets to India and the VISA fees are not included. 

Please see the FAQ section for further details about VISA, trip requirements, who can apply, and more. If you would like to participate in this 10-day photography workshop, please fill out the application form by clicking on 'Apply'.  Enquiries now open; send your questions to trupal@trupalpandya.com.