Street Photography and Cultural, Festival Photography Tour in Varanasi India
Overview
The Varanasi Photography tour is one of the most rewarding tours in India. If you are interested in shooting street photography, and Indian culture this tour is for you. This tour offers great opportunities for street photographers and for culture/festival photographers.
Photographic Opportunities
Varanasi is the place where you can see the Indian culture. You have great opportunities for Portrait Photography, Street Photography and festival Photography
Why Photography Tour?
1. Almost guarantees great pictures. As we go to the right places at the right time, we get the right shots with great light and composition. Astrophotography, particularly involves some technical expertise, if you are not aware, you will not be able to capture. Saurabh will make you independent, so that next time you can do it yourself.
2. Photography is the art of seeing, and if you are not very good at it, you will fail to see and miss the opportunity. Most people go to places like Ladakh and still come back with mediocre pictures. Ssaurabh will help you identify great locations and light and you will come back with some great shots.
3. Get guidance and upskill yourself. The mentor for the tour is having an experience of more than 25 years of shooting and 15+ years travelling in these areas. If you need any help, you can always ask and get help. Especially,
4. Travel with like-minded people and make friends. Many people have an inhibition travelling with strangers. Actually, these strangers make some really good friends if you give them a chance. Some of the people on our tours got connected and now are friends for life.
Why Join Us for the Photography Tour?
We will make your DREAM COME TRUE - your dream to witness the amazing activities and to capture them. We will also take some great portraits of the locals.
We will be going to the right places at the right time. I will suggest you the right settings for taking pictures and will personally assist you so that you go back with some great shots. We also do post-processing and feedback/review sessions whenever possible, during the tour.
Saurabh has been visiting these regions for almost a decade and great knowledge about the place.
You will also be in the company of some great fellow travelers and will make friends for life.
My Varanasi Pictures
See my pictures of Varanasi in better resolution here .
(for computer users)
This photo tour, mentored by Saurabh Chatterjee who has been visiting Varanasi since his childhood.
All the days, we shoot in all possible places where there are photographic opportunities. Most of the time, we shoot in the ghats and the narrow alleyways along the ghats.
This is not like any other destination, where you know what to expect. You just have to keep walking, and you never know where you will find the treasure of a great shot. You just have to keep walking.
It can also get crowded in some places, so you have to bear that in mind.
This tour involves a lot of walking and climbing stairs. People who have mobility issues are not recommended to join this tour.
Note: A lot of photographers do the Pushkar and Varanasi tours together.
Checkout Pictures and Blog from Varanasi
Feedback from Previous Participants
My wife and I are in our 70’s and my wife needs a stick to help her with her walking. We are both very keen photographers belonging to two camera clubs. When we decided to return to Varanasi in India we thought it a good idea to hire a professional photographer to ensure that we knew where and what time of day to visit the various places of interest.After a bit of research we chose Saurabh Chatterjee from SIA Photo tours. He is based at Hyderabad but agreed to fly into Varanasi to join us.
As soon as we met we realised that it was exactly the right decision! Saurabh is a passionate photographer with a wealth of knowledge to impart. He has won numerous awards and has been published in several journals.
Our first meeting started at 1pm with a walk along the Ghats. Within 15 minutes Saurabh had changed my way of choosing my camera settings and introduced us to the ‘SIA’ (shutter, ISO and aperture) method. Remarkable! Then he had me looking at shadows and graffiti! My wife and I have been taking images for 60 years but all that changed! We ended the day will lots of great images.We were very happy to start the next day at 4am to see the sun rise and receive more instruction. This enthusiasm continued every day that he was with us, and involved a visit to some traditional wrestling, a guided tour of Varanasi back streets and trips to two villages where he helped us with portraits. Saurabh can cover a wide genre of styles. At the end of our time together he carried out a critique of our images making lots of suggestions for improvements which he recorded and emailed to me.
At all times he was careful to look after my wife treating her like his own mother in a very caring manner. He even persuaded her to achieve things that she was hesitant to do.
However, I think the best accolade I can afford him is to say that we started as a photographer with two clients and ended as three close friends. We are very much hoping that we will be able to meet up with him again perhaps even in England!
I cannot recommend Saurabh Chatterjee enough!
Kenward Family, UK
Any Questions - Contact us on Whatsapp
Private tours can be arranged on demand.
Itinerary -
Cost: Rs.45000/- (single rooms, no sharing)
Only 7 participants on first come first serve basis.
Cost includes
0) Pickup from Airport and Drop
1) Stay in Varanasi SINGLE rooms, no sharing for the above-mentioned days.
2) All meals (breakfast lunch and dinner) from Day 1 afternoon to Day 4 morning.
Cost does not include
1) Your travel cost to/from Varanasi.
2) Any food apart from breakfast, lunch and dinner like cold drink, etc.
3. Anything that is not mentioned in exclusions
Payment Policy
Rs. 20000/- booking amount.
Rest 45 days before the date of the tour.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation costs us too.
As people generally plan in advance, it becomes impossible for us to fill the seats last moment. So, if you cancel, the seat goes vacant. Also, in most places, we have to book well in advance due to the limited choices.
So, please book your tour only if you are sure.
Refund Policy
60 days to 45 days prior to departure of the tour, 20% of the total tour cost is non-refundable.
40 days to 15 days prior to departure of the tour 50% of the total tour cost is non-refundable.
14 days to 07 days prior to departure of the tour 75% of the total tour cost is non-refundable.
07 days or less prior to departure of the tour 100% of the total tour cost is non-refundable.
There will be no refund for no shows.
Any Questions - Contact us on Whatsapp
PICTURES FROM Photography Tour to Varanasi Dev Diwali Nov 2024
Video
FAQ
0. Do I need to be fit for the tour? This tour involved walking for at least 5 kms a day, climbing up and down the stairs. So, you have to be prepared for that. Please wear walking shoes that are comfortable. 1. How to reach Varanasi? Varanasi is well connected by air and train. The nearest railhead is Varanasi, but there are more frequent trains to Deen Dayal Upadhaya (DDU), which is 20kms from Varanasi.
2. Is this trip only for Photographers? No, anyone can join. We will spend a lot of time taking some great pictures though. I'm sure everyone loves doing that. We have had non-photographers in our previous trips and they enjoy as much.
3. I have no knowledge on Photography. Will I get some help? Yes, absolutely. Saurabh will be assisting you all the time. He will help you on how to take some great pictures. So, you will learn while having fun on the go.
4. I don't have a camera. Can I get camera or lenses on rent? Yes, Camera / Lenses for Rent can be arranged subject to availability.