better travel photography•COM
Start: 10 Nov. 2021
End: 24 Nov. 2021
Code: IORJ21
Price: From £2095 pp
excl. flights, based on twinshare
Min 8, max 12 people
Trip is full
Trip is to be confirmed.
Single supplement: £645
Estimated current
flight cost £550
impressions of rajasthan
photo tours with steve davey
Impressions of Rajasthan
Itinerary
Day 1: Delhi
Day 2: Jaipur
Day 3: Pushkar
Day 4: Pushkar
Day 5: Pushkar
Day 6: Nawalgarh
Day 7: Nawalgarh
Day 8: Bikaner
Day 9: Bikaner
Day 10: Bikaner
Day 11: Jaisalmer
Day 12: Jaisalmer
Day 13: Jodhpur
Day 14: Jodhpur
Day 15: Tour ends
Website, Images and text © Steve Davey/stevedavey.com 1990 - 2021
Land arrangements are sub-contracted to Intrepid Travel, who have many years experience in running small group adventures.
Bookings are made through the Intrepid Tailor Made Dept. in London not the Intrepid website or Stores. Contact Steve Davey for information
This tour is led by Steve Davey - a professional photographer, whose work appears in publications all over the world. He is the author of the bestselling Unforgettable Places To See Before You Die (BBC Books). Steve recently published Footprint Travel Photography (Footprint Books), which covers everything that you would ever want to know about travelling with a camera. Click for more.
Nowhere on Earth has as many festivals as India, and we have arranged this exciting photography tour to take in not just one, but two incredible religious gatherings: the iconic Pushkar Mela, and the lesser known Kolayat Mela near the desert city of Bikaner.
Rajasthan is the land of forts, and we will take in some of the most atmospheric of the great forts of the state. The names of the forts are evocative of the days when warring kingdoms seemed to be permanently at war: Jodhpur's Mehrangarh Fort, Jaipur's Amber Fort and my personal Favourite – the breathtaking Jaisalmer Fort, hidden away in the Thar Desert. It is not just these main iconic sites which are
The trip will include extensive photography tuition from professional travel photographer, Steve Davey, countless photo opportunities and the company of fellow photography enthusiasts.
where we will have a free afternoon to explore the thriving streets of Old Delhi before catching a train to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan.
Jaipur is known at the Pink City, and here we will get to see the incredible City Palace, and also our first fort – the sprawling Amber Fort on the outskirts of town.
From Jaipur, we drive to the holy Lake Pushkar, site of the iconic Pushkar Mela – commonly referred to as the Pushkar Camel Fair. We have three nights here, which will give us plenty of time to explore the town, the sprawling mela ground which will be teeming with camels and walk down by the ghats leading down to the holy Lake Pushkar.
From Pushkar we head into the traditional Shekhawati region. This is a fantastic area that I first visited over 20 years ago, which is noted for the ornately painted havelis, or merchants' houses. This is a little visited, traditional area, and as well as the havelis, we will be able to witness traditional rural life, around the town of Nawalgarh, photographing local markets and temples.
The town of Bikaner is host to our second festival – the Kolayat Mela, which is held at a lake a hour or so outside of the town. We start of exploring the town itself, and the relatively recent Jungarh Fort, built around a hundred years ago, and also the famous Bikaner Camel Centre.
The Kolayat Mela itself is completely new to me, but it sounds like a fascinating thing to witness. Thousands of pilgrims flock to this holy lake. We will definitely aim to witness the ritual of Deep Malika, when devotees float earthen lamps in the sacred lake as a ritual.
The desert town of Jaisalmer is one of my most favourite places in India. It featured in my Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die book, and I am thrilled to be heading back. Uniquely, much of the old town actually lives inside of the fort, and it there is nothing more atmospheric than walking the tiny alleyways, where balconies almost meet above your head – being barged out of the way by the numerous holy cows that think they own the place.
We will also head out into the desert to see some of the local villages and temples, and photograph the sunset at some sand dunes.
Our final destination is the majestic city of Jodhpur, where we will get to photograph the last fort on our itinerary – the majestic Mehrangarh Fort, which towers imperiously over the town. We will also explore the atmospheric blue painted town at the foot of the fort, as well as heading out into the local area to photograph the local Bishnoi people, a religious sect who believe in being at one with nature and wildlife.
We have arranged this tour to finish in Jodhpur, to give people the chance to explore further in Rajasthan, head to Agra to see the Taj Mahal or simply spend an extra couple of days in this stunning city. There are flights from as little as $35, and these can easily be incorporated into many international flights giving you the ultimate flexibility. Once you have booked, myself or Intrepid Travel will be able to advise you about any onward arrangements.
Our visit to the Kolayat Mela is something of an exploratory phase of the trip. I have been to Pushkar, and a number of other November fairs in hte country, but never to Kolayat. As one of the least touristy melas in Rajasthan, we are somewhat feeling our way. We have researched this as much as possible, and have been assured that photography is possible by the lake, but as with anything in India, things can change due to local conditions. Rest assured though, in a country as fascinating as India, we have a plan 'b', and indeed a plan 'c' in place.
In essence, this is the basis of all of our trips: it is not just the things that are listed on the itinerary that are the things that people remember, we are always seeking out local markets, villages, temples and people working in fields to stop for, engage and photograph. There are a number of times when we have built in time to be flexible. We are assisted in this by having the best local leader that Intrepid Travel have on their books - the incomparable Chetan. Chetan is a great friend and I have been working with him since 2008. He is great at suggesting and finding photo-opportunities along the way.
Highlights of this trip
• Pushkar Mela
• Kolyat Mela Bikaner
• Historic Jaisalmer Fort
• Picturesque Thar Desert
• Hidden Shekhawati
• Jodhpur Blue Town
• Photography tuition
where we will have a free afternoon to explore the thriving streets of Old Delhi before catching a train to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan.
Jaipur is known at the Pink City, and here we will get to see the incredible City Palace, and also our first fort – the sprawling Amber Fort on the outskirts of town.
From Jaipur, we drive to the holy Lake Pushkar, site of the iconic Pushkar Mela – commonly referred to as the Pushkar Camel Fair. We have three nights here, which will give us plenty of time to explore the town, the sprawling mela ground which will be teeming with camels and walk down by the ghats leading down to the holy Lake Pushkar.
From Pushkar we head into the traditional Shekhawati region. This is a fantastic area that I first visited over 20 years ago, which is noted for the ornately painted havelis, or merchants' houses. This is a little visited, traditional area, and as well as the havelis, we will be able to witness traditional rural life, around the town of Nawalgarh, photographing local markets and temples.
The town of Bikaner is host to our second festival – the Kolayat Mela, which is held at a lake a hour or so outside of the town. We start of exploring the town itself, and the relatively recent Jungarh Fort, built around a hundred years ago, and also the famous Bikaner Camel Centre.
The Kolayat Mela itself is completely new to me, but it sounds like a fascinating thing to witness. Thousands of pilgrims flock to this holy lake. We will definitely aim to witness the ritual of Deep Malika, when devotees float earthen lamps in the sacred lake as a ritual.
The desert town of Jaisalmer is one of my most favourite places in India. It featured in my Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die book, and I am thrilled to be heading back. Uniquely, much of the old town actually lives inside of the fort, and it there is nothing more atmospheric than walking the tiny alleyways, where balconies almost meet above your head – being barged out of the way by the numerous holy cows that think they own the place.
We will also head out into the desert to see some of the local villages and temples, and photograph the sunset at some sand dunes.
Our final destination is the majestic city of Jodhpur, where we will get to photograph the last fort on our itinerary – the majestic Mehrangarh Fort, which towers imperiously over the town. We will also explore the atmospheric blue painted town at the foot of the fort, as well as heading out into the local area to photograph the local Bishnoi people, a religious sect who believe in being at one with nature and wildlife.
We have arranged this tour to finish in Jodhpur, to give people the chance to explore further in Rajasthan, head to Agra to see the Taj Mahal or simply spend an extra couple of days in this stunning city. There are flights from as little as $35, and these can easily be incorporated into many international flights giving you the ultimate flexibility. Once you have booked, myself or Intrepid Travel will be able to advise you about any onward arrangements.
Our visit to the Kolayat Mela is something of an exploratory phase of the trip. I have been to Pushkar, and a number of other November fairs in hte country, but never to Kolayat. As one of the least touristy melas in Rajasthan, we are somewhat feeling our way. We have researched this as much as possible, and have been assured that photography is possible by the lake, but as with anything in India, things can change due to local conditions. Rest assured though, in a country as fascinating as India, we have a plan 'b', and indeed a plan 'c' in place.
In essence, this is the basis of all of our trips: it is not just the things that are listed on the itinerary that are the things that people remember, we are always seeking out local markets, villages, temples and people working in fields to stop for, engage and photograph. There are a number of times when we have built in time to be flexible. We are assisted in this by having the best local leader that Intrepid Travel have on their books - the incomparable Chetan. Chetan is a great friend and I have been working with him since 2008. He is great at suggesting and finding photo-opportunities along the way.
Who is this tour suited to?
Our photo tours cater for a wide spectrum of people at a range of different levels. Steve's skill in explaining things, patience and tireless energy mean that he is able to pitch talks and individual tuition so that they are relevant for a range of different abilities.
These tours are primarily aimed at people who have at least a basic knowledge of their cameras and are keen to develop their skills further.
The people who get the most from a trip like this are those who are aware of the areas that they want to develop. It might sound obvious, but if you know your own shortcomings then you are better able to tackle them!
If you have a greater knowledge, then Steve will be able to fill in a lot of the theories behind things that you might have already thought that you knew, which will help make decisions more instinctive and more confident. He will also be able to help you to take your photography forward to the next stage and can teach you a number of advanced techniques and theories.
If you are an absolute beginner, then these tours will still teach you a vast amount about photography. A large part of photography is artistic and not technical. Selecting viewpoints and angles, composition and especially approaching people to take their picture are as vital as apertures and shutter speeds. Allied to this Steve will explain all of the technical aspects that you need to know as they relate to you and your camera.
You will get more out of these tours if you have a basic familiarity with your camera. If it is new, and out of the box then you might spend a great deal of time thumbing through the manual, and not learning about photography. I should also point out that whilst I has a lot of experience with different cameras, he doesn't know everything about all of them! If you are not familiar with your camera, then you should definitely bring the manual with you! Between us, we should then be able to sort out most things!
Finally, it is important to remember that whilst photography does need patience and sometimes you need to wait for a picture; this is a group tour. There will be a lot of time for you to go off on your own, but there will also be times where we have to meet at a certain time, or during a journey need to maintain our pace. If the group dynamic is not really for you and you have the opinion that everyone else can just wait for you if you are taking a picture, wandering off or shopping then these (or any group tours) probably aren't for you!
Similarly, if you are the sort of person who gets offended or irritated by other people easily, and just "have to speak your mind" about it, no matter who you offend, then maybe any group trip is not for you. These trips work better if everyone is prepared to work together as a team, and help each other. We will all have a better time, and come away with better pictures and better memories.
Travel in India
This trip will require a good level of fitness. We have included a number of walks to help us explore more, and sometimes the ground could be a little rough, and the conditions could be hot and dusty.
There are some long journeys on this trip, and some of the road conditions will be rough. The reward will be passing through some stunning scenery and also reaching some incredible and rather remote places. We will stop as much as possible in order to take photographs..
India is often called an assault on the senses, and although this is a bit of a cliche, it is true in many ways. There are a number of times when we will be in pretty large crowds - especially at the two melas. As well as attracting pilgrims, the melas also attract beggers and merchants, and there will be some level of hassle as you walk around. We can help you with this, but if you really don't like crowds, or struggle to respond to mild hassling then you might find this trip somewhat stressful.
Foodwise, this trip is perfect for those who are vegetarians, as there will always be good options for you, and although India has a reputation for spicy food, there are a number of options in Rajasthan for dishes that are a lot milder.
For more information, please contact us and we will help you to assess if this adventurous trip is for you.
Non-photographing partners
Steve is often asked about non-photographing partners coming on our trips, and he always say that they are more than welcome - as long as they are not photographer-phobic! Steve believes that travel photography is a great way to engage with a place and the people who live there. Because we are photographers we will see more sunrises, talk to more locals, try more foods and visit more markets than ordinary trips. This means that non-photographers can engage with us - and some even go away with a new interest in photography. We are also about having a good time too - Steve is mindful that this is a holiday as well as a photography tour - so we aim to have lively meals, a lot of laughs and the odd drink or two. As someone recently stated abut our tours:
"Your love of photography and travel is infectious and I can honestly say I have never laughed or learnt so much on a holiday before!"
If Steve had to have a mission statement for these tours, then this is it!
Land arrangements for this tour
The land arrangements for this tour are sub-contracted to Intrepid Travel who will use their extensive knowledge from over twenty years in the travel industry to make sure that you have the best travel experience, and to work in a way which will be the most beneficial for the countries we travel in.
Our arrangements are now handled by the Intrepid Travel UK Private Groups office, which opens up a range of payment options and also means that your trip can now be protected by the UK travel industry protection. It also means that we can draw on the experience and contacts of other companies in the Intrepid Group. Intrepid in the UK can accept payments by bank transfer, cheque, debit card as well as Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Intrepid are also able to book flights for you, which will mean that your entire trip can be covered by their full ATOL protection (for any flight/trip combination that starts and finishes in the UK). The flight price that they quote you will include their booking fee. More details on their industry protection by clicking here and scrolling to clause 27. As you are booking with the UK office, your booking will be covered by the UK booking conditions.
Intrepid Travel were formed over twenty years ago in Australia, and have been running excellent small group adventures ever since.
Intrepid's Core Purpose - Intrepid's core purpose is to enrich peoples lives by creating unique, interactive travel experiences. They provide fun, affordable and sustainable travel adventures that are beneficial to local communities.
Home From Home - Where you stay is all part of your Intrepid experience. Whether it's a centrally-located city hotel, or a homestay in a tribal village, staying close to a region's people and culture is the guiding principle. Our choices are based on friendliness as well as facilities, character as much as convenience.
Small Groups - Travelling in a small group makes it more like travelling with friends than on an organised tour. It means you get to experience more of the local culture, and we don't dominate; we can actually get to know people and do the things they do.
Experienced leaders - Intrepid have some of the best leaders in the business: well trained locals who act as ambassadors between you and the place you are travelling in. This means that you can get the most from the country and the people you meet.
Please remember though, these tours are based on an Intrepid trip, but are a completely separate product. They don't appear on the Intrepid website, and you should address any questions through Steve on this link and bookings here.
intrepid's responsible travel policy
Intrepid Travel has a comprehensive and well developed Responsible Travel policy, which is one of the main reasons that they were selected to provide the land arrangements for this trip. This doesn't just benefit the locals in the countries they travel to: by sourcing local guides and staying in locally owned properties, our tours manage to get closer to our destination, which helps to give you a more connected and empathetic experience on your holiday.
With the Better Travel Photography tours we wholeheartedly support all of the Intrepid Travel initiatives towards responsible travel. The main features of this policy are as follows:
• We favour grass roots travel using local public transport where possible – which minimises demand for special tourist vehicles and fuel. If we do need to use private transport we ensure that we use local operators and drivers giving employment to locals.
• We choose small-scale locally owned accommodation and homestays where available and local restaurants and markets for dining, retaining revenue in local communities.
• Our group leaders facilitate communication of our values to travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices.
• We employ local guides to aid travellers' understanding of local culture and etiquette.
• Our small groups allow travellers to experience cultures first hand, offering greater opportunity for cross- cultural understanding.
• We are committed to putting back into the communities and regions we visit by supporting development and conservation projects in these areas. We achieve this through supporting The Intrepid Foundation and our travellers are invited to contribute. We also visit a local community project on our trip and encourage our travellers to support local business when buying souvenirs and other items.
At the welcome group meeting, our passengers receive the standard Intrepid Travel introduction, which includes all aspects of the Intrepid Travel Responsible Travel policy. This includes initiatives for minimising the environmental and cultural effect of their trip. These policies are also incorporated into our trip notes, and guests are expected to conform to them when they are travelling.
In addition to conforming to, and endorsing the Intrepid Travel policies, we have our own initiatives, primarily concerning the impact of travel photography and also concerning the environmental impact of our business.
the intrepid foundation
The Intrepid Foundation is a not-for-profit fund that has distributed over AU$3 million to more than 70 non-government organisations since 2002, contributing to health care, education, human rights, child welfare, sustainable development and environmental and wildlife protection.
Contributing to one of the many projects supported by The Intrepid Foundation is your chance to give back to the places you've travelled to and help improve lives around the world. There are two ways you can help:
The Intrepid Community Project Fund supports around 40 grassroots non-government organisations doing great work in Intrepid Travel's operating destinations. Many of these organisations and their projects can be visited during your Intrepid trip.
The Intrepid Perpetual Fund supports a range of Intrepid's 'partner' non-government organisations, such as Amnesty International, Medicins Sans Frontieres and the World Society for the Protection of Animals. All donations made to this fund are equally divided each year, with half retained to conserve and grow capital for funding projects into the future and half distributed to our current partner non-government organisations.
And the best bit? Intrepid Travel matches all donations to the foundation dollar for dollar - up to AU$5,000 per donor and a total of AU$400,000 for all donors in each financial year. We also guarantee that 100% of your donation will reach your nominated project, because Intrepid Travel covers all administration costs.
What is covered on this trip?
As well as enjoying the festivals, landscapes and people of Rajasthan, you will learn a massive amount about photography and many of the techniques used by a professional travel photographer.
Our tours generally cover a wide range of technical and practical techniques for improving your travel photography. This is done with a combination of practical group and individual demonstrations, illustrated talks on aspects of travel photography and group reviews and discussions.
I have recently completely revitalised our teaching schedules on our trips: we will be setting a lot more projects for people to work towards, and also holding more image reviews.
I tailor the subjects covered on the tours depending on the level of knowledge of people on the tour, individual requirements and the nature of the itinerary. Always very approachable, we are always willing to give individual help, look at pictures or enter into a spirited discussion about just about everything.
I will also give a short daily briefing as to the sort of things that you might expect to see each day, and the sort of equipment and techniques that you might need the following day.
There are a number of specific skills that we will be covering on this trip, including:
• I will show you simple ways to improve the focus and sharpness of your pictures.
• I will teach a number of techniques to achieve great portraits of the people we meet on our travels
• I will show you how to see pictures and prepare your camera ready to take them
• I will help you to learn to see pictures
• I will show you a number of ways to improve your exposures!
• I will show you how to use composition to tell a story in your pictures.
• I will show you how to use a polarising filter to get more vibrant shots.
• I will teach you some techniques for better night photography
• I will explain the importance of understanding ISO, shutter speed and depth of field.
• I will show you how to use panning for exciting action shots
• I will show you how to shoot and process panoramic pictures
• I will teach you the rules of composition (and when to break them)
• I will teach you some simple post-production techniques to give your pictures more punch and impact.
• I will teach you how to back up pictures and clean your camera.
Our schedule is flexible, and will be responsive to the needs and interests of the group. If there is anything else that you would like covered on the trip, then please ask at any time. I am always happy to include anything in the trip tuition.
