This story is authored by by Dinesh Maneer, our mentor for the Landscape Photography Workshop at Gokarna that we conduct every February. See more about Dinesh and his work at dineshmaneer.com
The Coastline and coastal area of Karnataka is about 320 KMs long and ranges 8-25Kms towards inland areas. With vast sandy beaches dotted with cliffs and rock formations, rivers, diverse eco systems, dense human population and diverse culture, Karnataka coastal area offers endless opportunities for any type of photography. It is a heaven for landscape photographers, as the coastal area is bordered by one of the oldest mountain ranges of the earth – the mighty western ghats that run parallel to the coastline. Here is introducing opportunities available to photographers looking to make beautiful images along the coast.
Beaches
Right from Karwar to Mangalore the beaches provide different settings, such as plain sandy ocean-front to tough rocky terrain. From Karwar to Murdeshwar, beaches are more rocky with several of cliffs and hills. This area is ideal spot if you want to make long exposure images of the sea-shore. Some easily accessible locations are around the towns of Karwar, Ankola, Gokarna, Kumta and Honnavar as these places offer comfortable stay and food. One can spend the late night shooting stars and the moon, enjoy the sea-breeze and warm sand in the stillness of the night and still return to a comfortable hotel room in no time.
Estuaries
There are numerous river mouths all the way from Karwar till Mangalore that offer unique landscape photography opportunities. Also, human activities such as farming, fishing are highest in such areas due to availability of water. These areas are rich in greenery, have a sense of freshness and blend-in with the sea uniquely.
Rivers
Not too far from the beaches, the rivers that join the Arabian sea flowing down from the western ghats are amazingly beautiful, absolutely still and peaceful. Visiting them in the early hours is one of the best experiences of lifetime for a nature lover. Misty forests, waterfalls and reflections provide ideal situations for making art for any nature photographer. Aghanashini, Sharavathi are the major rivers that join the sea in northern part of the coastline.
Weather
Understanding weather of Coastal Karnataka plays a big role in making images that stand out. March to May are usually hot. Water levels are lower. Clear and colorful skies in this period are best suited for seascape photography. June to September are rainy, rich in green , watery everywhere and is good time for photographing waterfalls, cloud-scapes and vegetation.
Just photographing the rain could be fun and very refreshing . October to February have foggy in the mornings which adds a charm of its own. Evenings see clear skies and colourful sunsets, making it the best time of the year to all kinds of photography. Weather is also the most pleasant compared to other times of the year.
Every February–in winter months when the weather and light are at their best–we conduct a landscape photography workshop in Gokarna, Karnataka led by Dinesh Maneer.
Here is why every landscape-photography enthusiast must be on this workshop:
1. This is mentored by one of the finest landscape photographer who is widely published and has two photo-books to his credit: Dinesh Maneer.
2. We have been doing this workshop for more than 5 years now and it has been very popular with participants. We have great course content and an excellent workshop plan for the three days.
3. Dinesh is one of our extremely popular mentors who is known for his great mentoring and assisting skills.
4. Dinesh is a local person who grew up in the region and understands the terrain of Gokarna-Kumta region really well. You can’t have a better person leading this workshop!
5. We have spent a lot of effort scouting out great locations for the workshop, assuring you some awesome photography and learning opportunities.
6. For people who love photographing landscapes and getting started with it, it’s often a frustrating journey. Often, what is photographed hardly resembles the beauty unfolding in front of you. If there is one workshop that helps you bridge the gap between the amazing scenery you are seeing and what you are capturing, this is the one!
As one of the participants of this workshop mentions: “mentors are very knowledgeable and competent for the workshop. Being well experienced in different types of landscape photography, they guided the group excellently on all aspects from the gear usage, to the aesthetic aspects of it. Would certainly like to join them for future sessions or tours like this.” – Mithun Kumar
We will have only 8 persons on this workshop. See more information about this workshop at Sky, Earth & Water – Landscape Photography Workshop at Gokarna in February.