Monsoon Magic – Photography Tour in the Western Ghats

 

• Photographing in the monsoons? A question that we get asked often, usually with a stunned expression. A barrage of follow-up questions ensues. How can we photograph in the low light conditions? How can we capture the raindrops? Doesn’t the rain damage the camera?

  Presenting Monsoon Magic. A one-of-its-kind photography tour that takes you into the heart of the Western Ghats in Karnataka. Monsoons bring about a remarkable transformation in the entire region. The mountains and the coast come alive as greenery abounds, streams appear from every corner and new life buzzes everywhere. People are well set to live their lives with the rains. Everyday life revolves around the rains. The much-awaited rains bring about activity in the farms, with the sowing of seeds for a new crop. The rush of activity in nature and in the villages and towns have a certain other-worldly charm. And this is great news for the photographer.

  Under the able guidance of Dinesh Maneer, co-author of 2 stunning coffee table books on the region, you’ll learn how to make the best of monsoon weather and light, and how to handle your camera equipment in the rains while keeping it safe. And you’ll make some incredible images of life in the monsoons, an other-worldly experience that is slowly disappearing with rapid urbanization. Sign up today for this 3-day photography tour like none other!

• Tour Dates

  July 16-18, 2021

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  Tour Price

  ₹19,500/-

  Max Group: 8 Participants

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  Join Now

 

What Participants Say…

I have always wanted to see the beauty of Karnataka especially the Malenadu area and the erstwhile Dakshina Kannada . What better time than the monsoons to visit these places to be enchanted by the beauty nature has bestowed on us. The workshop was a treat for the eyes, mind and for the palate. I couldn’t have asked for more. – YOGESH MOKASHI

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Monsoon Magic – Quite an apt name for the workshop. As a beginner, it was a wonderful experience where in each individual was getting some tips on how to capture a perfect picture. Dinesh being mentor for the workshop has a very vast experience and every segment from this workshop was very well planned. Experiencing the rain with our cameras out was great enjoyment all to together. Looking forward to many more events like this… – SWATHI IYENGAR

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always thought how photographers take such beautiful pictures during rain 🤔. After being part of Darter’s Monsoon Magic tour with Dinesh, have gained confidence in taking out my camera during monsoon. Dinesh has great insight on settings, composition, creative ideas and very approachable. The complete workshop was an memorable one. – PRAJWAL JN

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Your Takeaways from the Monsoon Magic Tour

The Monsoon Magic Photography Tour takes you across 3 small towns and villages – Karkala, Agumbe and Udupi. During this tour:

• You will spend the 3 days of the tour travelling to a variety of locations including villages, small-towns, river-sides, open landscapes such as paddy fields, sea-side locations and much more. Your mentor will guide you on the photography opportunities at each of these places.
• Your mentor will help you understand the right compositions and technical know-how to make interesting images in the monsoons.
• You will understand how to manage your cameras equipment safely in the rains.
• Your mentor will review your photographs during the tour and give you timely feedback to improve your photography skills.
• And, of course, you will experience life in the Western Ghats when it rains. Something that you’ll remember forever!

Our tour is designed in such a way that

• Your Darter Photography mentor works closely with every individual participant, allowing plenty of one-on-one time, besides the time spent as a group learning with the mentor.
• With a small group size, our mentors will be able to work with you according to your skill level. Whether you are a beginner or already having a degree of expertise acquired in photography, our mentor will be able to work with you as needed.
• This tour will also be able to help seasoned photographers to be at the right locations and assisting them further when necessary.
• Our tours are also rich in experiences, not just on photography.

Tour Itinerary

During this 3-day photography tour, we will be based in a comfortable hotel in Manipal (around an hour and a half from the nearest airport in Mangalore). We’ll visit the following places around Manipal – Karkala, Agumbe and Udupi. There’s plenty to photograph here – verdant landscapes, monsoon lifestyle in small towns/villages and human-nature interactions in the fields. Below is a summary of our 3 days in the Western Ghats:

• Day 1 – Arrive in Manipal in the morning. Initial briefing and technical sessions during the morning hours. After lunch, visit Karkala for the rest of the afternoon/evening.
• Day 2 – Early in the morning, we head out on a walk to Manipal end-point. After breakfast, we drive through the Ghats to Agumbe (also known as Cherrapunji of the South!). During this full-day outing, we’ll stop at various interesting locations along the way, in addition to a few pre-planned destinations. We’ll get back to our hotel in Manipal in time for dinner.
• Day 3 – An early start today as we head to Udupi at sunrise. We spend time around Udupi till breakfast time. After breakfast, your Darter Photography mentor will help you with post-processing your photographs and review the photographs from the tour. We’ll end the tour with a celebratory lunch!

Please note that monsoons can often modify the best planned trips. While we’ll try to stick to the above itinerary, if there’s any impact on the tour due to unforeseen circumstances, our Photography Mentor will try to make alternate plans/arrangements. The tour fee shall not be refunded in part or whole in such circumstances.

Is this tour for you?

This tour is for you if you:

• want to explore and and photograph life in the Western Ghats in the monsoons, AND/OR
• want to learn about the photography techniques during the monsoons and managing your camera equipment in the rains.

We also welcome people who may not be photographers but want to join the group, either on their own or accompanying another photographer friend/family-member who wants to be part of this group. Please note that we do not offer a separate non-photographer pricing on our tours.

Visit our Tour FAQs page for more details about our tours.

Getting There

We start and end the tour in Manipal in Karnataka. On Day 1, we start the tour at 10:00AM and on Day 3, the tour ends at 4:00PM. You can get to Manipal by either of the following means:

• By Air: Mangalore is the nearest airport to Manipal. From Mangalore, Manipal is 64km (or approximately an hour and a half) away by road.
• By Bus: If you are traveling from Bangalore, there are multiple bus options to get to Manipal.
• By Car: From Bangalore, Manipal is around 400km by road. The drive usually takes about 9 hours.

If you need any assistance/advice with planning your travel, we are happy to help. Please get in touch with us.

Tour Price

The price of the tour is Rs.19,500/- per person.

The tour price includes

• Accommodation in a comfortable hotel in Manipal on twin sharing basis.
• Ground transport to the locations we visit.
• All meals (vegetarian) starting from breakfast on Day 1 to lunch on Day 3.
• Photography sessions and services of your photography mentor all through the tour.

The tour price does not include

• Transport from your location to and from Manipal. See ‘getting there’ section for more details.
• Additional food, bottled water and other beverages
• Laundry, telephone and internet access
• Tips and anything else that is not part of the includes list above

Please note –
1. Although we begin the tour programs early on Day 01, we are bound to check-in time at our accommodation to access the rooms. Early check-ins may be possible subject to availability.
2. The itinerary and places we cover are tentative and can be modified by the lead photographer depending on weather and any other factors that affect photography opportunities.
3. You will be accommodated on twin sharing basis. Single travellers will share a room with another participant of same gender. Single occupancy can be requested at an additional cost.

Your Photography Mentor

Dinesh Maneer

Dinesh Maneer is a photographer based in Bengaluru. His photographs are mainly focused on landscapes, portraits and culture of his home state Karnataka. He spends most of his leisure time traveling all over of Karnataka and documenting fading cultures and unseen landscapes. He has published 2 Coffee Table Books showcasing the wonderful landscapes, culture and wildlife of Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts. His photos and articles have appeared in many group exhibitions, magazines, online magazines and newspapers.

Hailing from coastal Karnataka, he knows and understands the landscapes here better than any other photographer. He has also spent a lot of time capturing the colours of Karnataka’s seascapes and river beds, making some of the finest landscape images that anyone can boast of. Dinesh is also known for his friendly approach and willingness to help and share his knowledge on photography.

You can see his work online at dineshmaneer.com.

Join the Monsoon Magic Tour

To join the Monsoon Magic tour, please click on the Payment Gateway link below (powered by Instamojo). For alternate payment options or for further information, email us at photography@darter.in or call Shreeram (+91-97400 83260).