India - Rajasthan Festival Photography Tour.

The Tour.

Join Nathan on a photography tour through Rajasthan, India's largest state, rich in history, tradition, and haunting beauty. Our journey promises to take you through some of the most charming, vibrant, and photo-friendly places you could ever wish for, with the added bonus of the Diwali “Festival of Lights” which coincides with the tour.

We start in Delhi, where we gather for a welcoming meet 'n' greet and an optional technical workshop for those wanting to refresh their skills. The next morning, we board a comfortable express train to Jaipur, the Pink City, where our adventure truly begins. Here, we'll explore the magnificent City Palace complex and capture the honey-combed facade of Hawa Mahal aglow with Diwali lights, while dawn excursions to Jal Mahal and vibrant wholesale markets provide extraordinary opportunities for authentic street photography.

We continue to the Blue City of Jodhpur, where the imposing Mehrangarh Fort provides a dramatic backdrop for festival celebrations. We'll photograph traditional stepwells with local models, explore the medieval streets of the old city, and capture the fort illuminated against the night sky during Diwali. In Jaisalmer, the Golden City rising from the Thar Desert, we'll document life within the living fort's winding lanes before venturing into the desert for unforgettable encounters with Sufi musicians and dancers under starlit skies.

The serene Jain temples of Ranakpur offer a peaceful interlude, their 1,444 intricately carved marble pillars creating endless possibilities for architectural photography. We also spend time with the colorful Rabari people, known for their distinctive red turbans and traditional lifestyle. Our journey concludes in romantic Udaipur, the City of Lakes, where the magnificent City Palace, atmospheric old town, and Lake Pichola's shimmering reflections provide a fitting finale to our exploration of Rajasthan during the magical Festival of Lights.

As well as visiting the acknowledged highlights of Rajasthan, we always allow time for the unexpected in the true spirit of adventure. We are happy to make random stops or diversions if we see a great photo opportunity. Portraits are the main focus of our tours, for it's the people who are the soul of any culture, especially in Rajasthan, where the locals radiate pride and beauty in their attire and jewellery.

We have designed this photography tour to cater to your unique needs as a photographer, ensuring that you travel with your camera bag conveniently and safely close to hand. We generally use a minibus big enough to give you two seats, one for you and one for your equipment. On the narrower roads, we use spacious cars, with no more than three photographers per car, to ensure everyone has ample space.

As always, our tour is led by Nathan, who first visited Rajasthan in 1990 and has unmatched skills in engaging with the local people and coaching photography techniques. His expertise will ensure you go home with a portfolio of images that will make any photographer proud. Join us on this unforgettable photographic journey through Rajasthan, capturing the beauty, history, and culture of one of India's most fascinating states.

Tuition.

On any of our tours, stunning photography is the name of the game, and our objective is for you to leave with a collection of images that you'll be proud to show off. Indeed, many of our past participants have gone on to win awards and competitions with photographs taken on our tours.

Nathan’s teaching approach is very hands-on, as he believes in learning by doing. He will guide you through technical challenges, provide artistic inspiration, and lead by example in approaching locals for great portraits. You'll be amazed at the striking and authentic images you'll be able to capture.

We also offer Lightroom workshops during our tours, where we cover workflow management and picture processing. We'll show you the tools to take your travel photography to the next level and provide tips on saving your pictures for various outputs like social media, e-books, and printing.

If this is your first tour with us, you can also join Nathan’s pre-tour workshop, designed to equip you with essential skills for travel photography. Covering technical competence, creative observation, and ethical responsibility with a focus on people and culture, this workshop is perfect if you’re new to travel photography or need a refresher. The workshop runs on the first day of the tour from around 2-5pm. Enhance your photography skills and capture breathtaking moments to treasure forever. Apply via our tour request form and prepare to take your photography skills to the next level.