Tour Type
Customized 1-1
Private Photo Tour
Duration
Customized as per requirement. Minimum 3 days tour.
Tour Price
For Tour packages
check below
Varanasi is considered as a spiritual capital of India, which attracts devotees from all around the world. It is an epicentre for holymen who majorly reside in their dedicated ashrams or on the Ghats of Ganga river. “The Holymen of Varanasi” Photography Tour is designed to highlight the life style of holymen/sadhus and Life on Ghats. The complete series of portrait shoot will be exclusively designed for the participants to get the best possible shot. This tour is one of a kind as the main highlight of this workshop is working close with Aghori sadhus of Varanasi.
Special Note: There might be change in the schedule depending upon the weather conditions and the availability of holymen.
01
Photographing artistic portraits of sadhus (holymen)
02.
Photographing real Aghori sadhus
03.
Exploring Ghats
If you want to build a strong portfolio of Varanasi and portraits of sadhus this tour is the right choice for you. We will also photograph real Aghori sadhus who are very rare to find. Even if you are a beginner you can join this tour as we have ‘Personal Pre Tour Support’ which clears all level of difficulties before we begin the tour.
Ashish Kamble is professional photographer and educator working in photography industry since 2009 (13 years). He has trained more than 900 students (B.M.M & B.A.F.T.N.M.P) in his teaching career as a visiting faculty in colleges affiliated under Mumbai University and in his own Institution ‘LotusBeam School of Photography’. His teaching experience helps every tour participant to clear their doubts from basic to advance level. To add further support we have specially designed a Personal Pre Tour Support policy at no additional cost.
This is a customized 1-1 private tour which allows us to give personal individual attention. Our mentor Ashish Kamble is working close with holymen of Varanasi since 2014, he is familiar with the locals and locations which will help us to get the perfect shot. We also cover post processing session which is an essential part of photography as it helps the participants to bring their visuals into reality. We make sure that you go back with a satisfying powerful portfolio.
Ashish Kamble
Tour Mentor
An award-winning photographer and educator based in Mumbai, India. He specialises in off-camera flash portraits and astrophotography. Read more about Ashish on his website.
Timings:
(Morning) 7am -10am | (Evening) 3pm - 6pm
- Meeting point will be decided once we finalise the tour as all babas are on different ghats.
- Everyday we will try to photograph 3-5 sadhus with good background. The number of sadhus depends upon the availability in the season as they are holymen/sadhus who are nomadic in nature.
- Ideal photography timings are morning and evening, in afternoon most of the holymen rest or are not on the ghats.
- All holymen are paid for their posing.
- All aghori sadhus which we arrange are real aghori who carry real human skull.
- The timings mentioned are tentative it can be more as per participant comfort.
Custom 1-1 Tour | Per Day Charges
for Natural Light Photography
- USD $300 (per day) for four holy men.
- USD $400 (per day)
for two/three holy men + one Aghori Sadhu.
for off-camera flash Photography
- USD $400 (per day) for four holy men.
- USD $600 (per day)
for two/three holy men + one Aghori Sadhu.
- Boat ride fare
- Photography mentorship and on field assistance fees, Tour guide Fees, Sadhus Fees
- Hotel Stay and food
- Travel from your location to Varanasi.
- Local Travel Fares
- Anything that is not mentioned in the Inclusion list.
TOOLS/GEAR REQUIRED BY PARTICIPANTS:
For Natural Light Photography
- DSLR or Mirror less camera
Wide, standard, short telephoto lens
For Off-Camera flash Photography
- DSLR or Mirror less camera
- Wide, standard, short telephoto lens
- Wireless flash system- 200W or above
- Godox AD200 + 60cm diffuser can be arranged from our end at no additional cost.
THINGS TO CARRY:
Personal hygiene and care products, Medicine etc.
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60% needs to paid to confirm the tour
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40% needs to paid on the first day before the tour starts
CANCELLATION POLICY:
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75% refund of full fees if cancellation is made 45 days prior to the date of the tour.
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50% refund of full fees if cancellation is made 30 days prior to the date of the tour.
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25% refund of full fees if cancellation is made 20 days prior to the date of the tour.
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NO refund if cancellation is made 15 days prior to the date of the tour.
1) Does one needs to be fit to join your tour?
We suggest you to follow basic exercise/waking routine at least one month prior to the tour date as it involves a lot of walking while carrying your gear.
Decent hotels near the ghats with all basic amenities. Luxurious hotels can be arranged at an additional cost, but they will be far from our main spots, so the participant has to manage to reach on time.
We offer Veg and Non-Veg food on our tour, but at times due to non availability of non veg food on some location we might serve only veg food.
It involves a lot of walking as we are going to cover life on ghats and lanes of Varanasi. So be prepared to walk for longer duration.
They are full of life just like normal humans. There is no reason for you to be scared of them.
Hindi, English and Marathi.
- Participant(s)/Guardians should understand the risks involved in any long journey activities before enrolling.
- In case of any injury, sickness, accident, death or any other casualty or loss or damage of valuables or luggage or any equipment; organisers, volunteers or experts or any other person involved wholly or partially, either individually or jointly with Ashish Kamble Photography and Tours shall not be responsible in any manner for the same and no claims of participants, parents, guardians, relatives or friends of participants will be entertained.
- Any expenses for all medical treatment and arrangements made by the organisers for the participants will be solely borne by the participant.
- During the Workshop, the decision of authorised representative of Ashish Kamble Photography and Tour shall be final and binding on all participants.
- Please be courteous to your mentor and other participants for smooth stress free Tour experience. Any discomfort please share with the organiser, we will try our level best to solve it in our capacity.
- The participant should make the payment only once he has gone through all terms and condition and is willing to abide by them.
- Smoking and moderate consumption of alcohol during leisure time is allowed during the tour. We request you not to smoke when all participants are shooting on field or are in a common meeting room.
- Possession of illegal drugs, weapons and other illegal substances is strictly prohibited during the tour. If found breaking this Rule, participant will be expelled from the Workshop/Tour and NO REFUND will be provided.