Who is the course for?

 

GeckoWorkshops courses for the Year Out are ideal for young people with a keen interest in travel and photography. With a choice of itineraries varying in length from 2 to 5 weeks running between September and February, our schedule of courses offers maximum flexibility; for gappers embarking on long journeys before going to University, the courses offer a rare opportunity to acquire and practice the photographic skills they will need for capturing their experiences abroad on film.

Taken at the start of a year out, GeckoWorkshops courses enable newcomers to India to gain precious travel experience in the company of highly experienced Course Leaders and are an excellent introduction to travelling in Asia. As the courses begin and end in India, they can also be easily incorporated within a longer stay in Asia.

GeckoWorkshops Courses for the Year Out are equally well-suited for students who are looking for a creative experience during a shorter break, before going – or returning - to University. The emphasis that is placed on creativity and the development of essential photographic skills, makes our programme of workshops a perfect opportunity for art and photography undergraduates seeking to gain practical experience of travel photography.

On all our courses, groups are kept deliberately small to enable us to give individual attention to each participant throughout the journey.

 

Why come with us?

Few experiences compare to the thrill of hunting for images in exotic surroundings. Seen through a lens, the world can look quite different and learning to capture your experiences on film is a worthwhile challenge that will broaden your understanding of yourself and the world around you.

Travelling through a range of dramatically different environments presents us with innumerable opportunities for capturing images; our photography workshops are designed to take advantage of such opportunities to foster the development of specific photographic skills and techniques. Each day, we focus on a different technical element such as composition, exposure or light and practice the methods used by professional photographers to create striking images.

Whilst our programme of visits to places of historical significance is aimed at expanding our understanding of this fascinating culture, all of our visits and excursions also form the basis for a photographic exploration of a broad variety of subjects ranging from environmental portraiture, to landscape and wildlife photography.

Each group of 12 students is accompanied by two Tutors and teaching takes place throughout the day, in small groups. Whilst emphasis is placed on all practical aspects of photography, teaching also includes a programme of daily talks on photographic theory. A series of workshops structured to help you create a visual record of your travel experiences, allows the opportunity to integrate theory with practice. Throughout the course, you will be set photographic assignments and have the opportunity to learn at your own pace.

No formal qualifications are required; all you need is curiosity, a sense of adventure, and some basic camera equipment. If you have no existing knowledge of photography and would like to complete some reading prior to coming on the course, we will be happy to suggest the titles of some books that you may find useful.

 

What equipment do you need?

For the purpose of learning photography the minimum equipment you will need is an SLR type of camera with at least one lens. The camera can be of any make, and can be digital or non-digital but must have a manual option for aperture and shutter-speed adjustment. It is entirely up to you whether you prefer to work with film, or digital. If you have both digital and non-digital equipment, we recommend that you bring both as this would enable you to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each medium.

The photographic techniques you will learn on the course are universal, so you may chose to bring either a digital SLR, or a non-digital SLR. The main advantage in bringing digital equipment is that you will be able to see the pictures you take on a daily basis. If you have a digital SLR camera, we recommend that you also bring a laptop with at least 40GB of free hard-drive space. This will allow you to download your images and receive targeted feedback on your progress all along the journey. With digital camera equipment and a laptop you will also have the option of receiving professional guidance on editing, colour correcting, basic image manipulation techniques, captioning and building an image data-base.

However, whilst technically advanced camera equipment may give you more flexibility in capturing images, our course teaches you the core photographic skills including how to make the most of the equipment you have.

For more recommendations on equipment click here.

 

Accommodation and Free Time

Throughout the course, we stay in the unique properties of CGH Earth. Renowned for their exquisite cuisine, and superbly located for exploring the surrounding areas, all of our hotels blend indigenous architecture and materials with the highest standards of modern hospitality. In the Backwaters, we sail aboard Spice Cruises’ luxurious Kettuvalam boats. For further information please visit our Where We Stay and Where We Go page.

Usually, there are two, 3-hour long photography workshops on each day with a long break in the middle. Whilst you may want to use your fee time for further exploration, you will never have to look far for something pleasurable to occupy you in your leisure time – all our hotels on the mainland offer swimming pool, Yoga classes, and Ayurvedic Centres. On Bangaram Island, deep sea fishing, boating and kayaking, as well as snorkelling and scuba diving are offered through the Resort’s Diving and Water Sports Centre.

If you require any further information, please contact us through our Contact page.

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