Gap Year Photography Courses in Kerala, India

4/5 Weeks Itinerary

Below is a sample itinerary of our 4/5 week-long photography course for gap year students.

Photography takes us to unusual places at unusual times; every day, we set out in pursuit of images and always welcome the opportunity to witness local customs and festivities. Often, it is the unexpected that presents the best photographic opportunities so we may occasionally vary the order of the places we visit to make the most of our stay in Kerala.

We want you to enjoy a true taste of Keralan life, so throughout the course, you will also have the time to practice Yoga with expert teachers, and benefit from Ayuvedic health and beauty treatments for which this part of India is justly famous. Of course, you could chose to spend you free time enjoying the glorious surroundings of each of the places we visit during our journey.

The most exclusive leg of our journey is the Bangaram Extension. This week-long option, which is only available as an extension of the land trip between September and March, takes us to the remote coral island of Bangaram in the Lakshadweep archipelago. Please note that to protect the island’s fragile ecosystem access is restricted, making early booking essential.

For our 2/3 weeks itinerary click here

Day 1	AM: Arrival at Mararikulam.
	PM: Introduction and orientation.
	Eve: Seminar:"A Fabled and Ancient Land". Introduction to travel and photography in India.

Day 2	AM: Familiarization with photographic equipment.
	PM: Introduction to key technical elements and their practical application. Sunset shoot.
	Eve: Q&A session

Day 3	AM:Early morning shoot on the beach; fishermen and their catch; Workshop: light and exposure in the tropics.
	PM:Visit to the Hindu temple of Mararikulam. Workshop: photographing religious rituals. (Composition Stage I)
	Eve:Seminar: "Travel & Photography, or Travel Photography?"

Day 4	AM:Excursion to Kayamkulam and visit to the 18th century Palace of Krishnapuram. Workshop: photographing architecture.
	PM:Visit to fishing village. Workshops: understanding local customs and photographing women and children.

Day 5

Day-long Excursion to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. AM Visit to Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple . PM Visit to Puttan Malika Palace, seat of the Royal Family of Travancore.

Day 6

Day for personal assignments and exploration. Eve: Gecko Olympics (games and competitions)

Day 7	AM:Travel by minibus to Kumarakom, and onwards by boat to Coconut Lagoon.
	PM:Introduction to Vembanad Lake. Workshop: composition, reflections and waterscapes. (Composition Stage II).
	Eve: Seminar: "How close? - The elusive art of photographing people".

Day 8	AM:Early morning shoot: Kalari (Martial Art). Workshop: photographing movement. Visit to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.
	PM:The Butterfly Garden. Workshop: macro-photography.
	Eve:Seminar: "Digital or Traditional –which is for you?"

Day 9	AM:Beginning of 48 hours cruise along the Backwaters and introduction to your first assignment: working with light and capturing moods. You will be working on this throughout your cruise along the Backwaters.
	PM:Seminar: "Working in low light conditions".

Day 10

We continue our exploration of the Backwaters Kettuvalam boats.

Day 11	AM:Early morning shoot: dawn on Vembanad Lake. Return to Coconut Lagoon by mid-morning.
	PM:Free Time
	Eve:Seminar: "The ‘One Rupee’ dilemma. Travelling wisely in India."

Day 12	AM:Day-long excursion to Aranmula and Ettumanur. AM Parthasarathy Temple amd mirror making workshop.
	PM:Visit to Ettumanur’s Mahadeva Temple to see the Kerala’s most celebrated murals.

Day 13	Day for personal assignments and exploration.
	Eve:Gecko Olympics (games and competitions)

Day 14	AM:Travel by minibus through the Cardamom Hills to Thekkady.
	PM:Boat trip on Periyar Lake inside Periyar National Park. Workshop: Introduction to wildlife and landscape photography.
	Eve Guest : “Project Tiger and the ecosystem of the Western Ghats.

Day 15	All day trekking and bamboo rafting inside Periyar National Park. Workshop: wildlife and landscape photography.
	Eve: "Cooking with Spices."

Day 16	AM: Visit to tea and spice plantations. Assignment II: people in the landscape.
	PM:Guided tour of 19th century botanical park. Free Time.
	Eve Guest: “The Shola Ecoystem”

Day 17

All day trekking and bamboo rafting inside Periyar National Park Workshop: wildlife and landscape photography (Part II).

Day 18	AM:Bullock Cart Ride through villages on the border with Tamil Nadu.
	PM:Gecko Olympics (games and competitions).

Day 19	AM:Travel by minibus to Munnar; along the way, we stop to photograph the spectacular scenary of the Western Ghats.
	PM:Arrival and introduction to the area.

Day 20	AM:Visit to Eravikulam National Park. Workshop: wildlife and landscape photography (Part III).
	PM:Excursion to Top Station, the highest tea estate of the indian sub-continent, on the border with Tamil Nadu. Workshops: landscape photography.

Day 21	AM:Shoot of tea estates. Workshop: Assignment II contd.: people in the landscape
	PM:Visit to Tea Factory and Tea at the High Range Club.

Day 22

Day-long excursion to Shola forest.

Day 23	AM: Travel by minibus to Kochi.
	PM: Arrival and introduction to Kochi, the Queen of the Arabian Sea.
	Eve: Performance of Kathakali dance-drama.

Day 24	Day-long shoot of Fort Kochi and its famed Chinese Fishing Nets. Workshop: interacting with your subject.
	Eve Guest:

Day 25	AM Early morning cruise of Kochi harbour, shoot of the old town from the water Workshops: skyline.
	PM Visit to the XVI century murals that decorate the Dutch Palace, in Mattancherry. Workshop: Introduction to photographing markets.
	Eve Guest: "The Jews of Kochi"

Day 26	AM: Visit to Kochi’s Jewish quarter and the Pardesi Synagogue. Assignment III: environmental portraiture.
	PM: Free time for shopping and personal exploration of the spice warehouses in Mattancherry.
	Eve:Seminar: "Comparing notes: how far have you come?"

Day 27	AM:Excursion to Vypeen Island and Cherai Beach. Assignment III contd.: environmental portraiture.
	PM:Gecko Olympics (games and competitions.)

Day 28	After breakfast, End of Kerala Workshops. Transfer to Kochi airport if required.

	Bangaram Extension


	AM: Free time for personal exploration of Kochi
	PM: Workshops: advanced interaction techniques.

Day 29	AM: Transfer to Bangaram Island, via Agatti, Lakshadweep Archipelago.
	PM: Arrival on Bangaram Island, introduction and orientation.
	Eve: Guest: “A fragile Paradise” Introduction to the unique ecosystem of the Lakshadweep Islands.

Day 30	AM: Exploration of the shoreline. Workshop: Advanced Light and Composition.
	PM: Assignment IV) Light, textures and patterns.
	Eve: Guest: “Life and Conservation of the Coral Reef”.

Day 31	AM: Exploration of the interior of the Island. Workshop: high contrast light conditions.
	PM: Assignment V) Colours, shapes and reflections.

Day 32	AM: Free Time
	PM: Excursion to Tinnakara Island. Workshop: silhouettes and high contrast light conditions.
	Eve: Seminar: “Getting your work published.”