The heritage town of Melukote is located 120km from Bangalore. It became a center of Vaishnavaites when Sri Ramanujacharya took shelter in the town during 12th century. The town hosts two ancient temples and several smaller heritage structures. The everyday life and culture of Melukote retains a feel of its past and heritage.

Darter Photography takes you on a photography outing to Melukote, to capture these ancient structures, heritage sites, its traditions, its people, its celebrated puliogres that can be relished by the street. Join the Darter Day Out on Saturday, 4th February armed with your cameras and guided by expert travel photographers.

Who can join?

Any one! If you want to see and make beautiful photographs of the heritage town of Melukote, hop in with us. It doesn’t matter if you are shooting with your phone camera or carrying the world’s most expensive photography equipment. We take you through the places and guide you in making good images along the way.

The Day’s Program Includes

* A brief session on Melukote with photography in mind.
* Photography of places in Melukote, with guidance from Darter Photography Experts.
* Image Reviews and critiques.
* Visit to ancient temples, heritage sites, Kalyanis and other interestig sites and to see and capture everyday activities in Melukote.

The Itinerary

* Start from MG Road at 6.45am. Pickup from Jayanagar at 7am.
* Stop for breakfast on the way at 8am
* Reach Melukote at 10am
* Head to the Kalyani, begin with a brief session
* Start photography with on planned route from 11am to 1pm
* Lunch and Image Reviews from the morning shoot from 1pm to 3pm
* Start photography with a planned route from 3pm to 6.15pm
* Depart for Bangalore at 6.45pm with a snack-stop along the way. Image reviews from evening shoot on the way back. We are back in Bangalore approximately by 9pm.

The itinerary is tentative and timings are only indicative, except for a fixed time of departure from Bangalore. Delays and changes are possible with progress in the day and shooting conditions.

Cost

This trip is priced at Rs.2,350 per person.

The cost includes
* Transport from Bangalore and back in an air conditioned vehicle. Pickup and drop from specific locations.
* Breakfast, lunch and evening snacks
* Guidance of Darter Photography Expert through the day

The cost doesn’t include
* Mineral water and additional food and beverages beyond what is mentioned above.

Register for this tour

To register for the tour or for more details, please email us at register@darter.in or call us at 9880006460 (Arun Bhat) / 9341229807 (Pradeep MR)

Visit www.darter.in and facebook.com/darterphoto to know more about Darter Photography.

Have you ever wondered what makes winters so special? Is it the brilliant dewdrops shining like diamonds, or is it the clear blue days lit by golden sunlight, or is it that catchy nip in the cold fresh air?

At Landscape Wizards we believe it’s all of these above. The prospects of having clean blue skies, moody mist covered forests and clear cold nights, all offer innumerable opportunities for an avid nature photographer.

We now give you a chance to experience the crisp music of winter in Landscape Wizard’s “Wonders of Winter” workshop where you get to experience the true chill factor of Nature Photography. Staying warm is optional here, but getting refreshed is mandatory!

The Wonders of Winter workshop is a unique one of its kind workshop, where you get to try out various aspects of Nature photography while truly getting “in tune” with nature. The workshop takes its participants camping on top of Kodachadri, a 1,300 meters tall peak in the district of Shimoga in Karnataka. The intrepid photo trekkers on this workshop would be rewarded by some truly amazing perspectives which can be witnessed only from the true wilderness on the mountain top.

Itinerary

• • Arrive at home stay in the morning
  • Leave to Hidlumane falls for an early morning shoot to catch the beauty of the waterfalls in early morning light (Moderate trek required)
  • Return for breakfast and some rest and freshup
  • Leave to Kodachadri on jeeps post lunch with photography luggage, packed food and some firewood.
  • Pitch tent at campsite and scout the place for the vantage point and setup equipment in daylight (Easy walk to the campsite from the vehicle drop off point)
  • Evening Startrail photography session.
  • Packed Dinner at campsite and continue session.
  • Go to sleep at around 12 am.

• • Early morning wake up early by 4:30 am
  • Pack tents and trek to sunrise point (Moderate to hard trek involved)
  • Finish morning shoot and trek down to pickup point to be picked up by Jeeps to take the participants back to home stay
  • Freshen up, have breakfast and some much needed rest.
  • Post lunch Photo review and Startrail image building technique
  • If participants want to do some photography in the evening,a visit Hasirumakki back waters is optional (slight walk required)
  • Board the bus back to Bangalore post evening dinner

Workshop Cost:

Rs 6,750/-

Workshop cost includes:

Workshop cost DOES NOT include:

Workshop leaders:

Sriharsha Ganjam

Pramod Viswanath

To Register : Send a mail to team at landscape-wizards.com with subject line as “Wonders of winter”

More details can be found on our website:

http://www.landscape-wizards.com/home/services/workshops-and-tours

Overview

Few places can offer a photographer such an amazing choice of subjects, irrespective of his/her area of interest and degree of expertize. In Hampi, a landscape photographer is greeted with, what a guidebook calls “arguably one of the most beautiful sunrises in the world” and perhaps the most colourful sunset one can ever see in this part of the world. The travel photographer, inclined towards heritage sites and street life, will have enough work for his camera that can keep him/her busy for weeks together. A wildlife and nature photographer will be equally amused, with a range of bird life unusually rich and diverse for a region this arid, and a wildlife sanctuary teeming with sloth bears.

Is this tour for you?

The Hampi Photography Tour is designed to (a) help amateurs and photographers of any level of expertize to see and capture the beauty of Hampi (b) travellers keen to explore the diversity of Hampi, not necessarily having photography in mind.

Our calendar is built in such a way that (a) we work closely with every photographer, helping them no matter what is their level of expertize (b) help beginners understand the basic nuances of photography and get beautiful images of Hampi (c) facilitate expert photographers to see and capture the right place at the right light, assisting them further when necessary (d) allow non-photographers to explore the diversity of Hampi.

The Photography Tour

“Many worlds of Hampi” is a 3-day photography tour designed to cover a wide range of interesting subjects that goes beyond the architectural splendours of Hampi. We have explored all the corners of Hampi to bring you the best in -

Landscapes – the river, boulders and hills of Hampi. Standing on the top of one of the highest landmarks of Hampi on an early morning as we wait for the the first rays of sun, our group of photographers will see the eagle’s eye view of the vast boulderscapes of Hampi with ancient temples and pavilions (mantapas) dotting the landscape. The Tungabhadra River magically squeezes its way through this arid landscapes, gently reflecting the blue skylights of the morning, perhaps with a coracle or two floating on it, ferrying people from the bathing ghats to Vithala Temple.  Have you ever felt, in places like this, that no photographs can justify the beauty of nature in front of you? We tend to agree, but we will also stay with you to bridge that gap between what you see and what you capture.

Sunsets can be equally captivating, as the sun paints the sky in hues of deep orange-pink, as we gather on a lively hillock littered with pillared pavilions, large boulders, small temples and a fragrant frangipani tree. Don’t be surprised if you forget photography for a moment and get engrossed in the evening landscape. But Darter Photography Expert will make sure you have the time of your life, with your experiences of the place as well as with your camera. There is no way you will go back home without taking great pictures and a brilliant smile.

Wildlife – birds and bears. A short drive from Hampi is a wildlife sanctuary dedicated to protecting a dense population of sloth bears that wander the shrub jungles adjoining the ancient city. It is not just the big, fat, adorable bears that we have here. Painted Sandgrouses, Grey Francolins, Flocks of parakeets, Black Redstarts, Sirkeer Malkohas, Yellow Throatred Bulbuls, White Browed Bulbuls, Indian Peafowl (Peacocks), Monitor Lizards and Star Tortoises are part of the big list of wildlife that our photographers have captured in Hampi. While wildlife sightings are left to chance, we know where to find them all, and the best ways to photograph this wildlife. Of course, expect plenty of leads on making great wildlife images as we go hunting these birds and animals on our way to Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary.

Architecture – the famed ruins of Vijayanagar Empire. Of course you would have heard of these. Hampi’s architectural heritage and its temples in various stages of ruination have brought this small village the UNESCO world heritage site status. A large number of monuments more than four hundred years old are strewn all across the plains of Hampi, inviting photographers to lose themselves in the ruins. But it would make little sense in making mere imprints of these beauties in your camera. With nearly half a dozen visits to the site, your photography expert has done a lot of work to find out what are the best monuments to shoot at what time of the day, to assess the direction of light that works good on these monuments and some great locations of Hampi and the right hour to capture their essence. All this knowledge is at the disposal of our participants, which helps make the tour a highly fruitful photography sojourn. The photography expert is there with you all the time, helping you when you have problems, reviewing your pictures and assisting you on field, ensuring that you get the best of what Hampi has to offer.

Tour Information

The tour calendar includes

• Visit to sites in Hampi that offer excellent photography opportunities in landscapes, wildlife and architecture
• Photography sessions at the resort that help participants in (a) capturing the best of what Hampi has to offer and (b) sprucing up your photography skills
• Daily image reviews at the end of the day

Accommodation

We will be staying at the Sloth Bear Resort, the new offering from Jungle Lodges and Resorts, on the boundary of the Daroji Bear Sanctuary.

Registration Information

This tour costs Rs.11,500 per person.

To register for the tour or for more details, please email us at register@darter.in or call us at 9740083260 (Shreeram M V) / 9880006460 (Arun Bhat).

Please see here for more details on the inclusions and exclusions.

Your Photography Expert: Arun Bhat

Accomplished travel and landscape photographer Arun Bhat’s works have been used by publications in India and across the world, all the way from Japan to USA. He is a professional photographer who has extensively travelled across India, creating some of the finest imagery of India’s landscapes and heritage sites.

Having travelled the country many times over and being used to waking up at 5am in bitter cold winter days, he has seen and captured finest landscapes all the way from Himalayas to the peninsular India but is yet to see anything as spectacular as the ‘morningscapes’ seen from the top of Hampi’s Hills. His half-a-dozen or so visits to Hampi have helped Arun develop a sense of familiarity and a good understanding of Hampi’s photography opportunities. Expect his guidance to come in your favour in making beautiful images of Hampi’s attractions.

Book this Tour

To register for the tour or for more details, please email us at register@darter.in or call us at 9740083260 (Shreeram M V) / 9880006460 (Arun Bhat). Alternately, fill in the contact-form below.

Know More

Visit www.darter.in to know more about Darter Photography and other photography centric events conducted by us.

Click with Audi

Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=246477362061918

Get guidance on what camera settings to use in specific situations, photography concepts like framing and composition, using real-world examples. You can perform photography exercises which will help you achieve a deeper understanding simply because you did it yourself, instead of just being shown what to do.

About Auditya Venkatesh:
Worked with some of the biggest names in Bangalore:
Vineeth Vincent; Akcent; The Raghu Dixit Project; Yodhakaa; Junkyard Groove; Slain; Galeej Gurus; Mother Jane; All the Fat Children; Black Ice
Do check out his profile on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/AudiPhotography

Features of the workshop:
–Learn photography through a combination of classroom sessions, excursions & photowalks
–Guidance from a critically acclaimed photographer Auditya Venkatesh who has won accolades for his amazing point of view.
–In-the-moment tips to help you maximize photo opportunities
–Presentations on the creative and technical aspects of photography
–Critique of the photos taken by you during the workshop

Workshop fee: Rs 3,800

Schedule for the workshop:
Saturday
10:00am – 1:30pm – Classroom session on photography
3:00pm – 6:00pm – Photowalk

Sunday
7:00am – 10:00am – Photo-excursion to Nandi Village, Bhoganandeshwara temple, Pottery village
10:00am -12:00pm – Devanahalli fort
3:00pm – 6:00pm – Review session of 10 best images from each participant

What to carry:
Camera (even basic digital camera will do)

Water bottle (optional)

For registrations and early bird discount, call now on: 96638 57828 or 9035789474

Fill up the registration form:
https://spreadsheets2.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHhYcXlNVzBXYlU0UlI3SmNkRnUwTnc6MA

Show how the world looks through your eyes

The world is beautiful, vibrant and dynamic. But we don’t often see it the way it is. If you have a different view of the world, then capture it and show it to the world. If you wish to translate your thoughts into images, learn this art from PeeVee

Who’s Peevee:

• A professional photographer for the past 7 years. Also been the official photographer for the Tour of Nilgiris last year.
• Won critical acclaim from eminent personalities in the entertainment industry like Mani Ratnam, for his candid shots.
• Has several corporate and commercial shoots to his credit.
• Has lead more than 300 photowalks in and around Bangalore.
• Has had his work featured at several prestigious exhibitions, shot and compiled coffee table books.
  Tamil Nadu Tourism
  Tour of Nilgiris Book
• Peevee has earned himself several accolades and recognition for his work in the areas of street, people and travel photography.
• See some of his other interesting work on Flick

What to expect:

Get guidance on what camera settings to use in specific situations, photography concepts like framing and composition, using real-world examples. Participants perform photography exercises which will help them achieve a deep understanding simply because they did it themselves, instead of just being shown what they should do.

Features of the Workshop:

• Learn photography through a combination of classroom sessions, excursions & photowalks
• Guidance from a critically acclaimed photographer who has won accolades from the likes of Mani Ratnam
• In-the-moment tips to help you maximize photo opportunities
• Presentations on the creative and technical aspects of photography
• Critique of the photos taken by you during the workshop

Dates: 20th & 21st Aug, 2011

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (both days)

Workshop fee: Rs 3,800

Schedule for the workshop:

Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm – Classroom session on photography at iReboot
4:00pm – 6:00pm – Photowalk

Sunday 7:00am – 10:00am – Photo-excursion to Nandi Village, Bhoganandeshwara temple,
Pottery village
10:00am -12:00pm – Devanahalli fort
3:00pm – 6:00pm – Review session of 10 best images from each participant

What to carry:

Camera (even basic digital camers will do)

Water bottle (optional)

Last date for registration: 14th August, 2011

Payment modes:
– Cash
– Cheque
– Online transfer

For further queries, please call 96638 57828 or Click here to register

Wanna experience the art of Rock Climbing?

Wanna experience the real sense of Adventure?

“Jogimatti” is one of the highest peaks at a height of 1323m above the sea level & surrounded by the reserved forest with huge rocks all around. Jogimatti is rich in bio diversity & it’s a paradise for bird watchers. It offers great challenge to adventure enthusiasts with various rock hills & hidden caves. Kondajji Lake is a vast lake surrounded by beautiful forest. The lake offers many water sport activities like still water rafting, kayaking & water fun.

Join us for the long weekend of Sat 13th August 2011 to Monday 15th August 2011 if you love adventure, camping out and trekking.

Activities – Trekking, Rock Climbing, Rappelling, Cave Exp, Water Sports.

Difficulty Level – Easy

Accommodation – Camping Tents / Guest House (toilets available)

Food – Simple Veg

Transport – Hired Vehicle

Cost – Rs.2750/- per head

Departure on FRIDAY 12th August 2011 at 10:30pm

Day – 01 (Sat 13th Aug 2011):
07:00am – Breakfast.
08:00am – Rock Climbing.
11:00am – Cave Exploration.
12:30pm - Lunch.
01:30pm - Peak Climb.
03:00pm – Trek to Camp.
05:30pm – Tea / Biscuits.
06:00pm - Cooking.
07:30pm – Campfire.
08:30pm - Dinner.

Day – 02 (Sun 14th Aug 2011):
06:30am – Bird watching.
08:30am - Breakfast.
09:00am – Rappelling.
11:00am – Climbing.
12:30pm - Lunch.
02:30pm - Trek to falls.
03:00pm – Water Fall.
05:30pm – Tea / Biscuits.
06:00pm - Cooking.
07:30pm – Campfire.
08:30pm - Dinner.

Day – 03 (Mon 15th Aug 2011):
06:00am – Departure.
08:00am – Breakfast.
09:00am – Water Sports.
12:30pm - Lunch.
01:30pm - Depart to Bangalore.
07:00pm – Reach Bangalore.

• Trekkers will be provided with Sleeping bags, Tents & Instructor.
• The program is a self sustained & trekkers have to carry their own backpack.
• Trekkers will be experiencing the Tent pitching, Cooking & also other Camping techniques.

For more details & booking Contact us:
SMS JOGI / Call @ +91 9980017105
Email – nisargaindia@gmail.com

All Bangalore based foodies and foodies across India, check out our friends’ site:

Zomato.com – India’s biggest online food & lifestyle guide

Steve Evans

Samuel Raj

Do you live, think & dream photography?

Then, grab this opportunity to meet the Photography-EXPERTS on 18 June 2011.

STEVE . EVANS: Multiple Awards winner, famous international Photographer.
SAMUEL . RAJ: A well-known name in Live-Concert Photography (Lucky Ali, Low Rhyderz)

Monarch Hotel, Brigade Road, Bangalore.
Bookings on 1st come, 1st served basis only!
Grab your seat, NOW! visit www.WeekendNuts.com

FEE: (Includes lunch & Tea/Coffee)

Walk-in Entry Fee: Rs. 5000 per person (On 18 June 2011)
*SPECIAL OFFER: Rs. 3000/- per person (OFFER valid upto 17 June 2011)

For your online payment, please use the following:

Name   – Samuel Raj Photography
CURRENT Account No  - 093705000474
Bank – ICICI Bank ; Branch  - New Bel Road

Contact:
Ruu (9379058236) Ben (9741595372) Vipin (9538303624) Sam (9844502149)
WeekendNuts@gmail.com
http://weekendnuts.com/

AGENDA:

• Introduction to the course
• Camera & eye
• How can I take good photographs?
• Fundamentals of Composition
• Photography in different fields
• Introduction to basic camera controls
• Knowing focus, focal length &magnification
• Aperture & Shutter system
• Camera exposure
• Introduction to Light
• Light brushing Techniques
• Guide to professional shooting

WeekendNuts@Gmail.com
www.WeekendNuts.com

If your answer to any of the above is a YES, then you should be with us at Bannerghatta this weekend!

So what’s happening at Bannerghatta?

Wildlife Photography Bootcamp

March 26 & 27

Conducted by iReboot @Bannerghatta National Park

Highlights

• Get coached by a photographer who has worked with National Geographic
• 30 hours of interactive and exhaustive coaching starting right from the basics and going on to advanced topics, including night photography, post-processing, review sessions, etc
• A residential program – we take care of accomodation, food, activities like safari and nature walks, entry fees, guide fees, coaching, etc

Detailed Course Content

About the Mentor

Amoghavarsha is a professional wildlife photographer who has worked on projects for the National Geographic. He is also working actively with the forest department and various conservation groups. You can look up his work here.

To register or know more, call 9886295353

Always dreamt of learning photography from a world class mentor? Well who better than our very own National Geographic photographer – Amogha Varsha. Spend 2 days in close proximity with the wild @Bannerghatta National Park as you learn photography and wildlife behavior patterns from him. Be part of an invigorating but thoroughly exciting wildlife bootcamp this March.

The plan of action would include

• interactive sessions on photography basics, camera & lenses, digital potential, flash photography, basic processing and specific focus on photography for wildlife & nature.
• sessions will be interspersed by nature walks, exclusive jeep safaris into the national park at the best times to capture wildlife – early mornings and late evenings
• critique  sessions where you’ll have Amogh personally reviewing your pictures

Venue: Bannerghatta National Park
Dates: March 19, 20
Type of program: Residential
For whom: Beginners & Amateurs in photography

We take care of all arrangements for you – food, accommodation, forest entry permits & fees, jeeps for safari, guides, course material, etc

All you have to do is come along with your camera – Digital SLR or simple point and shoot camera – anything is welcome.

To know more or to register, call Mukta at 9886295353

Gear up for iReboot’s  photo expedition in the wilderness of Kerala. The highlight of this expedition is the chance to learn from and shoot alongside India’s only wildlife conservation photographer who has won several International Awards, and is part of a premiere league of international wildlife conservation photographers – Balan Madhavan

Program includes travel ex Bangalore, room rent on twin-sharing, all meals & snacks, 1 nature walk and 3 jeep rides @ 4 photographers per jeep, all entry tickets, and mentor fees.

Accommodation - In Cottages run by the Eco Development Committee of Wayand Wildlife Sanctuary in Muthanga.

What to bring - A DSLR with all the available lenses & flash, circular polarizer filter, a sturdy tripod, lots of memory cards, a torch & trekking shoes.

Max no. of participants – 10

Here’s a quick look at the schedule for the weekend

Call 9663857828 for more details and registration. Hurry up, only limited seats.