Luminous India Photo Tour Workshop + Holi Festival
Luminous India was one of the most amazing trips I’ve ever done!! The trip was awesome & as always (this was my third Luminous Journeys photo tour) I had a lot of fun with David Lazar and the group.”
— Paul D’, Switzerland
India for the uninitiated is an unimaginable, almost kaleidoscopic feast for the senses. Even if you’ve been before and can imagine it, it’s still an almost kaleidoscopic feast for the senses! From a photographer’s perspective, most especially those interested in people and culture in exotic settings, there is nowhere else in the known galaxy that offers such an incredible diversity of photographic possibilities. See highlights section and itinerary brief below.
Enter Luminous India and the world's most colorful and joyous festival – Holi! Note this special version of Holi in the Braj region happens one week before general Holi elsewhere in India. We do not visit Holi every year, so please don't wait for 2027/28. Our Luminous India Photo Tour Workshop is designed and led by world renowned travel photographer David Lazar --
“India offers amazing and unique photo opportunities with its rich culture and history, and some of the most friendly and outgoing people in the world. The itinerary has been carefully planned and researched on the ground, and is focused on capturing the essence of the culture through striking image making. There will be a plentiful mix of free and arranged photo shoots to help ensure that we accomplish our aim. By experiencing the subcontinent both through the lens and through the exuberance of its people during the most colorful festival of the year, we will be getting India at her very best.”
As always, David will be offering his expertise in the field on an ongoing basis, as well as image review and Photoshop/Lightroom instruction to those interested. You’ll get the chance to photograph in places you’d never find on your own, and overall you’ll be the beneficiary of an extraordinary number of impact image making opportunities. In short – a world class photography tour experience.
Both David and his award winning teammate, Canon Brand Ambassador Swarup Chatterjee, are among those rare photo tour leaders who actually care that their guests become better photographers during the tour. They will do everything in their power to make it so. Swarup joins for Holi if we have 8 participants or more.
So – are you ready to take your photography to new heights in incredible India? To invest in your yourself as a “mad keen photographer”, as the great Sam Abell puts it?
Please Note: We will have you and your camera well prepared for the colors of Holi. In the past however, we have had a few older female participants who felt that Holi might be a bit too exuberant for them. We’ve never had a significant problem, (unless you count the indelible smiles!), but we do understand that some might prefer more relaxed options. Therefore we offer alternative photo excursions away from the festival which have been very much enjoyed. One is to an well known bird sanctuary, another to an amazing Moghul Palace. Inquire for details.
Tour Type – All inclusive* photo tour workshop, 5 participant minimum, 10 maximum
Skill Level – Suitable for ALL skill levels, novice to advanced
Physical Difficulty – Moderate
Transportation – 3 internal flights, (Delhi to Jaisalmer, Jodhpur to Varanasi, Varanasi to Agra). Vehicles are late model, air conditioned SUV’s or mini-buses w/ plenty of space & bottled water
*Swarup joins for the Holi Festival if we have 8 participants or more. Tour average is 9.
Photo Tour Leaders
David Lazar is a renowned photographer & contributor to myriad publications, including National Geographic. Practical Photography has called David “…one of the world’s foremost travel photographers”. David’s Gallery.
Swarup Chatterjee is an award winning Indian photographer & painter. It’s this blending of two visions that allows him to see differently, and it shows in his distinct, evocative images. His warm & gregarious nature make him an ideal photo tour leader. Swarup’s Gallery.
Highlights
Old Delhi & the Masjid Mosque
Magnificent Taj Mahal – Creative Angles
Colorful & Joyous Holi Festival!
Thar Desert Photo Safari
Legendary Desert City of Jaisalmer
The Blue City of Jodhpur
Ascetics, Sadhus & Babas
Ancient Varanasi on the Holy Ganges
The Wonderful People of India!
Itinerary Brief
Luminous India Photo Tour Workshop
Day 1 – Old Delhi – Orientation Slideshow & First Shoot
A Luminous Journeys rep will greet you at the Indira Gandhi Airport to get you situated and delivered safely to the hotel. The program begins at 2:30 pm with an orientation and slideshow presentation by David Lazar. Bring your gear, as at approximately 3:15 pm we will take you out for your first official tour shoot on the mind blowing streets of the old city and the great Jama Masjid Mosque.
Day 2 – Delhi – Jaisalmer – The Stuff of Legend
Morning flight to legendary Jaisalmer, the oasis city with the Fairy Tale fort on the great Thar Desert. Hotel check-in and free time. This afternoon we venture across from the fort to photograph Rajasthani musicians, local kids, and ethnic ladies with the fort as backdrop. And/or subject! Then to the very best unencumbered position to photograph Jaisalmer Fort as the sun sinks into the desert sands…
Day 3 – Jaisalmer – Thar Desert – Tribal Beauties & a Camel Safari
Sunrise at Gadisar Lake with locals and temples/reflections in/on the lake. Then venture over to Jaisalmer Fort to free shoot among the ornate ancient havelis, before entering the fort itself. Later we camel safari into the desert! We will be met at camp by tribal beauties dressed in traditional finery, who you are free to engage and photograph. As darkness settles in and the stars rise, dinner will be cooked over a crackling fire while men in white wearing bright turbans play ancient Rajasthani ragas. Overnight private desert camp.
Day 4 – Jaisalmer – Jodhpur – Desert Dawn to the Blue City
Sunrise on the desert is very often breathtakingly beautiful. Morning shoot with local women in tradional garb, plus our trusty camels and their ruggedly mustachioed drivers. After a traditional desert breakfast, we return to Jaislamer for a respite before heading north for the magnifienct blue city of Jodhpur. Arrive in time for an afternoon street shoot in the old city. Dinner is at our favorite rooftop restaurant with unbelievable night views of the massive Mehrangarh Fort. Bring your tripod!
Day 5 – Jodhpur – Blue Streets and a Bad Fort Looming
Mehrangarh Fort, called by Rudyard Kipling the “work of giants”, dominates the skyline. You might recognize it as the massive structure from which Christian Bale emerges in The Dark Knight Rises. Early morning will find us shooting in the narrow lanes below the fort, with its cool rich backgrounds and brilliantly color clad people effortlessly expressing their Rajasthani culture. Other options include Jaswant Thara cenotaphs and Mandore Gardens.
Day 6 – Jodhpur – Varanasi – Journey to the Holy City
Early morning shoot (time permitting) in the blue alleys with great angles on Mehrangarh Fort, breakfast and flight to Varanasi via Delhi. Varanasi, built on the west bank of the Ganges River, is widely considered the holiest city in this most holy of countries, and the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Varanasi is the main stop on the wandering ascetic trail, so there are usually quite a number of assorted Sadhus about.
Day 7 – Varanasi – Ancient City by the River Goddess
Varanasi is considered the holiest city in India, dating back some 3,500 years. Lord Shiva himself is said to have dwelled here during his earthly sojorne. For photographers, it’s also a godsend! From thousands of Hindus ritual bathing in the golden light of dawn, to the surreal cremation ghats where the souls of the deceased are released to the heavens; to the hundreds of colorful wandering ascetics who make pilgrimage, Varanasi is a place of endless fascination and impact image making opportunity. Sunrise shoot on the river with Sadhus!
Day 8 – Varanasi – Of Sadhus and Wrestlers
It’s Photographers Choice today! Either go off on your own or w/ David or Swarup, whose styles & methods are quite different. You can even switch after lunch. Options include another chance at that perfect bathing ghat capture; free and arranged shoots with holy men/women; sunken temple and boat-scapes. Afternoon options include crossing the Ganges to visit Sadhu camps that are often present; a rare opportunity to shoot at a warrior ascetic wrestling akhara; and more.
Day 9 – Varanasi – Agra– Last Chance Sundance & Taj Mahal
Either sleep in or take advantage of another sunrise on the Ganges. After breakfast it’s back to the airport for the flight to Agra and the resplendence of the Taj Mahal. Check-in to our fantastic Mughal style hotel and take a break before today’s photography starts from across the Yamuna River, behind the Taj. There are a few different angles to explore and we’ll use the Taj as both subject and background. Cricket, anyone?
Day 10 – Agra – Vrindavan– Sunrise Taj to the Braj
The moment you walk through the entry archway where Taj seems to fill up the sky is one you will never forget. This is a prime example of where even the greatest photographs cannot do a subject this beautiful justice. But we’ll give it our best shot! Continue exploring the Taj Mahal at your leisure. Later we’ll make the 70 mile drive to Vrindavan where Krishna grew up, then meet to prepare our gear for the most colorful & vibrant spring festival on the planet.
Day 11 – Vrindavan – Barsana - Holi Laddoo!
With your equipment safely protected this morning, it’s time to take our first trip out to the most famous of all Holi locations, the village of Barsana. Today will be spent mostly with street photography as the village celebrates Laddoo, the commemoration of Krishna’s courtship of his favorite consort, Radha. This is almost too much fun one should be allowed with a camera in your hand!
Day 12 – Vrindavan – Barsana Holi Lathmar!
Lathmar Holi is where the women of Barsana and Nandgoan put on a great show of venting a year’s worth of frustration by whacking the men with big sticks! The men have shields to take the most direct blows, but are not always 100% successful! We have a fantastic private location to photograph and stay above the fray. This is just a warm up for the apex Samaj tomorrow!
Day 13 – Vrindavan – Barsana - Holi Samaj!
This morning we venture again to the Braj village of Barsana, which might be called the Holy of Holi’s, in that the joyful mayhem reaches its most colorful peak here. Bright powdery colors are tossed in the air, hurled from balconies, rubbed on revelers and otherwise partaken of! We will have a relatively un-powdered high vantage point wherever possible, but beyond that you will have been well prepared. Nothing to fear, it's unforgettable great fun!
Day 14 – Vrindavan – Delhi - Free Expression & a Farewell Feast
Free time this morning to relax and toss out the old clothes covered in colors that we wore during the Holi action. Enjoy a well earned, leisurly breakfast, over which to swap stories. Then the drive back to Delhi. Lunch and hotel check-in. The afternoon is yours to wind down, review images, or do some some local street shooting. Tonight is your Farewell Dinner and drinks to remember at a neo-classic Delhi restaurant.
Day 15 – Delhi – Home – Safe Journey & a Fond Farewell!
There is no scheduled photography for today, as people will have differently scheduled departure flights. If you have a later flight out consider it free time, and if you need any assistance we will be there for you. You’ll be driven to the airport according to your departure time and given a fond farewell… Off to relative peace and tranquility you go, but you will miss this incredible, incredible country!
*Please note the above itinerary is a close sample only and is subject to change in the daily shooting schedule. A fully detailed itinerary and 30-page information kit concerning traveling for photography in India and the Holi Festival will be sent to all registered participants approximately 100 days prior to tour start date.
“Holi Kits” for camera protection and shooting the festival will be made available for those who request them. There is an extra charge of about $95, but no markup. Of course you can purchase the same items at home and bring them with you, if you so choose. The Holi Kit list of items will be included with your information kit/Trip Notes. We have never had any damage to anyone's equipment.
** Image review is available on an ongoing basis by request. For those interested, David will offer Photoshop/Lightroom instruction sessions as time allows.
“Oh my feet haven’t really touched the ground since returning from India. It was such a fantastic trip and I am still on a high. I so appreciated having been on another Luminous Journeys trip where everything was well organised and all I needed to do was focus on photography. It is also great to spend time with like minded people who are just as enthusiastic to get up early in the morning and stay out after sunset … and we had a lot of fun!” – Rosalyn Johnson, New Zealand
What’s Included in the Price of Your India Photo Tour?
Included:
Photographer fees and top English speaking guide
All accommodation
In-country flights, airport & ground transport
All meals from Day 1 dinner through Day 15 breakfast
Ample bottle water and refresh towels throughout
All entrance, zone and camera fees
Local model donations
Excluded:
International airfare - India Visa Fee
Extra drinks @ lunches & dinners
Personal purchases
Trip cancellation or medical insurance
Medical expenses
Holi Camera Protection Kits - See itinerary end notes above and Extra Drinks at Lunches and Dinner
Gratuities for hotel porters, local guides & drivers
Holi Camera Protection Kits - See itinerary end notes above
End of trip gratuities for photographer tour leader
Getting Cultural
More Knowledge – Better Pictures
Sannyasi, Sadhus & Naga Babas
Sannyasi, in general terms, are advanced stage holy men who have been given a title such as Swami by a guru. A sadhu, Sanskrit for ‘holy man’, is a more broadly used term for those who practice the spiritual discipline of “sadhana”, and whose goal is to achieve liberation from samsara and the ties of karma and rebirth. It should be noted that phony sadhus are more common than true ones, but in a country as vast and poor as India, offers the fake fakir a decent way to make a living. Naked sadhus, (sky-clad), are known as Naga Babas. They descend from a class of warrior ascetics who served as security forces for the Moghuls of old. Many still carry battle axes, swords, spears or tridents today, along with a fierce attitude. Approach with caution.
Extreme practices called tapasya include standing/sleeping on one leg for years; holding one arm in the air continuously for years; meditating in extreme heat with cow dung burning on top of the head; sleeping on a bed of thorns; lifting heavy weights off the ground with the penis; pushing knives or other sharp objects througb various parts of the body; hermitism and etxremely long periods of meditation; and in the case of extreme Aghori sects, even the eating of human flesh! The best places to see and photograph various tapasya being performed are Varanasi and at various festivals, especially the Kumbh Mela.
At Holi Festival events it's more like to see "normal" sadhus than the extreme, but in India, you just never know what wholly unexpected and fantastic photo opportunities might pop up!
Holi Festival in the Braj
Not your father's Holi, as eleswhere in India. The Braj is special. Picture this: you’re stepping into a whirlwind of color and laughter. That’s Holi in Barsana and Nandgaon. It’s not just any festival—it’s a wild celebration of Krishna and Radha’s playful love, rooted in Hindu stories. Barsana, where Radha grew up, and Nandgaon, Krishna’s turf, come alive with traditions like Lathmar Holi and the soulful Samaj rituals. It’s loud, it’s messy, and if you’ve got a camera, it’s pure magic.
Lathmar Holi - women in bright sarees are swinging sticks at guys from Nandgaon, who are dodging and laughing like it’s the best game ever. Colors explode, water splashes—it’s Krishna’s mischief come to life. Snap that action: a woman mid-swing or gulal clouding the air. Crank your shutter to 1/500s for sharp shots or drop it to 1/30s for a blurry, dreamy vibe. Total chaos, totally awesome. Then there’s Samaj—Men from both villages sit together, singing these deep, devotional songs while petals drift down. It’s quiet, almost magical. Get in close with a telephoto lens—capture a hand tossing gulal, a face lost in the moment.
The streets? They’re buzzing. Drummers pound away, dancers spin, kids dart around like firecrackers. Wide-angle shots grab the whole scene, but don’t sleep on the close-ups: a drummer’s sweaty grin or a kid’s wild smile. The people here are super friendly—most are happy to pose, just ask first and respect the quiet bits like Samaj. We have rented a location for high angles at Lathmar, plus you can get street level. It’s a wild, beautiful mess. Jump in, soak it up, and let your lens catch it all. Your gear will be fine, we have you covered.
