Photography with Indian Photo Tours and Dheeraj Paul
For amateur and professional photographers alike, India truly is a dream destination. Majestic landscapes, jubilant festivals and religious gatherings, intimate portraits, rare wildlife, spontaneous street scenes, frenzied bazaars…the opportunities to create remarkable images are endless. The challenge is how best to capture these moments – technically and artistically, yet also respectfully - while traveling in an unknown environment among unfamiliar people.
From Lost to Found Travel is pleased to partner with Delhi-based Indian Photo Tours to offer practical photography education and guided shooting excursions for our clients. Indian Photo Tours was founded in 2011 by Dheeraj Paul and Sanjiv Bhandula. Dheeraj has been a freelance creative photographer for over 22 years, and currently teaches Advanced Photography to post-graduate students at the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. His awards - which are too numerous to list here - include First Prize in the 2005 “Digital Photographer of the Year” competition held by What Digital Camera magazine, and First Prize in Canon’s “Asia Pacific Photo Contest” in 2000. He has thrice served on the International Jury for the “Humanity Photo Awards” jointly-sponsored by UNESCO and the China Folklore Photographic Association, and is on the Jury for the Sony World Photography Awards 2014.
Dheeraj is the son of legendary photographer Mr. S. Paul, still India's most highly-awarded photographer in international circles. Dheeraj and Sanjiv have designed a variety of itineraries specifically for photographers of all skill levels to improve their technical abilities and challenge their creativity. This includes arranging for private photographic opportunities from unique vantage points, in isolated locations, and among remarkable people that would be difficult to negotiate independently.
Excursions managed by Indian Photo Tours include all meals, accommodation and local ground transportation, expert regional guides and hands-on photography instruction from Dheeraj and his faculty. They are typically three to six nights in duration, depending upon the location, and can easily be integrated with a longer trip in India that includes cultural touring and/or wellness programs. Single-day workshops in Delhi are also offered, incorporating classroom and field-based demonstrations and guided shooting sessions. Subjects discussed include proper camera handling, visualizing through the lens, selecting a point-of-view, selective and critical focus, using lenses effectively, capturing the decisive moment, composition, perspective, lighting, texture, color, post-production editing and more. Excursion groups are small, typically no more than fifteen people; if his schedule permits, custom excursions can also be organized with Dheeraj for groups of at least eight people.
Upcoming trips offered by Indian Photo Tours (announced to date) include:
The Maha Kumbh (Uttar Pradesh) - February 2025
Leopards of Bera and Jawai (Rajasthan) - March 2025
Tiger's Heaven - Panna National Park (Madhya Pradesh ) - May 2025
Lahaul and Spiti (Himachal Pradesh) - September 2025
Theyyam, Dance of the Gods (Kerala) - October 2025
To explore how the superb itineraries offered by Indian Photo Tours might fit into your custom travel experience in India, contact us today.
