WOJTEK STARK
All of the Varanasi photo workshops have been especially created as a unique and complementary addition to the Kumbh Mela offers. It is, however, possible to book a Varanasi workshop separate from and unattached to Kumbh Mela while still enjoying an extraordinary experience in the holiest city of India for a period of 3 days. The city’s overall structure, religious characteristics and spiritual meanings attracts many photographers from all around the world each day.
VARANASI WORKSHOPS
experience
DEEP
INDIA
Studios
Indeed, Varanasi has an absolutely stunning facade for a city and is known for it’s ambient attraction for many reasons. The first being that it is the holiest site in the Hindu religion. According to the Hindu religion, Varanasi is the only place on earth where, devotees can reach true Nirvana after their death through the highest and most holy incarceration process, by ones deceased body being burned at the Manilkarnika Ghat. A palpably religious and profoundly deep undertone is very present everyday at the Ghats for this reason. Thousands of believers in the Hindu faith will all visit this place in one accord for the purpose of fulfilling their religious rituals at this site. Hundreds of beautiful temples, ashrams and uniquely mysterious personalities along with much more surround and make up what is, Varanasi. Varansi can not be compared and no description will do it any justice for the exquisite beauty and awe striking experience one may find here. It is one city not only worth touring but fully immersing one’s self into.
The above image shows the Ganga River and in the lefthand side of the photograph a substantial portion of the Ghats is visible, accounting for over 7 kilometers (or approximately 4 & 1/2 miles) in length of the site.
The Ghats, along with the small narrow streets which lay behind, will be the center focal point of interest in this Workshop with Wojtek Stark. Three full days of photography amongst these highlighted areas and three full days of an extraordinary experience to remember for a lifetime. In this short but intensive workshop Wojtek will be providing his full knowledge, talents and techniques concerning street photography with the support the amazingly awe striking scenery which makes up Varanasi. Wojtek has visited Varanasi numerous times in the past and has garnered special knowledge and personal experience of secret photographic locations not often highlighted by tour books and mostly hidden from the general public. These will be very special locations to be visited during this Workshop and is recommended to be well equipped photographically for the visit.
Summary of the Varanasi Photo Workshop:
Day 1: Meeting between 10-12 AM, lunch, introduction, photo walk in a group (3- 4 hours) including a boat ride (1 hour), Aarti visit (1 hour), dinner.
Day 2: Sunrise boat ride, breakfast, personal portfolio review (1 hour) , lunch, photo walk (4 hours) in a small group, dinner.
Day 3: Photo seminar (4 hours), lunch, end of the Varanasi Photo Workshop around 2 PM.
Required equipment:
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DSLR or DSLM camera body, lenses
Recommended equipment:
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Notebook with Adobe Lightroom
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Standby memory cards and batteries
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External hard drive as storage
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Tripod, camera bag and covers
Beginner
Professional
Semi Pro
Advanced
6 places
3 Days
2 Nights
Detailed description
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Our first official meeting point will be during the morning hours at the hotel. Please note: any domestic transportation prior to arriving at the base hotel, flight, bus, car, etc., except the chargeable addictional flight offer, will not be covered in the overall workshop cost and will be at the individual’s expense upon arrival. In case you have booked an addictional flight with us, all additional instructions will be sent via email once the flight has been confirmed by the airline. It is highly recommended to arrive in India one or two days in advance of your tour for appropriate assimilation. Especially for those who have never traveled through India before, as much as it is a beautiful and spectacular experience to behold it can also be overwhelming if never experienced before and we wish for you to receive the opportunity to assimilate into the mindset and culture before beginning your excursion with Wojtek Stark on this tour. It will also be beneficial for you as it will allow you your own personal time to take in the unique experiences before focusing your attention to further honing your photographic skills. Should you book a connecting flight, bus, train, etc. on your own before arrival into Varanasi or use our addictional flight offer and should this flights or rides for any reason be missed than a refund will not be available. Please take careful consideration to times of departure and arrival to ensure that you will arrive on time and you get the most out of your experience! A private insurance plan is strictly recommended in case of any flight delays, cancellations, missed connections, etc. We offer a cost free pick up service inside the city area of Varanasi. This service will be explained in detail after the booking procedure.
DAY 1: Meeting in Varanasi 10 to 12 AM: We will conduct a short tour with an introduction into the workshop with a welcoming lunch held at the end in the dining hall of the hotel. The workshop will begin with a 3-4 hour photo walk as a group once we have completed our lunch. This will give us the opportunity to meet and greet one another and have our first excursion with each other. An extended boat ride along the ghats on the Ganges river of 1 hour duration is included. After the boat ride we will visit the evening Aarti celebration. Our dinner will be served after the Aarti celebration in the base hotel.
Overnight at Suryuday Haveli or similar.
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DAY 2: An early morning sunrise boat excursion along the Ganges River. A (rowing) boat ride at dawn will be conducted, as well, along the Ganges River and is the quintessential Varanasi experience to have. The early morning light will be particularly well suited for photography and to see the rise and fall of the day as it unfolds across the Ghats is truly a wonderful experience. A 1.5-hour long boat trip south of Dashashwamedh Ghat to Harishchandra Ghant on to Manikarnika Ghat and back is a popular excursion to make. Please note: be prepared on this journey to witness a burning corpse at Harishchandra and Manikarnika as part of the local people’s religious traditions. Photography in these areas is strictly prohibited by the peoples of this area. As a group we will remain as respectful as possible to this request along with holding a generally respectful presence for their religious and social traditions at all times. Breakfast. In the morning hours a personal portfolio review with Wojtek Stark is available at an available time agreed upon the day prior. This personal one on one session with Wojtek will also come with the opportunity to practice your photography afterwards being accompanied by a local, English speaking guide. Lunch. After Lunch a group photo walk will be conducted of approximately 3 hours’ duration, in which time you and your group, lead by Wojtek Stark, will visit some truly excellent places of great fame along with having the opportunity to photographically study a number of very secret locations which Wojtek will personally guide you through. Exceptional photographs and experiences guaranteed during this day’s tour. Overnight at Suryuday Haveli or similar.
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DAY 3: After the breakfast Wojtek Stark will introduce every interested member of the group to his personal post processing methodology and techniques. He will lecture on the basics of composition, dynamic range, light, shadow and colors in a 2 hour seminar and after we will continue with 2 hours exercises of post processing with focus on retouching of a personal image using Adobe Lightroom in the base hotel. Lunch will be served around 1 PM. The Photo Workshop ends after the lunch and a short workshop summary around 2 pm.
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BEST PRICE !
WORK
SHOP
VARANASI
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THE HOLIEST CITY
Starting at 1299,- € the total base price includes the following:
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2 meals (3 meals at the mid day) each day with assorted non-alcoholic beverages.
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The declared facility costs and taxes in a 2 bed deluxe room.
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An English speaking personal guide as declared in the description.
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2 hours photo seminar.
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2 hours of hands-on training in post processing fundamentals and special techniques.
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One hour personal portfolio review.
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​Individual photography advisory and personal support provided by appointment and time availability.
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Not included are all another costs caused by personal needs like: personal photography equipment, all flights not listed in the total workshop cost, necessary visa for entry and exit, train fare, any rides or flights before or after the tour, privately initiated car rides during the workshop, medical expenses, additional hotel services such as, mini bar, spa, laundry, alcoholic drinks, any tips to service staff or any other persons, etc.
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The A/C room of the base hotel is generally provided as a two bed option. It provides first-class western standard facilities and service.
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Additional offers:​
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Single person rooms are available during the entirety of the tour for an additional cost of 270€ added to an existent booking for one of the Varanasi photo workshops. To book this additional service please proceed with "Additional offers" on our booking page: Book Online.
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Domestic return flight packages or a fast train from Mumbai or New Delhi to Varanasi along with car transfers to the hotel in Varanasi are available for an additional cost of 490€. This cost will be added to your existent booking for the Varanasi workshop. This allows for a more relaxed and stress free arrival to your final destination. To confirm this reservation please use the specific selection during the booking procedure. Flights are generally booked for arrival on the first day or departure on the last day of the workshop. The exact details and times will be sent to you via email once the flights have been confirmed by the airline. To book this additional service please proceed with "Additional offers" on our booking page: Book Online.
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A minimum of 3 adult participans is required to guarantee this departure. A non-refundable deposit of 250,- € per person is required to secure one place and it is included in the total price. Full payment is required. In case you would like to proceed with a part payment reservation ammount only, please contact us over email. At present we accept PayPal, credit cards, Sofortüberweisung payments and direct bank transfer (IBAN/SWIFT) over email. For the last mentioned method, contact us over email or use our contact form below. Travel insurance is strictly recommended for travelling with us.
Please carefully read all terms and conditions below before booking your place at the Varanasi workshop. Note: there will be no refund of the reservation deposit (250,- €) available once booking or reservation has been made.
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By accessing and using this service, you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. In addition, when using these particular services, you shall be subject to any posted guidelines or rules applicable to such services. Any participation in this service will constitute acceptance of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use this service.
23. October - 25. October 2019
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6
of 6 places available!
26. October - 28. October 2019
During Diwali (festival of light)
6
of 6 places available!
Terms and conditions of photo workshops in Varanasi:
Wojtek Stark Studios uG is registered in Germany under the number: HRB 29345. All workshops and/or tours you book with us are organised and sold subject to the following conditions:
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​Booking and Payment
Registrations are allocated and guaranteed only upon receipt of full payment. At present we don't provide a part payment reservation in advance. A non-refundable deposit of 250 € is included in the total price at the time of booking.
Additional offers to workshops or tours are always declared and can not be booked without an existing booking and can not be cancelled once confirmed.
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​Cancellation
You may cancel at any time although you will only receive part of the fee depending on how close to the workshop you cancel. No refunds will be given for withdrawal after the photo workshop begins.
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- More than 90 days you will be refunded 100% minus any non-refundable deposits.
- More than 60 days you will be refunded 50% minus any non-refundable deposits.
- Less than 60 days you will be refunded 0%.
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Wojtek Stark Studios reserves the right to alter or cancel any workshop at any time. For reasons including, but not limited to, too few participants, adverse weather, instructor illness, logistical problems such as strikes, wars, acts of God, or any other circumstances, which may make operation of the workshop inadvisable. If any workshop has to be cancelled prior to the start date of the trip all fees are refunded in full or you may choose to use the money for another date or workshop. If for some reason the workshop needs to be cancelled part way through the trip there are no refunds.
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​Wojtek Stark Studios reserves the right to cancel any photo workshop with inadequate enrolment 14 days beforehand. In the event that a workshop has to be cancelled due to inadequate enrolment, all fees and deposits paid are refunded in full or transferred to another photo workshop.
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​Wojtek Stark Studios is not responsible for any expenses or damages incurred by workshop members as a consequence of any cancellation, such as costs expended in preparing for the trip including non-refundable or penalty-carrying airline tickets, equipment, lost income, or any other trip-related losses or expenses.
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​Workshop Fees
The workshop cost includes the tuition fee, on-workshop transport, accommodation and services mentioned in the detailed descreption of the workshop/tour like guides, boat rides. All other expenses are the responsibility of the participants. Not included are any airfares, airport taxes, pre and post workshop accommodation or items of a personal nature. Price also excludes any insurance coverage for trip cancellation or interruption, travel accident, travel delay, baggage delay or baggage theft, medical or hospitalization expenses (we recommend you obtain coverage for these items).
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Insurance
You must have travel insurance, including coverage for personal health, emergency medical evacuation, emergency medical expenses, and trip cancellation, which would reimburse you for non-refundable airfare and trip cancellation fees. Wojtek Stark cannot accept liability for insurance costs, loss of deposits, airline cancellations or delays or penalties incurred by the purchase of non-refundable airline tickets or other expenses incurred by participants in preparing for this workshop. Wojtek Stark cannot accept liability for any insurance costs if a workshop is cancelled.
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​​Client Responsibility
You must be in good health upon arrival to a photographic workshop. You must have a level of fitness commensurate with your chosen workshop and you are responsible for bringing the appropriate equipment.
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Wojtek Stark Studios reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any member of any trip should such person's actions impede the operation of the trip or the rights or welfare or enjoyment of other members of the trip, and it is agreed that no refunds will be given in such circumstances.
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It is a fundamental booking condition that you accept the hazards involved with outdoor travel and photography. You must acknowledge that delays and alterations and their results, such as inconvenience and discomfort, are possible where unforeseen circumstances arise. In the event of medical emergency and/or repatriation from a workshop by whatever means, the responsibility of such costs will be borne by the client. It is therefore essential that adequate cover is in place. We strongly recommend that you take out an insurance policy at the same time as booking.
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Every participant voluntarily assumes all risks and will hold Wojtek Stark Studios, any co-leader or assistants, harmless from any and all liability, actions, causes of action, claims, debts, and demands which arise in connection with the workshop. The terms hereof shall serve as a release and assumption of risk for your heirs, administrators, and executors, and for all members of my family, including any minors accompanying you.
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​Limitation of Liability
Payment of your booking fee represents your acceptance of all terms and conditions outlined anywhere on our website.
Wojtek Stark Studios aims to provide every participant with a safe, educational and enjoyable experience during the workshops. As there is always certain risks and dangers associated with photography, the outdoors and travel, Wojtek Stark Studios accepts no responsibility or liability for injury, death, illness, accident, losses or additional expenses associated with workshop participation. Nor does Wojtek Stark Studios accept responsibility for damage to equipment, property or digital data loss. Every participant must assess their own suitability, in terms of fitness and stamina, for the workshop that they join. Medical, equipment and travel insurance is your own responsibility. You must notify us of any medical condition that we should know about. We assume no liability regarding provision of medical care. All information is completely confidential.
​Wojtek Stark Studios shall have no liability for any damages, losses, or expenses of whatever cause or nature, including those resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, detention, annoyance, weather, quarantines, strikes, civil disturbance, theft or criminal activity of any kind, government regulations, etc., over which we have no control.
​Wojtek Stark Studios shall have no responsibility for additional expenses due to unforeseen delays caused by weather, theft or criminal activity of any kind, political disputes, acts of terrorism, strikes, sickness, failure of flights or other transportation to arrive or depart on time, and other causes beyond our control. Wojtek Stark Studios is not responsible for additional accommodation not specified in the workshop itineraries which may be required en route, prior to or following a trip, caused by airline scheduling or schedule changes, or by individual clients' travel arrangements or by other factors. Wojtek Stark Studios cannot assume any responsibility for loss or damage to baggage or personal property.
​In no event shall Wojtek Stark Studios have any liability for incidental or consequential damages, however characterized.
Wojtek Stark Studios reserves the right to substitute hotels, venues and facilities, and to alter the itinerary when deemed necessary or advisable. The right is also reserved to cancel any photo workshop prior to departure upon the refund of all payments received.
​Wojtek Stark Studios is not responsible for additional expenses incurred by trip members in preparing for the trip (i.e. non-refundable advance-purchase air tickets, equipment, etc.)
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Wojtek Stark Studios reserves the right to take photographic or video records of any workshop, and may use any such records for promotional and/or commercial purposes.
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​​Changes
All workshop schedules and plans are tentative and made in the interest of exciting photographic opportunities. Wojtek Stark Studios reserves the right to change, at our exclusive discretion, schedules, plans and itineraries, depending on weather, health or safety considerations, or any other factors related or not related to the photographic opportunities, as we see them fit into the workshop.
​While significant efforts will be made to provide the workshop in a truthful manner, all participants acknowledge that landscapes photography is subject to many variables including but not limited to environmental conditions that cannot be guaranteed.​
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​Agreement
​By submitting the booking form and/or registering for a workshop you are agreeing to all the terms and conditions listed above. The person who submits the booking form does so on behalf of all the individuals included on it, so that all are bound by the booking terms and conditions.
After a suceeded booking you will recieve a confirmation email within the possibility to get useful informations connected to the individual organizational agenda around your Varanasi photo workshop like visa or flight booking tips from your base destination or any another kind by appointment.
​In case you have any enqueries or questions to this offer have not been mentioned before please write an email to: phototravel@wojtekstark.com or write us using our contact form just below.
