Before the Workshop
We will ask you for:
– some basic information about your equipment
– your photos/portfolio
– your expectations from the workshop
– Whatsapp group of the participants will be formed 1 month prior to the workshop dates so that your learning starts much in advance and you are well prepared for the tour.
Communicating your expectations beforehand will ensure that Sudhir addresses them during individual interactions with you.
During the Workshop
– Sudhir will demonstrate the best way to approach and shoot the subjects and give deeper insights on their behavioural aspects.
– He will introduce the advanced custom function settings of your camera. A firm understanding of these settings will be your first step toward shooting like a pro.
– In the park, he will continually guide you based on the field conditions and subjects.
– Knowledge sharing and image review will continue through the evenings as Sudhir interacts with you with focused inputs to reinforce the day’s learning.
– You will have assignments to complete, giving you ample scope to assimilate and apply all that you have learnt.
After the Workshop
Your pursuit of photography knowledge doesn’t end with the workshop. The SSP Community is your gateway to continued learning and interaction, apart from being the ideal platform to showcase your best images. In addition to image review and critique by Sudhir and his team, you also gain the perfect peer group interaction to grow as a photographer. Theme-based assignments, healthy discussions, candid feedback, equipment reviews and resale are the other great perks of being part of this community.
*The below topics will be covered and the participants will learn how to apply these concepts in wildlife photography.
Fundamental and Advanced Concepts of Photography:
– Manual and advanced autofocus (focusing points, autofocus lock, single or continuous focus, Focusing Sensors, AF cases, Advanced AF settings of camera)
– Manual exposure (ISO, shutter speed, Aperture)- We will use theory of reciprocity to arrive at the combination.
– Metering modes (evaluative, matrix, spot metering) – Practically understand when to use what metering.
– Motion (freezing, blurring and panning) – Creative area of photography
– Understanding exposure – the 18% concept
– Composition (framing) – Create story telling images.
– Elements of design (seeing v/s looking)
– Pre-visualization
– Completing the story
Post-Processing:
During the course of the workshop, you will be taken through the advanced concepts of image processing and the following topics will be covered:
– Working with RAW files
– Levels, curves, contrast, saturation adjustments (All through layers and masking)
– Image sharpening, cloning, dodge and burn
– Noise reduction.
– Saving for web/ printing
During the Field Outing:
During the field outing, your mentor Sudhir Shivaram will help you make memorable images. Inputs provided on the field will enable you make the most of the opportunity.
The teaching and learning will not stop after the workshop. In fact this is just the starting point. You will be part of the SSP community of the SSP website where your learning and interactions with fellow photographers continues.

Day 1
We recommend that you arrive a day earlier and stay at Nairobi (additional stay cost) in case you are not able to arrive by 6:30am on 27th Aug. Later, We will transfer you to Wilson airport where you will board the chartered flight to Mara for a prompt check-in at the Mara Ashnil. We will decide the timing of flight depending on arrival time of participants. After a lovely lunch, you will depart for an afternoon game drive to see the game of Savannah. Dinner and overnight at Ashnil camp.

Day 2-5
A total of 5 nights at the Mara Ashnil and aiming for some amazing sightings safaris. The focus of these safaris will be to capture river crossings and other action sequences. The variety and density of wildlife in the Mara never disappoints, and especially not in peak season. Sudhir will interact with the group during the workshop so that you can benefit to the fullest from his expert tutelage.

Day 6
We do the morning game drive and return to the camp for a late lunch. We relax for sometime and later will be driven to the airstrip for our flight back to Wilson airport and then a drop to to JKIA, Nairobi airport, from where you will catch your international flight home. The charter flight will be timing will be around 4pm and we arrive at JKIA at around 5pm. Plan your return flights after 8pm. Once again, this is door-to-door service, with no wasted time at all.

Accommodation: Ashnil Mara Camp

Ashnil Mara Camp, with 50 luxury tents, is located in the Masai Mara National Reserve and close to the Mara River, famous for the wildebeest migration.
Our luxury Masai Mara Camp is arguably in one of the very best positions in the Masai Mara for game viewing and also provides the perfect setting to sit and relax at the end of a exciting day of game drives. The Ashnil Mara Camp is a 4 – 5 hour drive from Nairobi or there are daily scheduled flights from Nairobi to the Masai Mara which take just 45 mins. You may also fly from the Mombasa Coast to our luxury tented camp in just 2 hrs.

USD $3950 (plus 5% GST) on Double Occupancy
For INR calculation we have considered the tour price as INR 3,30,000. The final pricing will be calculated based on the exchange rates at the time of final payment to vendors. The participants will have to pay the difference amount.

INCLUSIONS
– Arrival – meet and greet at JKIA
– Transfer to Wilson airport
– Drop-off and goodbye at JKIA

Accommodation
– Twin beds/Double beds
– Hot water for bathing
– Hot tea and coffee in the morning
– WiFi in camp
– Charging facilities in the tents
– All park fees

Meals
– Snacks (juice, fruit and sandwiches) on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport.
– Vegetarian and Non- Vegetarian meals
– Indian food will be served courtesy a trained chef – vegetarian and non-vegetarian selection.
– Lunch on last day, since you are departing in the afternoon.

Activities
– Silver-level guides
– Flexibility of doing game drives as per requirement of group
– Full-day game drives to be done, if required

Vehicles
– 4 open Landcruiser vehicles
– 3 persons per vehicle (sudhir will be the 4th person)
– Vehicles with WiFi hotspots
– Beanbags

Flights
– Charter Aircraft – Wilson Airport to Mara and back.
– On this flight, you will be allowed to carry the camera bag (max. 15 kg); we will inform to you about other luggage when we get close to the workshop dates, via the WhatsApp group.

EXCLUSIONS
– International air tickets and visa fees
– International travel & medical insurance and vaccinations
– Extra night stay at Nairobi if you arrive early or want to leave late.
– Porterage, tipping and gratuities to staff and guides
– Hot air balloon safari will be charged extra on actual
– Extra meals, visits and activities not mentioned in the “INCLUSIONS” section
– Shopping and other items of a personal nature
– Laundry
– Alcohol (House drinks, Gin, Vodka, Beer, soft drinks)
– Anything else not mentioned in the “INCLUSIONS”

YOUR CANCELLATION & REFUND
We understand that sometimes you unfortunately have to cancel a tour. Therefore, the following are the cancellation policies for our tours:

– 25% deposit is non refundable booking fee.
– Balance 75% to be paid 60 days prior to departure date.
– even though initial 25% booking fee will be non-refundable, in event of tour getting cancelled (for whatever reasons), we will refund full amount charged from the clients.

The below refund policy will be applicable to amount outside of the 25% deposit amount.
90-60 days before departure, 50% of above mentioned tour cost will be refunded.
59-31 days before departure, 25% of above mentioned tour cost will be refunded.
30 days or less before departure, no refund.

This policy also applies to pre- and post-trip extensions. Any airline tickets issued are subject to the carrier’s refund policy. Leaving a tour in progress will not result in a refund, and no refunds will be made for any unused portions of a tour.

All cancellation notices must be received in writing and emailed to info at sudhirshivaram.com

TOUR CANCELLATION

We reserve the right to cancel the tour due to few guests that have signed up for the tour, strikes, war, natural disasters or other unforeseen circumstances that make the tour inappropriate. If a tour is canceled prior to departure, you will be fully refunded.

We are not responsible for any refund for non-refundable airline tickets or for any airline tickets purchased by the passenger directly from an airline or travel agent.

EXCHANGE RATES AND PRICE CHANGE

Our tours are based on different currencies and exchange rates. The currency and rate used for calculating are listed under the “Cost” sections of the tour page. In terms of fluctuations in exchange rates a surcharge will be invoiced. Notification will be given at the time of final invoicing.

The prices are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances such as increase in fuel prices, government surcharges and other increases beyond our control. While we will do everything possible to maintain the listed prices, if it is necessary to levy a surcharge, we reserve the right to do so, and notification will be given at the time of final invoicing.