Your Street Photography Workshop Guide to Pune

Pune has a lot to offer for Street Photographers.

Your Street Photography Workshop Guide to Pune

Pune is called the “Oxford of the East” as it blends the old with new. The fast-growing city consists of over 30 districts. Photographers can still find many natural living lifestyles here. Between July and February is the best time to visit Pune. The city is famous as the safest metropole in India.

Pune is a great location to combine street photography with a historical background. In this city, both colonial history and ancient history of India are present everywhere. In the Aga Khan Palace, imprisoned Mahatma Gandhi lived. You find many intimidating old fortifications in Pune and the surrounding area. The British left their traces in “The Empress Garden”. Also, the famous Osho Ashram is in Pune.

 

Street Photography in Pune: These are the best places to hit the streets

 

Juna Bazar

A highly recommended place for street photographers is the Juna Bazar, an old market place in the city centre. It comes alive on Wednesday and Sunday. Juna Bazar, also called Old Market, is located on a strip of the Vir Santaji Chorpade Path, near Maldhaka Chowk.

 

Mandai

Another place in the heart of the city is Mandai. This vegetable market, Mahatma Phule Mandai, is strongly recommended for street photographers. It might be an excellent starting point for a photo walk. The market is in the old city of Pune. You find great motives in this place: An 80feet octagonal tower dominates the huge gothic style building. Inside the market, there are about 526 stalls fo fruits and vegetables. It is not difficult to imagine many vibrating scenes with vendors and customers.

 

Kasba Peth

The Kasba Peth (“Old Town”) is another good area for street photography. This oldest part of the city had established in the 5th century. In this place, you find residential complexes and a variety of shops. There are certain areas for different kind of manufacturers: A famous example is Kumbhar Wada, the area of earthen Potmakers, which is very popular among street photographers. Also, Tambat Ali (area of brass/copper utensil manufacturers) is a famous spot. Further places of interest in this area are the La Mahal Temple, the Kasba Ganapati Temple and the Twasta Kasar Kalika Devi Temple. The old town is close to the Mutha River and not very far from the Pune Train Yard.

 

Shaniwarvada

The Shaniwarvadais another impressing site and might serve as a good background for pictures. The fortification is also in Kasba Peth near the Mula-Mutha river. The British artillery destroyed the original fortress. The stone base of the Shaniwarvada survived. What you still find are also the impressing gates and a large garden. These five gates look great. Photographers say that there is a lot of activity in a small area outside Shaniwarwada from early morning.

 

Parvati Hill Temple

Even for street photographers, it is good to have an overview of the city, either from a hill or from the top of a building. In Pune, the Parvati Templeoffers that aerial view. The Parvati Temple is the oldest heritage structure in Pune and is resting 640 meters above sea level. You find the hill at the southern end of Pune City. There are four temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh and Kartikeya.

 

The Empress Garden

If you look for a green environment, “The Empress Garden” might be a good idea. It is a place which preserves the region’s wide range of flowers, and it is also a reminder of the downfall of the British Empire. The garden had named after Queen Victoria, the “Empress Of India”.

 

Lavasa

Lavasa, a district outside Pune, is a bit of curiosity since it not only sounds Italian. It indeed has European elements like lamp-posts, colourful buildings and a bridge looking more like something in Venice. The Lavasa is a two hours drive from Pune.

 

A word about public transport

Public transport in Pune has not the best reputation. It is supposedly even worse as in other Indian towns. A metro is planned and under construction. There is one local railway system in Pune. Thus, it is important to do specific research in advance. Before doing a street photography tour, ask the tourist information and hotels for transport options.

 

Museums and Galleries for Photography in Pune

The MIT-WPU School of Photography does an annual photography fest called “Click” . The school is showcasing the work from the students of MIT-WPU. It also comprises a pan India photography competition with workshops etc.

 

The Monalisa Kalagram

The Monalisa Kalagram  is one of many well-established art galleries in Pune. The famous gallery (Pingale Farms, End of the south main road, Koregaon Park) hosts modern art, documentary screenings, photography exhibitions and more.

 

Art2Day

The Art2Day is one of the oldest private galleries on the Bahandarkar Institute road. It provides a platform for new and upcoming artists. Art2Day is also a place for workshops on painting and photography.

Any photographer might also take an interest in Farid’s Camera Museum with a collection of about 3000 cameras.

 

Street Photography Workshops and Courses in Pune

There is a variety of photography courses in Pune. Street photography workshops happen from time to time. However, they do not appear every year. Some photo school make street photography part of their syllabus. Therefore, it is a good idea to check out event pages (Eventbrite etc.), school’s announcements and websites of teachers who had done street photography workshops.

 

The Living Bridge

The Living Bridge” is an art school with a broad curriculum. They hosted street photography courses in their training centre in Aundh, Pune. According to “The Living Bridge” street photography is about the beautiful depiction of everyday life. They want you “learning to see with the help of the lens”. Street photography means to find the story happening just in front of you. The 2018 course included the fundamental concepts of digital photography, the composition rules applied in street photography or how to obtain sharp photos.

They did a photo walk, and the participants could gather intense moments. “The Living Bridge” workshop also contains critique and feedback sessions. Workshops about fundamental photography techniques happen regularly. The Mentor is Ritesh Raamaiah. It is certainly worth to check the website for future street photography workshops. Or perhaps get in touch directly. The 2018 workshop sounded convincing.

 

Street Photography Course in Pune at DCP Expeditions

DCP Expeditions LPD” is a growing photography training academy in India based in Mumbai in the Regus Platinum Business Centre. They do workshops in Pune, too. “DCP Expeditions LPD” offers a variety of workshops. They attract photographers but also many other professions which could improve their skills. “DCP Expedition LPD” does street photography courses and did one in Pune. The school is also interesting for all people who are interested in the many fields of photography. Momentarily there is only a course in Mumbai announced but check for further events in Pune in the future.

 

Seamedu

If you are looking for a school, which offers a degree in photography in Pune, there is the Seamedu School of Pro-Expressionism. Seamedu teaches all aspects of photography in six semesters. This full-fledged media school is in the SVG Classic in Pune. There are further schools in other Indian cities. Their curriculums show teachings about photojournalism and street photography in semester 3.

 

MIT-WPU

The MIT-WPU school of photography in Pune, which had mentioned before, is doing outdoor photography courses.

 

Film And Television Institute Of India in Pune

The FTII is a film school but announced a course including street photography.

 

How to find further Street Photography Workshop Events In Pune?

The Photographers Blog is a network consisting of photographers and teachers. They do offer a variety of workshops. Their workshops are interesting for beginners. You might check the EventsHigh website for future Street Photography workshops and events in Pune. Maciej Dakowicz is a street photographer doing Street Photography Workshops in different locations in Asia and India. His website is . Keep in mind the photo fair in Pune. There are many photographers expected.

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