The great advantage of photographic tours with Light & Land over other small group tours (of which I’ve done many) is that the leaders know and will take the group to the most picturesque locations, whenever possible when the light is best, and will avoid the normal frustration of travelling from place to place and fleetingly seeing one potentially great picture after another only through the window of a moving vehicle.

On Light & Land tours, time is flexible. Our bus stopped when photo opportunities were spotted, and wherever we went time was allowed for careful composition and lens changing without any of us having to keep one eye on the group for fear of getting left behind.

Although this was my fifth trip to India, subjects are legion there and the parts visited by “the Magic of Kerala” tour are particularly photogenic. But the itinerary included general-interest sights too-palaces, museums, a spice plantation, a tea factory, temples, dance displays and more.

In Kochi, where the tour began, we were plunged head first into the“real” India. In the vegetable market we saw enough bananas (a staple food for the area) to feed a whole nation, and in Fort Kochi, historic sights like Jew Town (dating from 52 AD) where, thanks to our friendly leader Charlie Waite, we were able to speak and interact with local people.

The busy fishing harbours in Kochi and Mattanchery were a “photographers’ dream”, and Suresh, our guide for most of the trip, was the best I’d encountered. His knowledge was encyclopaedic and yet, unlike some guides, he gave us just the right amount of information concerning the sights and the political, economic and natural history of each area.

Local people did not object to being photographed in the markets, harbours and plantations, despite being busily at work basket weaving, coconut chopping, rubber tapping, tea picking, fishing or banana fritter frying, but aren’t always standing or sitting where wanted. But occasionally luck was on our side, and someone who saw these pictures asked if I’d posed the figures!

In the Periyar Tiger Reserve, we saw no tigers but did see elephants and much other wildlife and were rowed across its freshwater lake to see a magnificent waterfall.

We later proceeded eastwards from Kerala into the neighbouring State of Tamil Nadu, crossing a precipitous and wildlife-rich mountain range (the Eastern and Western Ghats) where we stayed in a mountainside lodge with quite stunning views from its terrace.

Periyar’s tea plantations provided unique opportunities for landscape pictures.

Returning to Kerala and its backwaters, our first night was spent on small river boats, each with two ensuite cabins, with our meals served al fresco on the deck of one which, in a soothingly warm and humid climate was idyllic.

From the water we had grandstand views of wildlife-cormorants, herons, floating beds of brilliant-red water lilies and a tree laden with nesting storks. A cormorant even became a figurehead on our boat!

We observed (followed by a demonstration) one of Kerala’s iconic Chinese fishing nets in action.

The final two nights were spent in a luxurious heritage waterside complex with a butterfly garden and we finished with a lakeside sunset cruise.

All accommodation, food and service on this tour were of a high standard, with Yoga classes and Ayurvedic massage on offer at most of our hotels.

Although small, the group got on well. The whole trip was pleasant and relaxed, and resulted in an excellent bag of pictures, now on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/byhowardsomerville/albums/72177720320638026/

Howard Somerville