Join Gavin Gough and Matt Brandon to experience and photograph this visually startling event.

Every year 800,000 Hindu Tamil and Chinese devotees of Muruga, the Hindu God of War, gather in Penang to celebrate Thaipusam. You can see some of Matt Brandon's evocative images from previous Thaipusam festivals here, here and here.

On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens) and participating in acts of mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with skewers.

We will also be photographing the historic Georgetown, Penang. Georgetown is a UNESCO treasure and a sample of Colonial Asia in a time capsule.

This workshop provides an opportunity to learn the skills of visual storytelling from two working, professional photographers.

Matt Brandon is a resident of Penang with many years experience in the art of visual storytelling. Matt's images have been used by clients such as Partner Aid International, NeighborWorks, the BBC, Honda Motor Corporation, and Bombadier Transport Corporation and others. His photographic pursuits have taken him to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, Philippines and Malaysia.

Gavin Gough is based in Bangkok, from where he travels extensively, working on assignment, on commission, writing and teaching. His work has been featured by various organisations including National Geographic, Geo, Vogue, Vanity Fair, the United Nations, the New York Times and many more commercial and NGO clients. He is the founder of the popular Bangkok Photo School.

Places on our first Thaipusam Photography Workshop are limited to allow participants to spend plenty of time with the two workshop leaders, creating a photographic essay of the thaipusam festival events during the course of the workshop.

The workshop fee (US$ 2,695) includes all accommodation, meals and ground transport. We also include a local phone and sim card at no additional cost, the availability of local support staff and any model fees. Price excludes return flights to Penang and personal expenses such as laundry, alcohol and souvenirs. Please contact us for a copy of our standard terms and conditions.