After seeing my family vacation pictures on social media, many of my friends wanted to know, how I got beautiful photos of Taj Mahal with clean backgrounds and no crowds. Some asked if I clicked with a fancy camera and processed them in photoshop. So here I am, writing my first blog ever to share a few ways to get amazing family photos using just an iPhone camera and no photoshop editing either.
Welcome to my blog!
Taj Mahal, Agra, India, is one of the seven wonders of the world so no wonder it gets thousands of tourists every day ... even in the off season - peak summer (45°C). But there are still ways to get good images of you and your family in the sea of people. I will explain 3 tips which helped me get better photos.
1. Get (there) early
By this I mean get to the Taj Mahal early. How early? Like as soon as it opens early :) The entry time for Taj Mahal is half an hour before sunrise. So in early July when we visited the sunrise was at 5:30 AM. I planned on being there by 5 AM but with kids and extended family members we were there at 5:15 AM. As bonus to my photography planning we bought our Taj Mahal entry tickets online and found no queue at the gate. But don't get fooled by your thought that even 6 is early because I saw that by 6 AM there were hundreds of tourists at the first viewpoint.
2. Get around
By this I mean you will get same beautiful pictures even if you are not photographing from the view points where the crowds congregate. You can photograph the monument or your family from either sides and they may be more interesting in my opinion as they have a different perspective which you may not have seen on the internet All the time.
3. Get low
By this I mean really get physically low. Either you scooch down or just lower your camera or go down the stairs and then take the shot. It will give you open skies which are so beautiful in the mornings. There were birds also in those picturesque skies making them look almost photoshopped. By going lower you also take the focus away from other people in the background.
Lastly enjoy the place while taking pictures or not. Like its always said, be present in the moment but then there is no harm in preserving the moment - forever.
Hope these suggestions help you to click away better pictures on your next vacation to Taj Mahal or any other popular aka crowded destination.
:)
Taru Chhaya
- Twin Cities Maternity, Child & Family Photographer
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