Taj Mahal at Sunrise
Jan, 2017Views
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Awards
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 21
Winner in MASTERPIECES OF ARCHITECTURAL HARMONY Photo Challenge
Hero Award
Member Selection Award
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
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PRO+
Paul39
November 14, 2018
Great capture. Truly one of the great wonders of the world. Was it built in honor of a woman?
PRO+
PRO+
Platinum
vitor
October 02, 2020
It was extremely difficult to select the winner photo in my challenge. Many people sent magnificent photos. And something important changed in the system: we, the authors of the challenge, can not click on the photo and watch it in normal format. We also can not know who is the photographer. That is a pity, because like this it is very difficult to choose the winner. Anyway, my congratulations!
Platinum
mcampi
October 02, 2020
no people and excellent reflection makes this a wonderful shot. Congrats on your Architectural challenge win...
PRO+
MaryAnne306
October 02, 2020
A classic subject for wonderful photographs. Yours is particularly beautiful. Congratulations on your challenge win.
PRO
PRO
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I had been traveling in India by train and bus and arrived in Agra after sunset the night before. The Taj Mahal is only open at night for three nights a month during the time of full moon. A couple of days before I managed to land an 11:15pm reservation to see the luminous vision of the white marble glowing in the light of the moon. No tripods or momopods are allowed on the Taj grounds.Time
I left my hotel by 5am so I could gain access to the Taj Mahal when it first opened. First, I wanted an opportunity to shoot with few or no people. Second, I was eager to catch the Taj at first light, sunrise and the golden hour. Again, no tripods are allowed.Lighting
It was June 3 in the sweltering summer heat of India just before the monsoons, so the humidity was high. It was an extreme season, so the early morning was already around 92 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat and humidity enhanced the morning haze of India creating a strong light box effect. The natural lighting added to the hallowed feel of what is already a sacred place.Equipment
I was traveling with my Canon 5D3 as my primary camera. This trip turned into a good lesson on always carrying backup equipment. Four days before arriving in Agra my 5d3 was acting up, so I switched to the Canon 6D I had with me. The cameras use the same lenses. A visit to the Taj Mahal include both distance shooting and up-close shooting. Besides no tripods, backpacks are not allowed either. So I attached my Canon 70-200 III F2 lens, and I carried in a wide angle as well. This shot was hand held, F7.1, 1/125, 85mm, ISO 100.Inspiration
I had been to the Taj Mahal several times before, both in the day and night, but never at sunrise. There are many great locations, within the grounds, from which to capture photos. My choice for this perspective was planned on the symmetrically balanced design of the Taj and the grounds. So I lined up directly on the center line of the design, and then moved inches off the center toward the sunrise to have the symmetry stand out. Fortunately, the fountains were off creating the reflection - also enhancing the symmetry.Editing
Post processing was fairly light. Most was planned before I pressed the shutter. When framing the shot I had planned on some cropping to clean the edges. I set the lighting so the lightly sunlit Taj so it would show the soft glow on the east side. Doing this, I knew I would be bringing up the dark shadows of the shrubs to show the natural shade for the early morning.In my camera bag
Depending on where and how I am traveling will determine what equipment I carry. If weight is not an issue, I carry a third backup camera and extra tripods. New to my equipment is a Canon R5 mirrorless camera. A Canon 5D4 is another primary camera and a Canon 5D3 is backup. I like to travel with lenses to cover a wide range of distance. I pack the Canon 16-35mm F4 L for wide angle, landscape and astro photography; the Canon 24-105mm F4 L; and the Canon 100-400mm L lens. If I have a particular reason or weight and room is not an issue I pack the Cannon 70-200mm III F2 L. I always pack extra fully charged batteries, camera cards, thin laptop, external hard drives for backup, Canon 2X extender, a few led flashlights, and a range of Blue Frog filters. To carry all this I pack in a Thinktank Mindshift Backpage. It carries what I need while having room for some personal non-camera items whe having easy access to equipment. When traveling on long flights when access is not needed, I often pack in my Thinktank Shapeshifter backpack. In this bag bodies and lenses are secured separately. When hiking or walking around towns I will strap on a Thinktank belt with holster and one or two individual lense holders attached to the belt.Feedback
October through March are good months for traveling most of India. If your trip includes going into the Himalayan mountains, mid November through January may not be the best timing. Research your options when traveling in the summer heat or monsoon seasons. As with most places, different seasons provide for different photography opportunities. Also research what Holy Hindu festivals may be happening. Festivals may make some access less possible, but can make for great opportunities to capture the color and culture of India! Happy travels!
