Portal to the Taj Mahal
Standing at the back of a crowded entryway. This grand entrance accentuates the dome shapes.
Standing at the back of a crowded entryway. This grand entrance accentuates the dome shapes.
Read less
Read less
Mar, 2019Views
107
Likes
Awards
2020 Choice Award
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rank
Top 30 rankTop 10 rank week 5Top 10 rank month 1Top 10 rank week 3Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in India in the City of Taj (Agra). It was as you walk through the enormous gate to Taj Mahal.Time
After embarking on a long, very long, drive from New Delhi to Agra, the crowds and the security check, I neared the Taj Mahal sometime around 11AM. The shadows in the building give a clue to the position of the sun at this moment, nearing its point overhead. It was so incredibly bright everywhere that I wasn't sure I would be able to capture something I really liked, especially given the equipment I had on me.Lighting
As I was walking through the gate, I paused as my other fellow travelers moved on. I saw an opportunity to capture the frenetic energy of the travelers, tourists, and visitors as silhouettes against a famous and magnificent landmark. From the gate of the tunnel, I lifted up my camera and shot above the heads of everyone and by luck took this photograph.Equipment
I was on a business trip at the time and only took my travel camera, a Panasonic DMC-LX100.Inspiration
I wasn't sure what to expect going to see the Taj Mahal, only that it would be grander than I could imagine. I really loved the way the Taj Mahal was so brilliant and larger than life, reflecting so much light. The contrast of silhouette against it in the foreground and the size of people near the structure in the background gives a magnificent sense of how far away the Taj Mahal is from the entry gate and how unbelievably grand it is, with spires that nearly puncture the sky. The curvature of the gate repeated in the dome of the Taj Mahal was what first drew my eye.Editing
The image was processed in Lightroom with modest adjustments in tone and color. Finally, it was cropped to give support to the portrait dimension of the gate.In my camera bag
Normally, I would carry my Canon 6D, a 70-200mm telephoto, a 100mm macro, and a 16-35mm wide-angle. You know what they say though? The best camera is the one you have with you.Feedback
Timing is critical.
