Discover the Mysterious Ancient Civilization in India
Photo and Article by Harimao Lee
Although India is not unfamiliar to Hong Kong people, few of us really travel there. Long before the thought of traveling to India really struck me, I was always hoping to see Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, in person. About three months ago, I put my thought into action, started looking for like-minded photography friends to travel together and worked on the itinerary. The four of us finally embarked on a 9-day trip to India. This article is about our trip to the Golden Triangle, the most famous tourist circuit in India which covers most popular landmarks in 5 days.
Source: http://www.getsholidays.com
The Golden Triangle comprises the three most visited cities - New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. It takes about 5-6 days to travel
The Golden Triangle comprises the three most visited cities - New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. It takes about 5-6 days to travel
Preparation
In addition to flight tickets and hotels reservation, the most time-consuming preparation is to get a visa to India. HKSAR passport holders can apply for an e-Visa on the Government of India website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html. The application process is quite complicated and requires a lot of information. Apart from basic traveling information such as dates and airports of departure and return, applicants also have to fill in his/her contact person in India. You can take reference of the steps shown online and fill in the form carefully. The processing time for visa issuance is approximately 72 hours. Be reminded that the successful rate of getting a visa is low. The application fee is non-refundable no matter the visa is approved or not. In our case, one of my travel mates had applied three times before getting a visa, which was quite a waste of time and money.
When it comes to transportation, although there are train and bus services, I would recommend hiring a private car with driver. You can search for the private car services online and make reservation. This not only takes away the fuss of carrying your luggage when traveling from city to city, but is also a safer option especially for female travelers. Besides, a local driver knows the city better and can give you good advices to avoid unnecessary complications.
When it comes to transportation, although there are train and bus services, I would recommend hiring a private car with driver. You can search for the private car services online and make reservation. This not only takes away the fuss of carrying your luggage when traveling from city to city, but is also a safer option especially for female travelers. Besides, a local driver knows the city better and can give you good advices to avoid unnecessary complications.
Photographic Equipment
There are many scenic spots within the Golden Triangle circuit, from natural landscape to ancient architecture. Therefore, I brought several zoom lenses in different focal ranges with me to accommodate the needs of shooting a wide array of topics. I didn’t worry about the weight of my photographic equipment since I was traveling in a private car. It was convenient as I just took what I needed for shooting from the car upon arriving at different destinations. From wide-angle to telephoto shooting, here is the list of my photographic equipment for this India trip:
- EOS 6D Mark II
- EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
- EF 11-24mm f/4L USM
- EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
- EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Itinerary
New Delhi
Major attractions: Yamuna Ghat, Red Fort, Lotus Temple and Chandni Chowk）
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 11-24mm f/4L USM • 1/500s • f/4 • ISO 100
During a boat ride at Yamuna Ghat, New Delhi, I took this sunset photo with the flying seagulls
During a boat ride at Yamuna Ghat, New Delhi, I took this sunset photo with the flying seagulls
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM • 1/250s • f/2.8 • ISO 100
Photo taken at Chandni Chowk, New Delhi
Photo taken at Chandni Chowk, New Delhi
Agra
Major attractions: Taj Mahal, Mehtab Bagh Park and Agra Fort
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 11-24mm f/4L USM • 1/60s • f/8 • ISO 100
Try making use of the lighting and surrounding architecture when photographing Taj Mahal. A carpet with local characteristics can also make a nice touch
Try making use of the lighting and surrounding architecture when photographing Taj Mahal. A carpet with local characteristics can also make a nice touch
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM • 1/3200s • f/2.8 • ISO 100
Built with red sandstone, Agra Fort was designated a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. The main hall inside Agra Fort features a colonnade of petal-shaped arches which forms a beautiful pattern to photograph
Built with red sandstone, Agra Fort was designated a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. The main hall inside Agra Fort features a colonnade of petal-shaped arches which forms a beautiful pattern to photograph
Jaipur
Major attractions: Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Amber Fort, Panna Meena ka Kund, Abhaneri, Nahargarh Fort and Jawahar Circle Garden
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 11-24mm f/4L USM • 1/320s • f/4 • ISO 100
aipur has the largest traffic roundabout in Asia, and in the middle of it is Jawahar Circle Garden. It is a not-to-be-missed shooting location featuring interesting pillar architecture decorated with colorful drawings and patterns
aipur has the largest traffic roundabout in Asia, and in the middle of it is Jawahar Circle Garden. It is a not-to-be-missed shooting location featuring interesting pillar architecture decorated with colorful drawings and patterns
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM • 1/2500s • f/4 • ISO 50
Panna Meena ka Kund in Jaipur is an ancient stepwell built in the 16th century. Use your zoom lenses to discover interesting patterns out of this staircase structure!
Panna Meena ka Kund in Jaipur is an ancient stepwell built in the 16th century. Use your zoom lenses to discover interesting patterns out of this staircase structure!
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 11-24mm f/4L USM • 1.3s • f/4 • ISO 200
Nahargarh Fort situated on the hilltop offers the best bird’s eye view of the Jaipur city. The colors of sunset creates a romantic atmosphere in this photo of the pink city
Nahargarh Fort situated on the hilltop offers the best bird’s eye view of the Jaipur city. The colors of sunset creates a romantic atmosphere in this photo of the pink city
EOS 6D Mark II • EF 11-24mm f/4L USM • 1.3s • f/4 • ISO 200
The intricate patterns inside the City Palace in Jaipur is breathtaking. A wide-angle lens can be used to perfectly capture the beautiful wall paintings within a confined space
The intricate patterns inside the City Palace in Jaipur is breathtaking. A wide-angle lens can be used to perfectly capture the beautiful wall paintings within a confined space
Things to Note
- Hong Kong time is 2.5 hours ahead of India
- All guided tours for the above mentioned scenic spots except the City Palace are paid services
- Be reminded to bring enough bottles of distilled water for consumption during the trip in case you are not acclimatized with the place
- You can bargain for a better price when shopping in a local market, as the listed prices are usually marked up 2 to 10 times
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