Tourists thronging the structure that is the gateway to the Taj Mahal

This is the red sandstone building (a material used by the Mughals to build a huge number of their structures) that forms the gateway to the white marble structure of the Taj Mahal. If you look closely, you can see the Taj from within the opening in the center of the gateway.

Tip: When taking a view of a structure, be sure to maintain a proper symmetry in the framing of the photo. If the photo comes out unsymmetrical without a compelling reason, it can look awkward.

Photo of sunlight coming through the trees in the Taj Mahal compound

This is a photo of a huge tree in the compound of the Taj Mahal in Agra. The sunlight is coming through the leaves of the tree, and you can also see a section of the building under repair. Taking photos of these different light effects is one of my favorite passions.

Tip: Getting a photo of the sun twinkling through a structure (through a tree, around the side of a building, over the edge of a hill, etc) can give a very good effect. However, getting a good view of an exact twinkle requires precise positioning.

View of Taj from the side including the building base

This is a view of the Taj, from the side. The photo includes the base platform on which the super (upper) structure of the Taj is built. The lighting conditions, including the marble, somehow make the structures seem a bit ethereal.

Tip: Always explore the angles from which you can take a photo of beautiful structures. It is not always necessary that you take a regular photo like everyone else does, explore a bit, look at the various side including from the bottom, and see whether you can get a good (as well as a unique) view.

Capturing water droplets in front of the Taj Mahal

This is a normal photo of the Taj Mahal. The thing that made this photo stand out for me was the juxtaposition of the water droplets of water from a fountain on the main face of the Taj Mahal.

Tip: When capturing an image where you have water drops and a building in the background, the photo can get very appealing if there is a tight focus on the individual water droplets and a soft focus on the building in the background.

A water fountain in front of the Taj

This water fountain in front of the Taj was a popular halting spot to the small walk to the Taj. There were many people sitting there on the benches, catching their breath, and overall enjoying the scene (even though the water fountain was not very splashy by itself). The waves created in the water by the falling of water drops seemed very interesting.

Tip: When taking a photo of water bodies that are stationary, see whether you can get some effects like waiting for the water surface to have a ripple on it. Capturing the interaction between falling water drops and a ripple on the water surface makes for a good photograph.

Photo of the Taj Mahal on a clear blue sky day

This is yet another photo of the Taj Mahal on a clear blue sky day. This photo was taken on Christmas Day, the 25th of December, when it was cold. Early in the morning, around 10 AM, there were few tourists, and hence it was a better situation for taking photos.

Tip: When taking a photo of a striking object, sometimes it makes sense to let the object fill the frame, seemingly appearing as a massive object. Such a photo can make the object look even more grander.

Tilted photo at the Taj with close up of water droplets

This is a photo that somehow got tilted when I was taking it. This photo was taken at the Taj, with my back to the Taj. It shows the monument that is the gateway to the Taj Complex, and also tries to capture individual water droplets.

Tip: If you find an image that has come off at a slight angle, do not discard the photo. You can take the photo to regular photo editing softwares such as Photoshop Elements or Picassa or GIMP, and then straighten over there.

The water fountains in front of the Taj Mahal

I have always been fascinated with trying to capture shots that are not so normal. I took a few photos of the Taj, but while everybody else was still trying to take more shots of the Taj, I turned around and tried to capture these shots of the droplets from the water fountain.

Tip: When trying to capture shots of moving water, you can either take it in a fluid motion, or try to capture each individual droplet. The camera control that helps in this is the Shutter speed. If you are trying to get the flow of a mountain stream, you can even set the camera on a tripod and take a long exposure shot where the water seems fluid. On the other hand, when trying to capture each individual droplet, you will need to make the shutter speed much faster, and compensate in both cases by varying the opening of the aperture.

The Taj against a clear blue sky

This is a photo of the Taj against a clear blue sky. This photo was taken at around 10 in the morning, when the sun is still dawdling about getting up, and the white marble of the Taj Mahal does not reflect so much light.

Tip: For taking a photo of a beautiful structure in areas where the sun can be very harsh, the best times to take a photo are early morning before the sun is up in the sky, and evening when the light from the sun does not seem so harsh. These conditions are best for overall light and getting a good color of the sky.