Tenebrius

Hello, i'm from Canada and will be travelling for a month or 5 weeks (last week of july and 3 first of august) on approx $4000.

My main goal is photography, i have a thing for color and people, for that reason my dream is India but i got discouraged reading about the monsoon. Is the wet season still at it's max during august? I read that some places in India are quite nice during the wet season like Kerala, but i don't think i want to visit and not being able to enjoy Agra, Varanasi and large cities in the north.

Am i wrong thinking that?

Any suggestions...

Thanks.

rhkkmk

the people will certainly look the same and be very colorful..

skgupta

Please visit cities in Rajasthan...Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur , Jaisalmer . U will love the color and culture. Jaipur is also called "the pink city"

Enjoy !

Craig

Unless the sun never shines, your photos will be great - perhaps even better with the mist. Go with a positive mind - India is one of the most photogenic places on earth.

Jaya

Keep in mind that you just cannot photograph anything in India. Bridges, rail stations, airports, Hindu temples (the interior), for example, are off limits. If you photograph villagers, they often expect to be paid. Be respectful.

Cicerone

See websites like weatherabse.com and bbc.co.uk/weather for historical information on rainfall. Generally August is fairly wet still in the southeast (like Kerala), but not as wet as June and July. Agra and places in Rajasthan are desert areas and do not get the same level of downpour, although it can be overcast. The upside is that these areas are very green (intensely so in the south), which you may find interesting as a photographer. The monsoon is also a celebratory time in India. Some of my most memorable times have been in Mumbai in the pouring rain during the Ganesh festival which generally occurs in August or September (in 2012 it is in mid-September). Do bear in mind that the rainy season can lead to train and other traffic delays as there can be flooding, some of it severe.

Also, places on the southwest coast, like Chennai and that area are generally drier in August as they get a different monsoon which comes in the fall months. Places like Ladakh in the far north get very little rain as the Himalaya protect these areas from rain.

IMO the very best place for a photographer is an Indian train station where one can observe the entire range of caste and religion that India has to offer. Wildlife parks are another good place, although in the wet season you may not have as good of an opportunity to observe wildlife.

I completely agree on being respectful of people. Always ask to take a photograph. Think of how you would feel is someone took your photograph without asking. This is especially the case when people are worshipping or at a funeral. Neither are tourist events.

pgill26

I was just in India from the bg of november to the end of december. A few places that I would definetly recommend to you are the following

Rajasthan - jaipur (pink city) udaipur (white city) jodhpur (blue city) also try jaselmer if you can, these are different cities in rajasthan, for example when i say pink city, the main city is all painted pink, so its very nice.

Don't forget to visit chownki dhani in jaipur, great for pictures.

Kerala - I havn't been there but thats where my next trip is, I have heard so many good things about kerala, it will be the best for pictures.

Varanasi, Banaras, Lukhnow, Agra (Can't afford to miss the Taj Mahal)these are places where you will see a lot of color and people.

Himachal, Kashmir are places will mountains, beautiful!

Punjab - the golden temple(again can not afford to miss)

If you had gone in march, then it would have been even better coz in march is india's holi festival which is the color festival, playing with color. That would have captured everything you wanted, the festival lasts a couple of days, its amazing.

These are some of the places that I have been to or know of that are very famous and you'll get the oppertunity to take some great pictures here.

$4000 Cdn should be a suffecient amount of money. Just be wise spending your money, just because your a foreigner and will have a camera in hand people will try to over charge you, but bargain with them, tell them that its okay, you don't want it and that you'll buy it from somewhere else, trust me they will come back running behind you to buy it. and keep your valuables safe.

Good luck! I'm sure you will have a great experience and a lot of fun!

rtwin80days

Best photo-opp places (in my view):

1. Stark & massive landscapes of leh-ladakh

2. Colorful and royal Rajasthan

3. Quintessential Taj Mahal in Agra

4. Small villages (in any part of India, but I recommend Punjab) - do capture small kids playing in the streets, old people sitting by the "Chaupal", a kind of seating in the village square below the big peepal trees, village "haat" - market

5. South India temples

6. Indian bride & weddings - you would be lucky if you can manage to wriggle your way in Once in a lifetime experience

7. Religious activities near the bank of holy rivers such as Ganga / Narmada

8. Busy and bustling train stations of Mumbai - be careful not to be knocked down by the peak time crowd

9. Sleepy Goa in daytime in old quarters and fishermen's areas and the vibrant nightlife

10. Kerala backwaters

And a bonus - tigers in one of the 6 tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh.

naziyaahmed1

It is going to be a rainy season July and august but there is no break in the rain so far.Authorities said monsoon is delayed.It never rains heavily.If it rains it stops in 20-30 minutes.
I would say 3weeks is enough time to explore North India.
2 weeks in south india.
thanks
naziyaahmed1

Apoorv82

yes you are right, Kerala is very beautiful during rainy season.You will get a good experience there for sure.

vp_singh

Some of the most photogenic images in India are to be found in the smaller destinations and not necessarily the prominent towns on the tourist map. These could be anywhere, Rajasthan, Central India, Kerala, Calcutta or even up in the hills. The rural scenes will show spontaneity, un-alloyed happiness and well, of despair...the whole gamut of human emotions.
July / August could be wet, in some places more than others. The drier western regions of Rajasthan become most pleasant during this time. The hills are green but the peaks, if those are your object, will be obscured. While travelling in Indian hills it is better to keep the distances short. Some of the finest images could be taken on one of the 'holier' treks. I happened to be travelling to Hemkund a few years back. What spectacular picture of awe-inspiring nature and super-human effort. The valley of flowers was dazzling colours of wild orchid!
I have the lingering picture of those man-driven rickshaws in Calcutta...the flower sellers, the porters, foot-ball crazy youngsters, the elderly anglo-indian ladies in colouful frocks.
Choose your destinations wisely and the photographer in you shall be amply rewarded.
Merry Clicking!!

anishahtv

Hi there,

I'm a former BBC TV Journalist and luxury travel writer.

I recently returned from 6 weeks in North India covering Delhi then Himachal Pradesh and Up: Haridwar, Mussoorie, Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala,
Then Amritsar, Chandigarh in the Punjab ONTO Rajasthan: Mandawa, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jaipur AND onto Varanasi Ending jinMumbai.

It was the trip of a lifetime because if the colours, curious customs, varyibng cultures, smells, tastes...the list goes on.

Try to visit Haridwar, Dharamshala and Varanasi. They were incredible for cultural photography! Best for heady heights in the Himalayas were Shimla and Manali. And best for vibrant colours were Jodhpur with its blue houses in the Old Town, Udaipur set amidst tranquil placid lakes & spectacular sunsets, and Mandawa for intricately carved painted Havelis.

I've just compiled some of my favourite photos for an exhibition so feel free to take sone inspiration...
http://www.ani-shah.com/2012/06/24/i...t-of-a-people/

Wishing you a wonderful journey x