The Taj, a boy and a camel, a photo from Uttar Pradesh, North

Photographer's Note

The best hour to see the Taj Mahal from the main entrance is around the dusk, when it changes so many colours, depending of the position of the sun. But there's a problem: The thousands of tourists that come to visit a wonder of the world.

We always have an alternative. Wake up very early in the morning, before the sunrise and go to enjoy the marvellous view of the "back" of the Taj Mahal, from the opposite bank of Yemuna river. No tourists there and the same light effect caused by the dawn. If you are lucky you can even see a boy wandering with his camel. This particular one stood there for a few seconds looking with inmense curiosity a TV crew (last August I stayed 23 days in India helping in the shooting of a serie of documentaries for a Greek TV station).

Zanni, ramthakur, AnimeshRay, teutza, coco, Xalkida, evanrizo, josepmarin, sayan, quillo, ramesh_lalwani, siolaw, peter1892, axiotea, syd1946, Cuba-Junky, delkoo, partha, jjbach, photovolos, MLINES, kabel heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

meme (273) 2006-05-06 13:47

This photo is Amazing!!! taj mahal looks so small here... PErfect!

Zanni (6108) 2006-05-06 13:48

Good original frame for the famous Tai Mahal. Two points also for your search of the better pov and light.

kozerog (1288) 2006-05-06 13:49

Superb frame, Hercules. Nice lighting and compo. Thanks for info.

ramthakur (1559) 2006-05-06 13:52

The Taj is so over-exposed it feels like a stereotype in most pictures now.
This perspective is like a whiff of fresh air, Hercules.
You have composed the shot very well: the camel's anatomy frames the monument in different segments but without lessening its impact. Great job!

[2]

AnimeshRay (9089) 2006-05-06 14:56

Hercules,
Excellent point of view. Very nice that you took this alternative, little traveled view. The camel was an exceedingly attractive subject against the Taj. You color and light are great. My only thought is that perhaps you could have caught this boy on a profile, turned to the right and viewed from the side, looking down and leading the camel away from the frame. That would be more powerful. I realize how difficult these things can be in India where people quickly take position to pose for photo. But I wish you took another with him going away satisfied.

[2] +

jmhullot (0) 2006-05-06 17:21

This picture is reall amazing.

adalcogo (34) 2006-05-06 20:45 [Comment]

Show Comment

evanrizo (462) 2006-05-07 3:19

Καλημέρα Ηρακλή.
Είδα πολλές φωτογραφίες Taj Machal όλες καλές, αλλά αυτή εδώ ξεπερνάει τα όρια που μου τέθηκαν από τις προηγούμενες που έχω δει μέχρι τώρα.
Μπράβο και πάλι μπράβο. Εξαιρετικότατη δουλειά.

coco (30439) 2006-05-07 5:39

Acabado de llegar a casa (de un concierto de Eleftheria Arvanitaki) veo esta foto del Taj Mahal).
Primero de todo se agradece dar una versión diferente a las habituales postales del monumento. Luego añadir que la luz no solo es buena sino que denota una preocupación por la foto que la aleja más si cabe de las típicas fotos turísticas.
Y finalmente decir que me parece que el niño con el camello añaden un gran punto a favor de la foto.

Muy bien hecho.

veronika (6058) 2006-05-07 6:17

Amazing shot of Taj Mahal Hercules, the place i would love to visit so MUCH and have never seen it from this perspective and in this special creative way you are offering us,
EXCELLENT work!
Belongs between my favourites :)
Vero

josepmarin (59385) 2006-05-07 7:00

Hola Hercules,
Un encuadre espectacular y muy original. Nunca había visto el Taj Mahal así, entre el camello y el chico. El punto de vista muy bajo da una perspectiva agradable.
Buena definición y unos colores muy bellos e inusuales en el amanecer.
Buen trabajo.
Un saludo,
Josep

sayan (2617) 2006-05-07 9:46

Yes, The Taj, a boy and a camel and also not to forget the river Yamuna in the back! You have got an amazing point of view Hercules! I like this one very much! Very unusual way to look at Taj. See, there are a lot of compositions on Taj from this side of Yamuna river, and I can bet that you have got a completely different look with all the subjects in your pic as the same as other compositions that I have mentioned! Its really amazing! You are able to capture Taj undisturbingly and even the rope from the mouth of the camel is not disturbing the view at all! Very nice colours, good use of light and very sharp pic! Was it better to keep the boy fully in the pic without cropping his left hand a little bit? I don't know!
Regards,
Sayan

quillo (11858) 2006-05-07 11:20

Hola Hércules, me encanta el encuadre y el punto de la toma, pienso que has conseguido una composición muy buena, quizás le falte un pelin de definición, en cualquier caso un muy buen trabajo. Felicidades.

Un abrazo desde España.

Paco

ramesh_lalwani (3213) 2006-05-07 12:18

Hi Hercules
Very nice tip.I shall try it next time I go there.You have captured a unusal shot.I have seen photos of people with camel on other side of Yamuna.My question are thes people there to make money from photograhers?

You have nicely framed Taj between rope and camel neck.TFS
ramesh

siolaw (38294) 2006-05-07 12:29

hi hercules,
A nice shot of a much photographied place but good compo with camel and boy.
Nice light and clors.Good framing..
TFS
laurent

peter1892 (1681) 2006-05-07 13:18

Wonderful image - the boy & camel would make an interesting shot in their own right, but the positioning of the Taj Mahal in the background makes it really special.

The sharpness throughout the image is good, even though the aperture used is only f/3.2, as the Taj Mahal seems very clear.

Xalkida (11744) 2006-05-07 16:10

Πανέμορφη φωτογραφία Ηρακλή με εξαιρετικό και πρωτότυπο κάδρο! Ωραία η ιδέα σου να χρησιμοποιήσεις την καμήλα ώστε να πλαισιώσει κατά κάποιο τρόπο το διάσημο Τατζ Μαχάλ.

Jribeirosantos (1924) 2006-05-07 16:32

Just ... perfect .. Millions of people photograph Taj mahal .. but not like this ...

You ae a genious .. you really are!!!

Favourite!

Joana

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2006-05-07 17:13

Hola Hércules.

La composición jugando con el Taj Mahal entre el camello y el niño me ha soprendido gratamente.

Además, la luz es una maravilla.

Una foto estupenda vaya.

Un saludo, Oscar

axiotea (21651) 2006-05-08 3:12

Hi Hercules, interesting view of the Taj Mahal (without tourist)with the camel and boy in the FG... POV and colors are good to...TFS...
Marilyn

syd1946 (1167) 2006-05-08 4:22

Καλημερα Ηρακλη,
Ακρως ενδιαφερουα ληψη με πολυ ωραιο καδρο.
Τελεια συνθεση,χρωματα και λεπτομεριες αψογες
και κατατοπιστικο note.Eξαιρετικη δουλεια!

φιλικα,
Θωμας

CRATEOS (7278) 2006-05-08 8:15

Ta polilitoyrgika epipeda....ke o analogos fotismos poy to plesionoun,ke diadrastika i xromatiki skala...to exeretiko POVy....i elliniki magia veveos(travigma oxi apo emprosthen tou ktirioy alla opisthen!) me kanoyn na xeretizo met polon epenon gia to aristo dimioyrgima ayto....Nikiforos

Cuba-Junky (2817) 2006-05-08 9:33

Hercules dear, this is a stunning picture with an even more stunning POV and compo with the Taj Mahal in the middle.
Absolute great!
An

delkoo (68) 2006-05-08 13:25

hi hercules
I saw a lot of photos from taj mahal, but never like this !!

very ingenious framing

didier

partha (14023) 2006-05-08 15:32

Positioned the Taj perfectly. Good sense of perspective.
Bravo.
partha

jjcordier (79299) 2006-05-09 7:20

Cadrage original pour ce lieu mythique
JJ

jjbach (9326) 2006-05-09 16:39

Η ιδέα σου να παρουσιάσεις το διάσημο Τατζ Μαχάλ με αυτό τον τρόπο είναι πανέξυπνη και έχεις πετύχεις το στόχο σου. Ταυτόχρονα η φωτογραφία αυτή αποτελλει και ένα υπέροχο πορτραίτο αυτού του πιτσιρικά. Πολύ καλός φωτισμός και βάθος επίσης. Φανταστική δουλειά, μπράβο!

Φιλικά Γιάννης

daddo (28748) 2006-05-10 7:16

Kalimera Hercules. A truly original presentation of this icon. Seen between the camel and the boy, who represent the mundane, the evey day life, it acquires an eternal look even more than usual, as its beauty is accentuated.(Not that the camel is ugly!) Regards, Klaudio

gbeli (1970) 2006-05-14 16:39

kai alli apithani photo.
Ta xromata kai o fotismos einai pragmatika telia.

Polonaise (5802) 2006-05-16 8:32

Man, this is the top of the world photography!
I know few guys around here ready to kill to have this photo in their stock (including me!).
Very monumental...
George

roamermark (1592) 2006-05-16 16:54

Hercules,

The photo gods were smiling on you this day my friends. Not to take away any of the credit you deserve for such a great composittion. Where does one go from here? Hopefully there are many more shots like this for you in the future.
Cheers
Mark

sebinho342 (19329) 2006-05-22 8:01

Hi Hercules, it's an untraditional picture from taj mahal that you share with us here, i really like this try and the result is excellent, you composed it well and the sharpness is here :))
The taj is just between thecamel and the boy, really well seen.
I hope to see soon some pictures from your trip to indonesia !
Have a good monday

bebeM (412) 2006-05-26 21:26

:)) Incredible! There's the composition with the most unusually joined elements... And a beautiful one with savourous colours and details. Te Taj looks like one in a little glass dome :))
And thank you for the kind critiques!
Bebe

nickthegreek82 (1708) 2006-05-31 13:44

Καταπληκτική!!!

Προσωπικά ίσως να πρόσθετο λίγο "αέρα" στα δεξιά.

Το αποτέλεσμα είναι ονειρικό!

Μπράβό

aralda (1240) 2006-07-25 13:11

Hi Hercules,
This is one of my favorites: the Taj Mahal looking so small compared to the boy! Nice to have the Taj Mahal, camel, and boy in one picture: it really looks like two pictures!
Raluca

rozy975 (3047) 2006-10-09 6:56

What a great photo!
I have been twice now but not this side of Yamuna.
I'll definetly do that next time I am there.
It is a magical place and your photo proves that.
Thanks for sharing.
Well done!

everlasting (20040) 2006-11-22 5:46

Your POV is so well chosen, not only is this NOT just another Taj shot, the postioning of yourself and the camel gives us an obstructed view of the Taj and the river. The early mornign light gives a nice palette of colour.

gpsony (448) 2007-02-20 7:10

Hi Hercules,

Superb framing. Great out of the box thinking. This is an amazing shot of the Taj Mahal when there are so many run of the mill shots of the Taj.

Cheers,
Guru

photovolos (931) 2007-11-17 8:33

Πρόκειται για μια θαυμάσια λήψη.Λιτή στη σκηνοθεσία της,αλλά πληθωρική στις πληροφορείες
Γι'αυτό υπεύθυνη είναι η εξαιρετική σύνθεση!!
Για τη διαφήμιση του Ινδικού υπουργείου Τουρισμού...
...Του Ηρακλέους.Του Ηρακλέους βεβαίως,βεβαίως!

ayansadhu (1502) 2008-01-17 4:58

Hercules,
I think this is the best shot of your India album & kudos to you for this one...
You seem to have visited so many countries my Dear and for the next few days I'm going to peep into your album.
All the Best...

mikeo (12129) 2008-02-02 2:51

Hello Hercules,

I found your gallery thanks to Josepmarin and I am happy 'cause found lots of great shots here:)

I always write that I love camels but here we have perfect match of a cute camel and amazing Taj shown together in a superb way...so in result we may see great shot!

Greetings
Mikeo

MLINES (12516) 2008-05-08 15:15

Hi Hercules. This is a compelling photo with excellent set up. The three elements are in a triangle of your making. Sitable for cober of a national geographic magazine. Good work. TFS. Murray.

Anshuman (18) 2012-11-06 19:58

Love this photo ... I just wish that the TAJ could have been centered bit more perfectly .... otherwise I am loving this photo and nice POV. Thanks.

Periko (9107) 2014-08-03 12:05

A camel, a boy....... and the Taj...

Photo Information

Copyright: Hercules Milas (Cretense) (68709)
Genre: Plaatsen
Medium: Kleur
Date Taken: 2005-08-14
Categories: Dagelijks leven, Architectuur
Camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V3
Belichting: f/3.2, 1/320 Seconden
More Photo Info: view
Fotoversie: Originele versie
Thema's: My portraits, ***YOUR FAVOURITES (BY 4 TE MEMBERS AT LEAST)*** [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-05-06 13:40
Favorieten: 12 [Zicht]