Street Photography - India

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Getting The Shot

Street interaction levels with locals is relatively open and friendly. This allows visitors to capture an untold amount of random street portraits wherever one travels through India. Lively action with lots of humour amongst locals is normal. Like in most other countries, capturing random street portraits begins by directly interacting with subjects.  ​

Below, a street portrait of a local with chin tattoo taken along the Indian-Nepali border region.

Getting The Shot

Don't self-curse yourself because you missed getting the shot. Random street captures can take 3-5 connective snaps at one particular subject to get the desired result.

Getting The Shot

Indian coastlines are buzzing with fisherman. Capturing action shots like the above are best when boats return with their catch loads. Taking close-ups, and moving out of the way is a part of the action.   

Getting The Shot

Bustling street markets in India are full of potential portrait subjects. This vendor was flat out busy selling product who had no time looking in my direction. Even with the pushing and shoving by locals passing beside me, I managed to capture a few soft shots.  

Getting The Shot

Positive interaction with shy subjects normally creates plenty of fun and laughter while taking shots.     

Getting The Shot

It's amazing what one can discover in India. Generations old, mounted deer and Bengali tiger skin from the 1950's era. Hunting all forms of wildlife in India was banned in 1972.

Getting The Shot

Random street photography is about capturing images that are appealing to the person taking them. Almost every street, laneway or footpath through India has something of interest worth photographing. Image, a young local from the national cadet corps directing street traffic.

Getting The Shot

Random Street Photography

The positive advantage of street photography through India are the endless amounts of unique looking locals seen out and about roaming or relaxing near outdoor markets. Interaction with subjects may be required first to capture images like above. This elderly local sipping on chai didn't mind being photographed up close with a bulky DSLR and prime lens.

Getting The Shot

Are your interaction levels up to scratch? If so, you could probably interact and capture random street portraits of almost anyone. Without having no basic interaction skills, forget about trying to take closeup images like above. This capture was within a low light hustle bustle location with the subject in transit which usually means a one time shot with no time to adjust any camera settings.     

Getting The Shot

With minimal time, this close-up street portrait was captured while the subject was in motion riding past on a bicycle. One can't think too long grabbing moving snaps that may be interesting. Image captures like this are gone within seconds.

Getting The Shot

A local captured strolling through an underground walkway into natural ambient light.

Getting The Shot

In transit snaps like above are easily captured being on some form of open moving transport. One should avoid stepping out on highways in India. Highway traffic doesn't stop for anyone.

Getting The Shot

Location and split second rapid capture using a Nikon D3 body & 85 f/1.4 lens still works for me.

Getting The Shot

Taking street portrait images through India will keep most street photographers flat out busy non-stop. With a small amount of positive interaction time, this sadhu was captured with a D3 & 85mm prime lens.

Getting The Shot

The art of wrapping and positioning a head turban to carry heavy loads of product.

Street carriers normally work in groups off-loading and loading trucks situated close to market areas.

The best locations capturing images like this are at busy bustling locations with little or no room to move. Images were captured with a Nikon D3 12MP body & AF-S Nikkor 200-400mm f/4 VR II lens.

Getting The Shot

There doesn't pass a day when roaming the streets through India of someone suddenly out of the blue catches your eye. It could be the dress mode, the eye colour, or facial composure. This local didn't hesitate happily staring straight in to the lens. Image was captured with a Nikon D3S 12MP & AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D lens.

Getting The Shot

Indians in general love using their smart phone cameras. It's rare to spot Indians without cell phones, even in the middle of nowhere. Cell towers are scattered far and wide across the country. Personally, I avoid using cell phones like the plague, and prefer taking stills with DSLR gear, or with point and shoots. This image snap was captured using a DSLR after dark.

Getting The Shot

Capturing random group shots of locals through India is just like anywhere else around the planet. It begins by using positive interaction. The above images are quick examples showing nothing much has changed in India since my first overland journey during mid 1980s. Without using some form of interaction dialogue these shots wouldn't exist. 

Getting The Shot

The first item one should have already packed and ready to go even before arriving to India is some camera gear. Off-course, this excludes plasticky foreigners, especially flight babies, who head directly to chill out on the beaches of Goa without any intention of traveling elsewhere through the country. I would suggest to at least have an upmarket point and shoot. DSLR photo gear is still king when it comes to value and their optics. I don't promote brands here on this website even though I've been a vivid Nikon user for decades. A semi-pro body with a couple of prime lenses and a zoom will do the job. Don't be like others, which are many, who have regretted traveling through India without camera gear. 

Yes, I'm still using a couple of 12MP Nikon bodies in 2022. I prefer the D3/S with prime lenses over other later model DSLR's I use. Some may ask why is that? It's because I know my shots will come out relatively with the same results like above  image every time. Those into the "must have latest" camera gear are fools unless they're sponsored and showered with free gifts from Nikon or Canon. Think about it, the above image was captured with a 2007 D3 body, and the image has only had minor post processing. 12MP NEF files don't clog up storage space, and they can be enlarged to poster size canvas prints and still look great.

Since the early '80s I've been capturing all kinds of different street images offshore. Consistency is what it's all about, not just a fad that disappears from lack of vision or boredom. Carrying and using photo gear has been an on-going event for decades. Some of my classic street snaps like below still remain as vivid today (2021) from the day they were taken more than three decades ago. Below, a low res roll film mage when curd was commonly manually prepared.