Street photographers guide to the secret India
A couple of times each year, I choose a country to visit and practise the art of street photography, travel photography and landscape photography. For me, the best images often happen away from the famous landmarks and busy tourist spots.
I always work with a local guide for the time I’m in a country, but I ask them to take me beyond the usual tourist trail. I want to photograph the real people, their environment and the communities they call home—from small villages and farms to local markets and everyday life.
The images below were captured during a photography tour of India, including the beautiful desert communities of Rajasthan. Many of the people were surprised to see me there, as very few tourists visit these areas. Their excitement and warm welcome made the experience even more special, and it allowed me to capture genuine moments and portraits.
Another place my guide took me to was Khajuraho, where I was completely blown away by the beauty of the people and the incredible architecture. At times, it felt like stepping back 100 years. Many of the images have that timeless, documentary feel—something you might expect to see in a National Geographic magazine.
My advice to any street or travel photographer is simple: get off the beaten track. Spend time with people, be respectful, ask permission when appropriate and don’t rush from one location to the next. The best photographs often happen when you slow down and let the story unfold naturally.
For this trip, I travelled with my Canon 5D Mark III, a borrowed backup camera body, a 70–200mm L f/4 lens and a 24–70mm L f/2.8 lens. I also packed plenty of memory cards and two hard drives to back up my images. For behind-the-scenes content, I kept things simple and used my phone to capture video throughout the journey.
If you really want to experience and photograph the real India, my biggest tip is to look beyond the tourist hotspots. With the right local knowledge, an open mind and a camera in hand, you may discover stories and people you would never find otherwise.
