The splendid palaces, forts, and bazaars of Jaipur draw in tourists from around the globe and Jaipur’s iconic places like Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort are famous for being overcrowded. Given that I have spent my mornings chasing golden light and watching sunsets at Jaipur’s landmarks, I know that for beautiful, crowd-free photographs, timing is everything. To ensure you can take beautiful pictures with no crowd interference, I have compiled a list of tips and tricks to help navigate through Jaipur’s major attractions while avoiding tourist congestion.
1. Uninterrupted Sunrise Photography
Jaipur has its fair share of tourist-centric activities. Sitting outdoors can get you breathtaking views of several tourist spots including Hawa Mahal while sunrise is bound to bring that soft, golden glow which transforms landmarks into the fairest of jewels. If you wish to beat the tourist rush, arriving early in the morning provides you with sudden tranquility.
Tips:
- To guarantee your spot in line during early opening hours while doing border shots, come in 30 minutes early. Winds also barely pick up during this time so you are bound to get pleasant weather.
- If you wish to use Jal Mahal and Hawa Mahal while praising your skills of concentration, you are best off positioned outside to capture the monuments themselves.Leverage the golden hour to showcase your photography skills and capture the smooth, pink sandstone of Jaipur glimmering in the soft light of early morning.
Recommended Spots:
- Amber Fort: Make this your first stop of the day to get a tourist-free shot of the fort’s reflection on Maota Lake.
- Hawa Mahal: Capture the façade before it gets congested with cars and pedestrians.
- Panna Meena Ka Kund: Get there early so the stepwell’s symmetrical design can be yours alone for the taking. 2. Take Advantage of the Off-Main Routes and Overlooked Vistas
For Jaipur’s landmarks, the central areas may be busy, but there are quite a few places that have off-main routes that will still be quiet even during peak hours. These places are often overlooked by tourists, and as you venture into these spaces, you can discover creative and unique perspectives not common amongst photographs from the main areas.
Instructions:
- At Amber Fort, go to Zanana Mahal (Women’s Quarter) and Suraj Pol gate for more tranquil snapshots.
- For the City Palace, try to ignore the Peacock Gate during busy hours and focus on the other regal inscribed gates which are adorned with intricate carvings.
- Nehargarh Fort also has quieter outer wall viewpoints where you can take panoramic shots of the city skyline.
Pro tip:
Ask your guides and other staff members about lesser-known spots and corners that they do not usually mention. You never know what unique insights they might offer!
3. Stay Clear of Peak Seasons
Usually tourists flock to Jaipur during the winter months from November to February as well as during famous festivals like Diwali and Holi. Even though the weather is pleasant this time of the year, there are a lot of people visiting the city. It becomes very difficult to avoid tourist hotspots.
Tips:
- While March-April or September-October, try to visit during the shoulder season as these months have a lesser tourist count.
- Travel planned around important festivals will help avoid long waits in line for heritage sites.
Pro Tip:
May and June are hot months in Jaipur. While the temperatures soar, early mornings of these months are good for photography as landmarks are quiet.
4. Take Advantage of Weekdays
Both local residents and travelers tend to go out during the weekends this leads to heavy traffic at Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and Albert Hall Museum. If you are among the people who hate waiting in lines, try visiting Monday to Thursday as that period has the least amount of tourists.
Tips:
- Try to be the first in line at the popular tourist hotspots as they open their doors to the public on off-peak weekdays.
- Steer clear of Fridays as many local families show up to visit attractions before the weekends.
5. Taking Long-Exposure Shots to Blur Crowds
Being in a busy place in the fire hours means you will have to deal with people ruinign your shots, but with long exposure photography, you can greatly reduce the number of people impeding your picture. Long exposure shots through the use of a slow shutter speed can help you achieve the effect of blur out empty scene, thereby making it seem devoid of people.
Tips:
- For long exposure pictures, a tripod is a must have to ensure your camera stays stable.
- Start with a shutter speed of 5 seconds and increase to 30 s at your own pace and according to light and people conditions.
- Try this at Jal Mahal during sunsets or around crowded courtyards such as City Palace.
Pro Tip:
Areas needing to capture pictures with long exposure should be under the shade or during sunrise and sunset for optimal results with ease and not too bright natural light.
6. Change Your Chimney or Add New Items Using Them
Finding new places to photograph Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort will allow you to truly get unique and memorable shots. Many elevated and cafe type places in Jaipur and other locations enable the tourists to have and capture great from not so crowded cafes.
Tips:
- Hawa Mahal can be photographed from Wind View Cafe or Tattoo Lounge which both give views and lookout unobstructed view.
- Jaigarh Fort and hills give the surrounding Amber Fort to capture its panoramic view.
- Nearby tall places in City Palace enable their holders to photograph Jantar Mantar.
Pro Tip:
Getting to well-known cafes early ensures you have the best chance at getting an distraction-free spot.
7. Use Telephoto Lenses to Capture Details
When dealing with large crowds, a telephoto lens can be useful for seeing individual people, specific pieces of architecture, or even small details up close. This approach helps eliminate distractions and allows you to capture detailed shots of intricate carvings, arches, and frescoes.
Tips:
- Using a 70-200mm or telephoto lens will allow you to capture frostwork details on lattice windows at Hawa Mahal or the mirror werk in Sheesh Mahal.
- Make sure to focus on symmetry and repetition when capturing the images to create striking decor images.
8. Look Into Early Evening and Blue Hour Photography
Many places close by 5 PM, but Albert Hall Museum and Jal Mahal are famous places that are stunningly illuminated at night. The blue hour, immediately after sunset, is a period that offers diffused soft lighting perfect for enhancing sharp architectural shots.
Tips:
- A camera tripod is very helpful for taking photographs during the night as it helps avoid images overlapping due to camera shake.
- Try taking long exposure photographs to capture light from vehicles passing by view, for example, at Albert Hall Museum and Patrika Gate.
Recommended Spots:
- Albert Hall Museum: A fantastic view when it is dark out, as the Illuminations are breathtaking.
- Nahargarh Fort: You can capture panoramic city views and watch as Jaipur’s light twinkle on one by one.
9. Schedule Guided Tours And Book Tickets Well In Advance To Ensure Proper Planning Outside Of Peak Hours
Some attractions do have early access or special guided tours in which you can go during off peak hour. This would be ideal when it comes to capturing images of significant places without any disturbance.
Suggestions:
- Book the early morning tours for the Amber Fort and City Palace
- Photographic guides for small groups should be prioritised.
10. Do Proper Research To Make Sure You Do Not Waste Time At Each Of The Locations And Plan Your Shots Ahead Of The Event
Conduct research on the best possible positions to capture images for each location. Doing so would enable surpass the queue and guarantee optimal frames for capturing.
Suggestions:
- Use Instagram as well as Google Maps to find and scout for popular locations used.
- Prepare a comprehensive checklist and schedule these locations in prior to make sure you have flawless background captures.
Pro tip:
By revealing the sun’s position at different hours of the day, photoPills enables users to competently plan their capturing images.
Drawing from personally visiting ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur, I firmly believe its landmarks and architectural wonders are best captured without a chaotic crowd around. To achieve this goal, one must plan their day accordingly, explore nooks and crannies, and utilize innovative photo tactics to ensure that not even a corner of Jaipur’s beauty is missed. So, set that alarm clock or camera trigger to capture Jaipur at the most magical hours.
Have you attempted capturing Jaipur’s attractions through your lens? Do not hesitate to let us know your suggestions on dealing with the bustling crowd and your go-to locations in the comments section!
