Photographing people at the Ghats?

I%26#39;m planning a trip next year and, as I%26#39;m a keen photographer I%26#39;ll be taking advantage of the multitude of opportunities for a good pic.

I know that in some countries and cultures it is rude/offensive to photograph people. Are there any such limitations? The preparations of the funeral pyres....Holy Men with painted faces and people bathing naked in the Ganges captures a scene that could come from a thousand years ago...the vibrant colours and the weathered faces of the elderly folk...women in vibrant local sarees....I can%26#39;t wait to have those memories!

A lot of the images I see seem to be %26#39;candid%26#39; shots seemingly taken without the knowledge of the subject. Am I free to walk around the ghats happily snapping away?? Are there things that I shouldavoid photographing?

...I%26#39;ve spent the last few hours going through the internet looking at images of Varanasi...I want to go now!!!!

Photographing people at the Ghats?

It varies from person to person; some enjoy being photographed, some are indifferent and some don%26#39;t like it at all (will shoo you off). In general, you should be sensitive about photographing bathing women :)

Photographing people at the Ghats?

Deepa....I%26#39;m not sure my wife would be too happy if my %26#39;holiday album%26#39; contained photos of bathing females!!!.....it%26#39;s photographic art!! 8-)

Ha! When you finish that trip, you must write a trip report and post photos for us to see. I%26#39;ll probably beat you to it, though. I%26#39;m going to Varanasi myself next month; and I%26#39;m taking my camera along!

Hey Deepa, I%26#39;ll look forward to your report and photo%26#39;s!

Pop into the Scindhia Guesthouse and check it out for me! Tell them Champagne on ice would be a nice touch on my arrival!!! Ha ha!! 8-)

Have a great time!

JOHN

Finbar, India is a great photography destination - and you%26#39;re just as likely to be spending time avoiding people jumping in front of your camera to have a photo taken, or family groups who want to have their picture taken with you. It%26#39;s all good fun.

In Varanasi you have people from all walks of life since it%26#39;s a pilgrimage site for Hindus. And yes, many western tour groups and travelers too.

Photography at the cremation ghats is not allowed. Enforcement is spotty and you%26#39;ll usually be approach by some local lad who will offer to get you to some apartment room with a view.

Some of the sadhus, who can be very photogenic, expect a tip for a photograph (and they usually got a great life story to go with it).

I have some photos of my trip there at noexpectations.com.au/galleries/varanasi-ind… In general, the sadhu portraits were a commercial proposition (a small donation). The rest are candids. But of course the better ones come with some interaction with the subjects or location first.

Cheers, --Kip

Sigh, the link above ended up with a ';.'; at the end. The proper link for the photos is:

noexpectations.com.au/galleries/varanasi-ind…

Cheers, --Kip

I have taken some good shots, and missed some great ones. Generally, if in doubt, I refrain. When I take a good personal shot, I try to bring a good print as a gift on my next visit. A couple of times, I had such photos with me and after polite greeting, I showed the photos, proved my good intentions and took a nice posed shot. So a record of your past skill might help. A card with a web address where they might see their photo might help, but many people in India, as is the case here in Ireland, would just laugh at you if you suggested that they might go near a computer! Personal laziness has always excluded me from the card carrying photo-paparazzi tribe.

Do not intrude, and do not take a photo of someone in a situation that you yourself would not like to be photographed. Public places and the zoom lens have to be ok. Unfortunately, we westerners delight in the photographic intrusion on the indignity of others. We have the technology. In fairness, Indians do like to stare and store the image in their heads, for their own inscrutable purposes! In much the same way as we might like to admire beautiful exotic vegetables.

Falling off bicycles, and a pig being captured against its will and then tied on to the back of a bike (Mahabalipuram), are in my view fair game!

I%26#39;ve spent plenty of time photographing along the ghats in Varanasi. Most people are OK with it, so long as you%26#39;re not unduly aggressive or intrusive. One major exception: it is not allowed to take photos of cremations or even in the vicinity where bodies are being cremated. That is not only culturally forbidden but can get you in substantial trouble (e.g. with the police -- something you definitely want to avoid). Also, beware that along the ghats many of the colorfully dressed and bearded sadhus (renunciate holy men) are actually businessmen. That is, they are not the real sadhus; they are people who dress as sadhus because it is a nice way to beg for money . . . and to demand payment after the fact for having their picture taken by the nice western tourist with the pretty camera.