Waiting around

So far I've done the cliche, shown size with the telephoto lens, concentrated on the intricate patterns inlaid in the marble and taken a couple of scene-setting shots.

Focussing back on the Taj again I realised that one thing I hadn't shown is the terrace (balcony?) around the Taj itself. It's quite a wide area, beautifully laid with marble tiles and people wander around it looking at all four sides.

To photograph it I used a wide-angle lens and held the camera vertically. This enabled me to get as much of the balcony in as possible while also showing the height of the Taj and how it towers above the small people at the bottom of the frame. I also wanted to include on the minarets to give a further visual clue as to where it was.

And then the time came for me to partake in one of the most importants parts of what I do. Sit and wait. Or, more importantly, sit and take it all in. Sometimes you get so carried away with photographing anything and everything that you forget to actually experience anything. You come away with all these photos that have no real resonance with you because you don't remember a thing apart from what you saw through the viewfinder.

I find it really important to just put the camera down ( I never put it in the camera bag just in case big foot does walk in front of me!) and take in the sights, sounds and smells. Long after the photos have been forgotten the memories will stay with you.

I spent the good part of an hour or two just walking around and enjoying being there. Talking to people (if I get asked once more if I know Shane Warne I think I'm gonna scream!) and looking for angles and views that I might not have considered.

Sitting down on the lawn the sun slowly started getting lower in the sky and the beautiful light descended upon us. That's when it's time to get the camera out again. Sometimes you don't have to move very far at all to get what you want.

This one was taken just sitting down on the lawn, enjoying the view. There are no tripods allowed in the Taj so I had to try and support the camera as much as possible with a slow shutter speed.

Next time we're just about to head out the gates for the last time, but will grab a couple of shots as we head out the door. :)