Rajasthani Family Navigating the Traffic on a Motorcycle
Travel

Driving in India, A photo opportunity?

Riding in a car in India can be a shocking experience for a foreigner that is new to the country.  There are seemingly no rules, a 3 lane road can turn into 6 lanes, horns honk constantly, and berms are another travel lane.  Also don’t be too surprised if someone is going the wrong way down the street coming at you.

My recommendation is to leave the driving to an experienced Indian driver.  A driver can be hired from a car company for a reasonable price.

India, Family on a Motorcycle

But could this be a photo opportunity?  Absolutely.   This is a great way to photograph the life and culture of India.

Photo opportunities from riding in a car in India

  • Entire families riding on a motorcycle
  • Store fronts
  • Markets
  • Food stalls
  • People riding in auto rickshaws
  • Oxen pulling carts
  • Woman in colorful clothing
  • And a variety of other urban activities
India Lifestyle Paradox

Tips for photographing while riding in India

  • Ride on the rear passenger side seat (left).  In India they drive on the left side of the road so the better photo ops will be on the left side of the car where you don’t have to shoot across traffic.
  • Set your camera on continuous fast shutter speed.  This type of photography is similar to sports photography.  Your keeper percentage can be fairy low on this type of photography.
  • Watch the glare on the window.  You may have to roll the window down or choose a different angle.
  • Look ahead and anticipate the shot and pan from the front to the rear of the vehicle.  This works well for when passing motorcycles or other slow moving vehicles.
  • The best shots are when the driver slows down or stops so be ready.

I used a Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens and this focal length worked well.

Indian Commute

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