Travel Guide

The best way to make friends in India is by pulling out your camera. In general locals love to have their photos taken and pose without hesitation. You will quickly learn that snapping a shot of a building becomes impossible if people, especially children, people will persist to see their photo, but even if it is a manual, they will be content to know that someboday has a photo of them.

On a separate note, Gujarat offers amazing photo opportunities at almost every turn. It is important, however, to be mindful in each situation, respect people’s privacy and remember that some of the local communities do not allow photos to be taken, especially of the women. Ask before clicking.

If possible, it is always a nice gesture to give copies of pictures to the people you photograph – they will cherish it long after you leave. Most major cities and towns have good photo processing labs that offer digital printing at very affordable prices.

You are not allowed to photograph airports, train stations, bridges, military installations, train interiors or in the vicinity of sensitive border areas. Most religious places also do not permit photography. It is becoming increasingly common for tourist destinations and archaeological monuments to charge a photography fee.

Try to bring along all special equipment for your camera. It is also a good idea to buy a UV filter and pack any specific type of film that you may want, since it will be hard to come by India. Avoid purchasing film from street vendors since their quality is questionable. Remember that heat affects the quality of film, so try to store it in a refrigerator is possible.