Shooting Holi is one of the most challenging pursuits that a traveler/photographer/travel-photographer can take up, and I am glad that I have my share of experiences to write about. This post has all the tips and tricks to shoot Holi.
While Holi is sure to get you some of the best photographs of your life, the occasion calls for you to be careful about self, and your gears. It is a potentially risky festival to shoot, but there is nothing that a bit of caution can not take care of.
I attended the famed ‘laththmaar Holi of Nandgaon and Barsana’, but the rules for shooting are pretty much the same for any event that has ample use of colors and water.
- Silica gel is not enough to store your camera and lens.
Many people will tell you that storing your camera and lens in a dry condition is the key to shooting Holi successfully.
This is just a part of the story.
Silica gel is enough to keep the equipment dry at most of the other times. For Holi, while storing your camera and lenses, it is important that you ensure that your gears as well as your bag/s are dry and dust/colourfree.
If this isn’t the case then your lenses and camera/s have a chance of catching fungus. Carry silica gel with you, but do not depend on it solely.
You can get it at most of the camera-shops, or order it online. - Just the rain-cover is not enough.
Most of the rain-covers are not specific to a model; they are generic and they fit the body loosely.
What is needed is that you seal the lens openings tightly with a masking tape to ensure that not a drop of water seeps in, while ensuring sufficient free space for barrel/rim movement. Your camera should be able to withstand not just the water-spray, but being poured buckets of water on it. Holi celebrations in Nandgaon and Barsana are rowdy.
Rain covers are available at most of the camera shops. You can order them online too.
Look at this collage that I have made to show you how this photographer was being heckled. Do read the main post too to understand the seriousness of the situation.
- Keep your eyes safe
While worrying about our equipments, we forget to take into account the most important ones; our eyes.
Regarding Holi, the repercussion of someone throwing colours into your eyes in the fervor of festivity can result into something which ranges from minor discomfort to permanent damage. The key to having a safe experience is to be alert at all times.
One of the photographers I saw at Radharani temple-courtyard had covered her eyes with ‘paintball’ gear. Something like this; seemed to work for her very well, but then remember that it might pose difficulty in shooting. - Rain-proof your camera-bag.
Make sure your bag is waterproof, because it will go from dry to soaking wet, and then back to being dry several times during the course of the day. Ensure that there is no scope for water to seep in from sides and zipper-openings. The ideal thing to do is to put a polycover on the bag, or a rain-cover if you don’t mind purchasing it. - Decide which lens you want to shoot with, and then stick to it.
Unlike other events, places like Nandgaon and Barsana rarely give you any chance to switch your lens.
Twice, I thought of resting at some places (I had a fever) that looked like no one would venture to, but the minute I sat, some children poured a bucketful of water from the rooftop, and I had no option but to smile at them.
I clicked with 18-55mm, the kit lens that comes with canon; here is one of my shots (if this is what that outcome with 18-55mm is, imagine what is possible with 50mm and 35mm! Having said that, please remember your limitations with a prime lens.):
- Refrain from wearing chappal/slippers.
Like I have said in my earlier post too, wear something that grips your feet firmly, and does not slip once wet. If you are a photographer with expensive gear on you, and you trip and fall, there are chances that you would prefer breaking your bones and not your equipment. - Work out the settings beforehand and stick to it.
Once the camera is packed in the rain-proof gear, you have very little control over the console. Even if you have control, like I did, fiddling with it is not too good an idea. Get your exposure triangle right, and then just keep your eyes peeled for narratives going on in the streets/temples. - Shoot now, review later.
The point being, you might not get time/ space/access to LCD panel to be able to review the shot without risking your camera getting drenched or smeared with dry color. Shoot, shoot and shoot without worrying what the results are. This is an event where you have almost no control over the situation, so do not waste the time peering at the LCD display. Or, asking people to pose. - Do a mock-drill once before the event.
It might not be too great an idea to figure out how things work while there are colors and water all around you. Do a test-run beforehand to ensure a smooth experience of shooting Holi.
(Test run means, shoot with the rain-cover on, shoot with the bright day-light when practically nothing can be reviewed on the LCD panel, shoot while taking care of bag/s that have your other things etc.) - Clean the equipment thoroughly once you are back.
Clean the camera, the lens, and the bag carefully once you are back at your place. You can go for a professional cleaning to ensure good maintenance, but if you know the camera well, you can clean it yourself as well.
Most importantly, DO NOT go to shoot Holi with a set of images in mind; you are going to be very disappointed. Go with the flow and make the most of it.
Some of the top destinations for Holi in India are:
Nandgaon and Barsana : It is suggested that you stay in Mathura. Read the post here.)
Mathura: (Same as above)
Jaipur, Udaipur, Goa : Zostel is one of the stay options in these cities
Hampi: Zostel
Mumbai: (Couch-surfing)
Kolkata: (Couch-surfing)
Most of these cities are well-connected and have a near-by metro city/town being serviced by domestic and international airlines.
Happy shooting!
Happier Holi!!
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P.S.: In case you intend to do ‘bhang’, do read this.
P.P.S.: In case you think I have missed an important point, please feel free to bring it to my notice.
P.P.S.: Holi in Barsana is on 5th March, and Nandgaon on 6th March 2017
We’ve gone to Holi and we risked our DSLR cameras. We did a ton of research and protected them like crazy. In the end it was worth it!
Same here, Hannah! I was SKEPTICAL (yes, THAT skeptical), but in the end, it was all worth it. Thank you for reading!
Great Article, Yet again! Thanks for sharing! 🙂 Should definitely add this to my bucket list!
Welcome!
Its definitely difficult to shoot this amazing festival of colors from a very close as it will risk your camera. However, gopro could be used in someway. Nice article tho
Hi Clive,
It is not just dust but water too. Thanks for the suggestion though.
🙂
I’ve seen so many photos of this festival, and attended one (however, not the real one, because it was in Europe, but anyway) but never occurred to me that it might be such a challenging thing for photographers. Now it all makes sense, it’s dusty and it can’t get quite dirty. Great tips!
Thank you, Tom. 🙂
Thanks, Tom.
I’d never considered how much difficulty could come along with photographing certain extreme events like this. I’m sure it would be the experience of a lifetime and well worth it for the vibrant results!
My thoughts exactly, Shane! 😀
I’ve only seen these from pictures too but these are tips that would come handy. No one wants a dirty and messy camera. Thanks for the heads up
Thank you, April and Dexter.
great tips.. I will be extremely upset if color got in my camera. I plan to go to holi next year
Thanks, Victoria!
This sounds so complicated! I don’t know very much about Holi but your picture is very lovely. I love the amazing color of the yellow cloud. That makes sense about the advice to not wear slippers when you are carrying such expensive equipment!
Thank you, Stella!
I would be too afraid to lose my camera to Holi. So I guess, that I would not shoot it at all and try to just enjoy the moment… But it really is great that you provide all that information about how to safely get some colourful pics! 🙂
Thank you, Ariane.
Holi is one of the amazin festivals that I would like to cover but realization of situation is very difficult. So I might shoot in afar 🙂
Hahahahaa! Blair,
There is no ‘afar’ while shooting Holi in India. 😀
I am am amateur photographer and know what it means to shoot an event like this. I have volunteered in a run or dye event last year and I did not take my camera out of the bag. The photographer next to me had all his equipment covered, expect for the lens but his camera was still a mess, covered with the colored power.
Hi Joanna,
Thank you for sharing your experience. These ARE really difficult events to shoot. Thank you for stopping by.
🙂
I can’t imagine shooting holi in a lifetime. There is so much to cover and most of it isn’t really possible. It is a fun festival and I would prefer enjoying every bit of it .
Hi Laveena,
Even I enjoy Holi a lot; celebrate it like goons!
Thanks for stopping by.
🙂
Shooting Holi must be an experience of a lifetime. You’ve given some amazing points to protect the gears. If I’ve to shoot Holi ever, I’ll prefer using drones for aerial shots and may be standing on a building or raised area so that I can cover the maximum frame as well as protecting my gears!
Hi Ana!
Wonderful tips you have there.
Thank you for stopping by.
🙂
Loved reading your post on something I have been mulling over to do once in my life. This year had heard from a bunch of women to not go as ther eis too much groping and letching in Barasana – its UP and thats it. So no point complaining or crying over it; if you do go then take it as it comes.
Did you face this too?
Shalini,
Thank you for stopping by.
I have read all the furor over it in the last few days. It has hurt me tremendously for the simple reason that we are living in an era of ‘spot-light’ and instant gratification. Very few bloggers take the pain to understand the essence of a place and its people, and this scares me much.
I was with a group of people, and since I belong to U.P., I would never go to a rural festival in U.P. where the festive fervor is high, on my own.
Please do go, with a bunch of male friends. This ought to be experienced once in life, at least.