Street Photography in Kochi

The Chinese fishing nets are cantilevered frames that dip into the water like giant hammocks, according to Kerala Tourism. It takes four or five men to lift one, which gives you teams of bodies pulling ropes in rhythm. Third Eye Traveller says the promenade near Vasco da Gama Square has the best view at sunrise and sunset. Operators may ask you to pay to climb aboard; agree a price first, and tip if you photograph the crew.

Fort Kochi Beach is a short strip of sand and promenade just south of the nets. In the evening, families walk the path while vendors sell snacks from carts. Face west into the sunset and shoot figures as silhouettes against the harbour mouth, with ships passing behind. Keep children small in the frame unless a parent agrees. Local families come here to relax, so a smile and a nod before you raise the camera helps. After dark the promenade lights come on and the vendors' carts glow, which is worth staying for with a fast lens.

Princess Street is one of the oldest streets in Fort Kochi, lined with colonial-era houses, many now turned into cafés and guest houses. The faded facades and wooden shutters make calm backgrounds. Wait for an auto rickshaw or a walker with an umbrella to pass a coloured wall. Late afternoon light is softer here as it drops behind the buildings. It is mostly tourists by day, so the most local scenes are early in the morning.

Aspinwall House is an old waterfront trading compound that serves as the main venue of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a contemporary art show that usually opens in December and runs for several months when it is on. During a Biennale, the lanes around it fill with visitors, and art installations make unusual backdrops for people. Outside the Biennale it may be closed, but the road outside still has old warehouses and godowns. Check the Biennale dates before you plan around it.

Jew Town is a narrow lane of antique shops and blue-painted doors ending at the Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568. Travelling Camera found it most authentic early in the morning, before most tourists arrive, with sunlight entering diagonally between old buildings. Use those beams to isolate a single walker. The synagogue has its own rules on visiting days and photography inside, so check at the door. Shopkeepers are used to cameras but not to being blocked, so step aside.

Bazaar Road runs past the spice warehouses of Mattancherry. Kerala Tourism describes trucks and pushcarts moving loads while workers dry and sort spices. Travelling Camera arrived at 8:15am and found men hauling sacks of pepper, and light cutting through spice dust inside a warehouse. Ask before stepping into a godown. An old trader cleaning peppercorns simply kept working when photographed, which is the picture to wait for. Trucks load and unload in the narrow road, so keep to the side and watch behind you.

Broadway is an old shopping street on the Ernakulam mainland, next to Marine Drive. Kerala Tourism describes a narrow street of sloping-roofed buildings, with alleys of wholesale and retail shops. It is where locals shop, so it is busier and less posed than Fort Kochi. Work the alleys for porters and shopkeepers. As in any crowded market, keep your bag in front of you. Marine Drive, a short walk away, has a waterfront promenade for evening walkers.