Street Photography in Kolkata

This is the most photographed place in Kolkata, and for good reason. Under the east end of Howrah Bridge, sellers sit behind heaps of marigolds, stringing garlands while buyers bargain and porters carry baskets on their heads. Kreslavsky says to come before and after sunrise. Vohra focused on the rhythm of the garland makers' hands, which is a good idea to borrow: pick one stall and wait for a repeating gesture. Shoot low across the flowers so orange fills the foreground. Saurabh Chatterjee suggests the bylanes after the main area. Caution: paths are narrow and slippery, and porters move fast, so stand aside when you hear a shout.

Below the bridge, a passage runs along the river where the light gets special. Kreslavsky times it for about two hours after sunrise, when the sun is high enough to reach under the steel and light the people walking through. Stand in the shade and expose for the bright strips of light, letting everything else fall to black. Layers work well here: a figure in light with the ironwork above. Caution: photography on the bridge deck was banned for years, and reports in 2018 only said the ban might be lifted. Shoot from below and from the banks, and put the camera away if police ask.

Kumartuli is the potters' quarter in north Kolkata, where artisans sculpt clay idols of gods for the festivals. The weeks before Durga Puja, usually September to October, are the peak, with workshops full of half-finished Durga figures. Kreslavsky recommends morning or late afternoon before the sunset visitors. The lanes around it are old Kolkata at its best. Frame a craftsman working between rows of unpainted faces for scale and contrast. Caution: Chatterjee notes that photographers have damaged idols in the past. Never touch the work, and step aside when artisans need to move.

College Street is said to be the largest second-hand book market in the world. Tiny stalls line the pavement, stacked to the roof, with students and sellers haggling over titles. Vohra calls it the intellectual heart of the city. Chatterjee's tip is to find a stall with lots of student and seller interaction, or an old owner with an interesting face. Late morning is busy. Use the book walls as a frame around a face. Then climb to the Indian Coffee House, where waiters in turbans serve under high ceilings. Caution: stall owners are working, so buy a book or ask before a close portrait.

New Market, also called Hogg Market, is a colonial-era market hall surrounded by crowded shopping streets. Vohra describes it as chaotic and full of characters. Kreslavsky says weekend evenings are so packed you can barely walk, and he likes flash there. Afternoon and evening are best. The nearby chicken bazaar is busiest from an hour before sunrise if you want an early start. With flash, get close and shoot at 1/60 or slower to keep some ambient light. Caution: touts are everywhere and pickpockets work the crowds, so keep your bag in front.

The Maidan is Kolkata's huge central park, with cricket matches and joggers. Kreslavsky says it is best around sunrise and prettiest in winter, and it gets busier on weekends. Vohra likes early mornings and late afternoons. The open space is a relief after the lanes. Go low and shoot a batsman or goalkeeper against the morning haze, which turns the background soft. Long shadows across the grass give you strong graphic lines. Caution: games are fast, so keep clear of the pitch.

Babu Ghat is a set of steps down to the Hooghly just south of the center. Kreslavsky says there is always something happening: bathers, prayers, massage and barbers. For light, come around sunrise or in the late afternoon, when the sun comes from across the river. Shoot from the top of the steps looking down, or at water level for silhouettes against the river. Prinsep Ghat, a short walk south, adds a colonial monument. Caution: people bathe here, so be discreet with bathers and ask before close portraits.

The akhara is a traditional wrestling ground by the river where pehlwans train in kushti, covered in mud. Vohra recommends dawn, when training starts, and says wrestlers sometimes invite you in. Be aware of a change. Kreslavsky reports it has become mostly a paid photo shoot, with wrestlers waiting for photographers and prices he has heard from 1,500 to 7,000 rupees. Agree on a price before you shoot. Side light across the mud pit works well. Caution: this is posed work, not candid, so decide if it is what you want.