HARVEY WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

India; Agra, Bandhavgarh, Pench and Delhi, 2011: Agra, 2011

Taking pictures of the Taj Mahal was great. I managed to find a guide who showed me the best places to get photos of the Taj Mahal as the sun was rising.

The Taj Mahal, meaning "beauty beyond comparison" was built by Shah Jahan in honor of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz died of sepsis while giving birth to their 14th child. On her death bed she asked that Shah didn't re-marry. After being depressed for two years, Shah Jahan decided to build the most beautiful structure ever made in her honor. In 1632, 20,000 workers began construction of the Taj Mahal and the main building was finished in 1648.

The Taj Maha is located in Agra, India. It is deservedly the pride of India and was one of the highlights of my visit. See my blog for more information on the Taj Mahal and events of that day.

We were really excited to get to the Taj Mahal to photograph it from across the river. Unfortunately by the time we go there, we had lost that nice evening light, the river was low and the grounds across the river are quite junky looking, so this was the only image that I managed to salvage.
   
This picture of the Taj Mahal is what you see as you come in through the front gates.
  
This photograph was taken from the grounds in the Taj Mahal. There is a masoleum on either side of the Taj. The building on the left is the masoleum on the east side.
     
  
   
Another version of the Taj Mahal at the entrance. I made this picture in a sepia style to give the building an "anchient" feel as it was built in the 1600's.
   
This picture was taken directly across the river from the Taj Mahal.
     
  
This photograph was taken from the masoleum on the east side, looking west as the sun is rising over the Taj Mahal
   
There is a mosque on either side of the Taj Mahal. This is the hallway of one the mosque on the west side.
   
Sunrise over the Taj Mahal.
     
  
This photograph was taken from the halway of the west mosque at the Taj Mahal. You aren't allowed to wear your shoes in the mosque. You have to walk around in your sock feet while visiting the mosque.