Rang Barse Holi Nandgaon
65 worksFirst upload: Oct 2016Peak: 2023Last 12 months: 3
📝 Description
These images document the Rang Barse celebration during the Hindu festival of Holi in Nandgaon, Mathura. Photographers are drawn to the scene for its intense saturation and the dramatic contrast between the bright yellow and red powders against the crowd. The subjects are captured from various angles, often looking down on participants who are covered in pigment or actively throwing it into the air. This location is significant as Nandgaon is associated with Lord Krishna and features a unique tradition of men playing with colors while women observe from balconies. The group is united by the visual motif of vibrant colored dust clouds enveloping people during this specific regional festival.
How to shoot it
📍 Where to shoot
Filming takes place outdoors in Nandgaon (Uttar Pradesh, India), near Mathura. The action unfolds in a dense urban crowd and around temple complexes.
🕐 Time of day
Most shot between 15:00 and 18:00 (77% of frames)
Based on 62 frames with camera data. Camera clock time; the time zone is unknown.
The optimal shooting time is evening, primarily 16:00–17:00. During this period, there is sufficient natural light for short shutter speeds, and crowd activity peaks.
🗓️ Season
Most shot in: March, February, October
Based on 62 frames with camera data
Holi is traditionally celebrated in March. This month accounts for the majority of shots (52 out of 65), aligning with the Hindu festival calendar.
🎒 Gear
Use a zoom lens with a range of 16–92 mm (median 45 mm) for flexibility in crowds. Set ISO 400 and aperture f/6.3 to capture the dynamics of powder throwing at short shutter speeds.
Cameras and lenses the authors used (10)
Nikon D7000 13Sony ILCE-7M3 5Nikon D3100 4Sony ILCE-7M4 4Nikon D750 318.0-140.0mm f/3.5-5.6 9AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G 5FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS 3AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR 3FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS 2
🧳 What to bring
Protective mask or respirator, sunglasses, waterproof camera cover, and spare batteries.
⚙️ Settings
Shutter 1/320 (1/1250 – 1/125)Aperture f/6.3 (f/2.4 – f/9)ISO 400 (100 – 800)Focal length 45 mm (16 – 92)
Based on 60 frames with camera data. Median and 10-90% range across the idea frames.
The key parameter is shutter speed: use 1/500 s or faster (34% of shots) to freeze the motion of the powder. Aperture f/6.3 and ISO 400 ensure a balance between sharpness and depth of field.
⚠️ Good to know
Filming occurs in dense crowds, so it's important to exercise caution when moving and protecting equipment from moisture and dust. The festival can last over a month in some areas of Uttar Pradesh, allowing you to choose a convenient time for your visit.
📈 How the idea developed
works uploadedshare of all site uploads, per 100k
The date is when the file was uploaded to the site. The chart counts works assigned to the idea.
✅ How to repeat it
- Shoot from temple rooftops or elevated positions to get an overhead view of the powder clouds.
- Look for moments of mass color throwing into the air to create dense colorful clouds against the crowd background.
✨ Interesting facts
- 🏆 How the best frame was shot: Canon EOS 1300D, EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II, 1/800, f/5.6, ISO 800, 47 mm
- 📐 83% of frames are landscape orientation
- 🥇 1 works reached the finals, 1 won. Best contest: Best phone photo 2022
- 👤 Most frequent authors: Kshitij Patle 10Saurabh Sirohiya 5Rohit Gadher 3Abhijeet Srivastava 3Atul Shinde 2
- 🌍 Authors by country: 🇮🇳 IN 61🇷🇺 RU 1🇮🇪 IE 1🇲🇾 MY 1🇪🇸 ES 1
Some tips are prepared by AI from the idea description, photos and their EXIF. Check the rules and access to places before you travel.
Works
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