The Taj Mahal – 7 Photography Tips for Fabulous Photos

Top 7 Photo Tips for Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is one of the most photographed monuments in the world. With its stunning ivory-white marble domes, minarets and intricate details it is a photographers dream!

Built in the 17th Century to house the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, the favourite wife of Shah Jahan, it stands on the banks of the Yamuna river in Agra, the Taj Mahal is rightly one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.


*This site uses affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you use my links and make a purchase without incurring an additional fee yourself.
Thank you for supporting this website. See my disclaimer page for more details.

Sadly the public is not allowed to photograph the tombs themselves, but there is so much in the complex itself to shoot that you will not lack inspiration. Here are a few tips to help make the best of the Taj Mahal.

1 – Early Morning

Ah, the Golden Hour, just after sunrise when there is a rosy, soft glow to everything. The best time to visit the Taj Mahal is before the crowds start to mount up. Also, it makes for ridiculously beautiful shots with a gentle haze just softening the details. The photo below was taken from the Mosque capturing the sun just rising.

Taj Mahal at dawn
The Taj Mahal at dawn

2 – Plan your route around the Taj Mahal

If you are looking to take the best shots before the crowds get there, try to plan your route. Work out where the sun will be (and the people). Check out Pinterest and Instagram for ideas of shots that you would like to take.

We started in front and then worked our way to the left and the Mosque, round the back to the Guest Quarters and then back to the front, through the mausoleum itself, then back to the front pools.

3 – Framing

The complex is full of wonderful arches and doorways to take advantage of to frame your shots of the Taj Mahal. Have a look through them at different heights and from closer and further away to get different perspectives.

Taj Mahal from doorway
Use doorways to frame the Taj Mahal

4 – Reflections

The long ponds in front of the Taj Mahal give an ideal opportunity to capture its reflection, though try to get there early before the crowds obscure the view.

Get down low so the monument is reflected in the water. Also use perspective. The trees at the sides of the long ponds draw your eye towards the Taj Mahal.

Top Twelve Tips for the Taj Mahal

You can also get reflections in your sunglasses and if you are lucky (we weren’t) on your eyeball!

Reflection of Taj Mahal in Ray Bans

5 – Silhouettes and Slo-Mo

From the Guest Quarters, you can get a clear shot of the side of the Taj Mahal and if you set your smartphone to Slo-Mo and place it on the ground you can get a great silhouette with the Taj Mahal in the background.

Larch Silhouette at Taj Mahal

6 – Unusual Angles

Be creative with your angles. Sometimes you have to get down and dirty to get a cool shot! The shot below was taken from underneath one of the benches! Play around with your heights. Stand, kneel, crouch, sit on the ground, lie on the ground and look up or use a selfie stick to get the height.

Taj Mahal through bench
Taking photos under a bench

7 – Other Views of the Taj Mahal

Don’t forget the view of the Taj Mahal from outside the complex. Look out for rooftop restaurants with clear views and admire it from afar. Take a tuk-tuk to Mehtab Bagh, the beautiful park area across the river from the Taj Mahal. Have a look through the openings in the Agra Fort.

View from Mehtab Bagh of the Taj Mahal
Top 7 Photo Tips for the Taj Mahal



If you want to book a guide before you go, check out these Taj Mahal tours with GetYourGuide. I love being organised before I go, and GetYourGuide allows me to book from home and travel knowing that my tour is all sorted.

Read more of my travel tips for India here.

6 thoughts on “The Taj Mahal – 7 Photography Tips for Fabulous Photos

  1. Avatar of Sarah
    Sarah says:

    Agra is just an amazing travel destination, I have been there twice.
    I would love to go back again and again. I love the Taj a lot.

    Thanks for your amazing travel guide and your photos are mind-blowing.

  2. Avatar of Lisa
    Lisa says:

    Great tips. I was in India a few years ago presenting at a conference and the conference organisers took me to see the Taj Mahal on our day off but we were only there while it was full of crowds of people. Your photos are fantastic and I definitely want to return to be able to see it in the early morning.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.