Best Photo Spots in Kolkata

Shoot from the river

The Hooghly is the thread that ties the city's pictures together. The ghats give you low, open views across the water, and the ferries that cross between them cost very little. The Howrah Bridge looks best from Mullick Ghat at dawn, when the flower sellers are unloading. Prinsep Ghat faces the setting sun, with the cables of the Vidyasagar Setu behind its white pavilion.

The Howrah Bridge rule

Photographing on the bridge itself has long been restricted, and police have stopped people and asked them to delete pictures. Nobody has clearly announced that the rule has gone, so walk across with your camera away. Take your pictures from the ghats or from a ferry instead, which also gives you the better view.

Monuments in morning light

The Victoria Memorial gardens open early, and the white marble is at its softest in the first hour. Photos inside the museum galleries are generally not allowed, and tripods and flash are not permitted, so plan your shots for the gardens. The Indian Museum charges a small extra fee for photography, and its arcaded courtyard is the main reason to pay it.

Temples and the riverfront

At Dakshineswar, phones and bags are left at counters before the main temple area. Your picture of the nine spires is from outside: from the ghat, or from the ferry to Belur Math. Kalighat is crowded and cramped, so photograph the lane outside rather than the shrine.

People and the old north

Kumartuli, the potters' quarter in north Kolkata, fills with half-finished Durga idols in the weeks before the Puja. The artisans are working, so ask before you photograph them and do not block their doorways. College Street's book stalls and the old tram lines around Esplanade reward a slow walk with a phone.

Seasons and haze

Winter gives the clearest mornings, but smog often softens the distance. Monsoon clouds make dramatic skies over the river between downpours. See the best time to visit for more.