5 Silly Mistakes I Made While Taking Mathura Holi Photos

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Mathura Holi, these 2 words load you with excitement that you start forming a WhatsApp group quickly. Isn’t it? But, later, you may conclude to leave the group and drop the plan too early.

Every happened?

Similar happened to me, but the ending was not the same. I didn’t know whether I would shoot Holi Celebration in Mathura or not. It was Suspense!

You will get to know me when you read further.

Before the COVID – 19 Lockdown happened in India for the first time.

Previous Holi Experience

We were a group of photographers planning to cover Mathura ki Holi. To be precise, Widows Holi. So we started forming a WhatsApp group and soon ended it by leaving the group in awe of the COVID situation. 

A few days after,

Here’s the Suspense disclosed

An unexpected call in the morning came. 

Some of us decided that we would go to shoot at the Mathura Holi festival by following the necessary precautions ?. I agreed too. The shoot from Widows Holi changed to Huranga Holi at Baldeo, Dauji Temple.

At once, that looked like a canceled plan to shoot the Holi celebration in Mathura. But, somehow, the idea emerged as a wild card entry when the film was about to finish, which pumped us with energy. 

Therefore, that was from my WhatsApp group story from the previous visit.

Coming back to the topic,

While reviewing the images after the Holi celebrations ended, I was upset to see the Mathura Holi photos that seemed fantastic to me then.

The article is about silly mistakes I made while taking Mathura Holi’s photos.

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How you can correct that and ultimately take better Holi photos

Silly Mistakes I Made While Taking Mathura Holi Photos & How You Can Correct That!

The COVID situation was much more relaxed during this period than the previous. But the pandemic hasn’t gone yet.

Apart from telling you the mistakes I made, I will also tell you how to prevent them from occurring again.

Each mistake provides us the opportunity to become better for tomorrow.

Our errors and even other people’s mistakes give us much to learn and progress in life.

Therefore, keep learning, Keep growing.

1. Being too Much Overprotective

Being protective is good, but overprotection sometimes creates difficulty for us only.

Here, overprotectiveness for the camera.

Most of you may know that protecting a DSLR camera from liquid or dust is essential.

I was sensitive and protective too.

But when I became Overprotective.

The mistake began,

Mistake I Made

Instead of using a single cover bag to round on DSLR, I took a cover bag + a plastic cover to round the camera. That means Dual protection.

It makes me think I couldn’t correctly command the camera’s controls. At the same time, the hands are inside the camera bag and then the plastic bag. The hands were not comfortable too.

During the Holi Celebration in Mathura, I got the instinct that I had made a mistake.

But I couldn’t do anything because I would remain left in the middle of nowhere then. I can’t risk the survival of the camera by allowing even a tiny drop of water to slip within.

How You Can Correct That

Instead of covering your DSLR camera twice, cover it only once. Make it suited enough that not even a single bit goes within.

For e.x – I used a plastic bag to cover the DSLR camera + a waterproof bag to round both the plastic and the DSLR inside the plastic.

Here you can either use a waterproof cover bag or a plastic bag. Check the bags properly before shooting the Holi celebration in Mathura.

And you are excellent to go!

2. The Essential Thing was Inside the Shoulder Bag

I specifically checked the cleaning kit multiple times before departing for Mathura Holi because it was essential from the camera’s viewpoint.

Before the Holi Celebration commenced, I cleaned and equipped the DSLR perfectly to click the energy and emotion.

But, after several minutes. Few specks of watercolor had appeared on the camera lens filter. But, I continued snapping without even glancing at the lens for once.

Mistake I Made

The mistake I made was – 

1. I was not checking the UV filter after the colored water spots appeared on the lens filter. Since the filter is attached in front of the lens, if a dust particle or liquid falls, it interacts with the filter, and the lens is shielded.
2. The Cleaning cloth and dust blower were inside my bag, and I hadn’t used them at least once throughout that course of the Mathura Holi festival.
3. I was Shooting Passionately but not Smartly.

How You Can Correct That

As I stated earlier, in other words. 

DSLR cameras and harmful particles should stay the most distant from each other.

But, in the events like Holi. I can understand that water or colors are bound to occur.

It can be corrected by: 

1. Wipe the filter on the lens with a cleaning cloth or use a dust blower subsequently.
2. Carrying the clean cloth would solve only 30% of the problem, and the rest 70% will be solved when the cleaning cloth is used.
3. You can also bring multiple UV filters and continue replacing them at frequent pauses.

Indeed, the mistakes I have made will be worthy to you nevertheless.

3. I Kept the Fingers Away from the Playback Button

This mistake would also remain the succeeding mistake with the previous not cleaning the filter.

Suppose I had somehow reviewed the images by pressing the playback button. Then, I would be in a situation to know the blunders at that moment alone. Also, the camera cover was not that transparent enough, which allowed me to see the clicks accurately.

But I could do nothing!

If everything starts happening by “If,” then, You will read the title of the article as –

5 Brilliant Images I had Captured During Mathura Holi and How you Can Do it.

Back to our topic

Mistake I Made

I used to review every image that I shot.

But on the occasion of Mathura Holi, I didn’t want even a tiny opening that would allow the water to go inside the camera or anyplace nearer to it.

The above sentence was the reason that allowed me not to take any risk, and the images went unreviewed throughout that moment.

How You Can Correct That

Review the image thoroughly at that moment and later decide how to approach it further.

When you review the picture on the spot, you will have the opportunity to identify the mistake and improve it.

During the Holi Festival, use a camera cover that instantly lets you see the live screen from the cover outside. But, of course, that eventually implies you do not have to put your hands inside to operate the camera.

4. Same Scene, Same Look, Several Minutes Spent

I went on shooting the same scene several times.

That was not enough. I paused for a few minutes and went aside. Soon came back to shoot the same scene from the same viewpoint again.

Commoner!

I kept shooting from the 4-to 5 desired spots during the Mathura Holi Festival and haven’t utilized the other corners.

Everything was happening so quickly in front of the eyes.

The Mind went divided into parts, and several questions arose, like is this the best moment to click. Oh, something nice is going on there!

Mistakes I Made

The following mistakes I made while on this point are –

1. Not using the space available inside the temple where the Holi celebrations were going on.
2. To Shoot the same scene again and again in the hope of getting a surprising click.
3. Not making any adjustments in the viewpoint to click.

How You Can Correct That

1. You can use the space available, move around, and identify different spots to shoot.
2. You can click the same scene but try to make some changes at each click.
3. The Viewpoints should not be neglected. You can show the same scene in different ways effectively with the help of switching Viewpoints.

5. Not Gathering Enough Location Information

Seeing online photos of the location before arriving could be handy.

When I arrived for Mathura Holi, it was to get played in Sri. Dwarkadheesh temple.

I checked the surrounding images online. But I hadn’t seen the previous Holi photos when it went played inside the Dwarkadheesh temple.

If I had somehow seen the images, I would make some judgments before entering.

That ultimately means the surroundings inside the temple were new. So I have to make judgments and adjustments on the spot.

Mistake I Made

You must be thinking about how many mistakes this guy made until now!

That is something that happens when you decide to do something by yourself. At an earlier time, I got accompanied by a photographer group who had experience shooting Mathura ki Holi. They had taken care of everything.

I believe that we make these mistakes while moving forward in life.

I had not checked several pictures online but, in fact, dependent on the scene and judging straight away.

How You Can Correct That

Instagram and other social platforms have made photographs more easily accessible.

You can search anytime on Google or any social platform. There are thousands of related images that can surely solve your purpose.

You can even send the message to the people who had snapped them.

For e.x, you can send messages to the people whose pictures you love the most. You can also know about the location from other experiences and so on.

Also read, What’s the Best Way to Experience Barsana Holi

Overview With the Help of an Infographic

I made an infographic to give an overview, including all the discussed points.

You could Pin the Infographic if you liked it!

Things that You Can Proudly do Similar

The Mathura Holi trip was not only about errors. I followed several other things that I am proud of, and you can do the same.

1. Reaching the Location Way Before the Holi Celebration Begins

Upon reaching your location early, you can explore the surroundings before the Holi celebration begins. A lot would be happening around, so you can capture the scenes. Pre-Holi Puja would be going – on.

2. Carrying a Small Backpack

You can carry a small backpack to put the cleaning kit or other necessary things inside. However, the Holi Celebrations happen in a temple on most occasions, so you have to remove your footwear.

The best way is Yeah! You understood. To put it into your backpack, do not consider removing your footwear outside, and later, think of finding them.

Then, you will become left with the option to wear someone’s footwear, or you have to consider buying a new one. I hope you don’t want to try any of the cases.

3. Staying Till the Complete Event Ends

Suppose you are pleased that you had taken enough clicks and now you want to leave. I request you wait till the end because you could never know what splendid image you might end up taking.

These points eventually did not hide the mistakes but will be indirectly beneficial to you while taking the Mathura Holi photos or anywhere Holi photos.

That’s it!

I am sure that the mistakes I made will be unquestionably helpful to you. And You will go home taking the astonishing Mathura Holi photos.

Aside from Holi, consider photo ideas for Instagram during your next visit to Mathura.

I assume that you’re not going to keep the clicked pictures on your phone when you can utilize your old photos effectively.

Also, I make sure not to repeat these mistakes. But, probably when I publish next year’s Holi article blog, you might find new errors listed there!

Until then, see you on the roads.

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How Silly were my mistakes! Have you remembered any such blunders you made?