Shot two rolls of 35mm around the Taj and the white Makrana marble undergoes dramatic color shifts that digital can't capture properly. Sunrise from the East Gate gives soft pink glow perfect for portraits, but harsh shadows develop by 9am that kill detail in the inlay work.

Evening light at Mehtab Bagh creates incredible warm honey tones on the marble dome, but you're shooting against the setting sun across the Yamuna River — Bring a reflector for fill light. The char bagh gardens offer better side-lighting during golden hour.

Skip midday entirely — Contrast between the white marble and deep shadows is too extreme for film latitude. The best shots happen during the 30-minute window after gates open at sunrise, when morning mist from the Yamuna softens everything beautifully. Load high-speed film for the darker interior chambers if you want detail in the cenotaphs.