Given that we are both Bengalis (from West Bengal, India), no prizes for guessing that we absolutely love fish! Fish is easily the most prominent part of the Bengali diet and Gariahat Fish Market is one of the most prominent outdoor fish markets in Kolkata. Of course, given all this copious love how could we possibly ignore the opportunity to photograph this market in all its mayhem! :)

Tip 1: Photographing in a Fish Market is challenging! The place is crowded, your subject is moving fast and the ambient light is low. Make sure to carry fast wide-angle lenses and a portable carry bag to carry those lenses.

So one morning when we were in Kolkata, we gathered our street photography lenses (we use the following: Nikon 35 mm f/1.8 and Nikon 50 mm f/1.4) and set out for the Gariahat Fish Market, not more than 20 minutes from our home. Our guide for the morning was the redoubtable Sushanta da who not only did an amazing job of keeping curious onlookers away from the field of view of our lenses but also did an expert job of guiding us through the maze that is the Gariahat Fish Market. Thank you Sushanta da!

Tip 2: This is a fish market. The sight and smell can be quite overwhelming. Be mentally prepared for that! 

One word of caution for photographers looking to do photography in this market - be prepared for the terrible sight and stench of fish entrails strewn across dirty, slippery floors. Hey it's a fish market after all, what do you expect? However, the intrepid photographer who can overcome this offence to the senses, will be rewarded with a delightful morning of photographing local vendors selling fish the traditional Kolkata way. Below is one of our favorite images from the day which we titled 'Anticipation'.