I

I
have been lucky enough to work with Mario for over four years,
travelling the world and shooting incredible people – but this was
my first visit to India. For this trip we were shooting a massive
seven stories in just two weeks, travelling to Delhi and Jaipur,
then down to the beaches of Goa in the south.

Following months of preparation and creative meetings, we were
finally on the plane. After getting through all the checks for the
masses of equipment we always carry, we headed into the heart of
Delhi where we got our first impression of the country. It was
overwhelming – the noise, the people, the food, the smells, the
colours, the architecture – a real assault to the senses.

The first morning we went straight out on a location scout. I
love scouting in new places as you go from one incredible place to
the next and get to see everything that location has to offer –
it’s a really great way to experience a city.

We never spend too long in one place, so after a couple of days
it was time to pack our bags and move further north to Rajasthan.
Two hours of bumpy roads later and we reached the incredible Samode
Palace, set in the rolling hills just outside Jaipur. It was built
by the noblemen of the court of the royal family around 250 years
ago and has now been converted into luxury hotel. The village
surrounding it was the location of one of my favourite shoots of
the trip; a proper celebration complete with elephants and camels.
At one point we got the entire town together to create a massive
street festival scene!

Next was Jaipur where we were invited by the King of Jaipur for
a private dinner at his restaurant in the City Palace. It was a
fantastic moment where the entire crew got together to celebrate
this amazing country, its kind people and the opportunities it has
given Mario and our team to create the most beautiful imagery. I’d
like to say thank you to both India and Mario, for allowing me to
share all of this with you.

@alex_wtb