Kudrat Boutique Homestay in Tirthan Valley is a hidden gem, tucked away deep in the quiet corners of Himachal, where the only sounds you hear are rustling pine leaves and the gentle whispers of mountain winds. Surrounded by thick green forests and Himalayan views, Kudrat offers the kind of stillness that modern life rarely allows.
We photograph and film this soulful hideaway, capturing not just the space but the feeling it evokes. We’ve tried to preserve the warmth of the wooden interiors, the ever-changing mountain light, and the charm of slow living that Kudrat does so effortlessly.
With its heartfelt hospitality and a kitchen that celebrates local flavors, making it an ideal place to reconnect with nature while enjoying luxurious comforts.
Photography-wise, our focus was on achieving a refined yet natural look that harmonized with the Kudrat aesthetic and embodied the tranquility associated with Tirthan Valley.
It’s a visitor’s dream and a photographer’s challenge simultaneously.
Allow us to explain:
Homestay photography abides by strict composition rules that we rarely break. Just as an architect considers both aesthetics and functionality, architectural photographers adhere to these rules to make our images stand out and sell.
Homestay photography serves a straightforward, though not always easy, purpose: accurately and aesthetically depicting spaces in line with the homestay’s branding and atmosphere.
Kudrat boasts a minimalist yet earthy design, making its interiors both serene and complex to shoot. One of the challenges we faced was with the balcony areas, while they offered stunning views, the compact space made it nearly impossible to capture the entire setting from a single angle. If we stood on one side, the remaining space was so limited that composing a complete frame became a puzzle in itself. That’s the thing about architectural photography, it often comes with hidden hurdles.
Capturing visuals for Kudrat’s carefully curated rooms and common spaces required several immersive days of work, while filming the video took additional days of shooting and careful editing to match the mood of the valley.
The thing about luxury and boutique homestays is that unless you ask yourself ‘what is the story behind this space’, unless you actually ‘look’, you will never be able to capture it on film. Unless you chase the sunlight through pine trees, metaphorically and literally, you won’t have a shot at getting it right. After having photographed luxury hotels we’ve realized that it’s not always the photographer that decides exactly what they want to say about the place. Sometimes, one needs to sit back and watch how the space responds. And that’s exactly our process when we photograph boutique properties like Kudrat.
That’s the thing about shooting architecture. You can’t rush it. You have to wait for the light, negotiate with space, and accept that sometimes, the building sets the rules, not you.
