Capturing the Vibrancy of the 17th Annual Sri Jagannatha Ratha Yatra
From high-energy run-and-gun filmmaking to celebrating our newest intern’s first day in the field, here is how we captured the vibrant colors and moving traditions of ISKCON Kuching's annual festival.
By GoTalk Studios
There is nothing quite like the energy of a live cultural festival to put media production team’s skills to the test. On Saturday, July 4th, 2026, our studio had the absolute privilege of providing professional photography and video coverage for the 17th Annual Sri Jagannatha Ratha Yatra – Festival of India, beautifully organized by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Kuching.
While the event's banner honored Deputy Premier YB Datuk Amar Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian as the scheduled Guest of Honour, attending in his place was Dato Ir. Lo Kher Chiang, who brought an incredible, supportive presence to the celebration. The atmosphere was charged with deep spiritual tradition, communal harmony, and vivid color, making it the perfect canvas for our creative team.
Every media professional remembers their very first high-stakes, live-event shoot, and for our new video editor and videographer intern, Deborah, this festival was a true trial by fire. It was only her fourth day working with us, and she found herself right in the thick of a massive public procession. Throwing an intern straight into a moving, dynamic festival crowd can be daunting, but she stepped up beautifully. Guided by our senior crew, she got immediate hands-on experience handling equipment on the fly, tracking fast-moving targets, and learning how to anticipate candid moments before they happen. Witnessing her growth on the field in real-time was easily one of the highlights of the weekend for our studio.
Covering a moving, active street festival required immense agility from our camera crew. We utilized lightweight, run-and-gun rigging with high-performance camera bodies and fast zoom lenses so our team, including our intern, could quickly transition from wide crowd shots to tight character close-ups without missing a beat. Shooting outdoor events under changing daylight conditions also meant constantly adapting, so we relied heavily on variable ND filters to keep our shutter speeds locked in for smooth, cinematic video motion. Furthermore, because visuals are only half the story, our audio team captured high-fidelity ambient soundscapes of the chanting, the music, and the community prayers to layer beneath our final video edit for a fully immersive experience.
Our creative team poured incredible dedication into capturing every detail of this celebration, from tracking the magnificent chariot through the streets to documenting the official launch with Dato Lo Kher Chiang. It was an honor to document such a beautiful community gathering and to highlight the rich cultural heritage of Kuching. We are incredibly proud of how our shooters, directors, and fresh talent delivered on this vision, and we invite everyone to stay tuned for the official after-movie drop coming soon!