Weddings happen across the globe and all take place within the different customs and traditions specific to a region, religion, ethnicity, and culture. Amongst all types of weddings, Indian weddings definitely are one of the most lavish and deep ones filled with a plethora of rituals and ceremonies that make them a completely different affair to behold. It is not for nothing that organizing an Indian wedding can be a really heavy affair, starting with its planning to culmination.
Indian weddings are not one single type. There are several customs and conventions, making the Indian wedding scene a totally diverse one, where there are different religious and regional specialties you can witness. This is where capturing the stills at an Indian wedding is not a simple task. With so much to cover, that too factoring in the complete knowledge and understanding of rituals along with adhering to the customer requirements, it becomes challenging and unpredictable for the Indian wedding photographer. After all, having expertise in Anand Karaj photography or ‘pheras’ or any other specific ceremony or custom is something that is expected from an Indian wedding photographer.
Know the Type of Wedding
Is it a north Indian wedding? Is it a Sikh wedding? Does it belong to any other ethnicity or culture? Whatever the type of wedding, it will have its unique customs and traditions and therefore it would have its specific ceremonies and functions for which you will need to know about having to capture the story line perfectly. Taking wedding shots revolves around the wedding process and therefore you should have comprehensive knowledge about that. For any wedding photographer being equipped in knowledge and wedding traditions of their region is something as necessary as anything else.
1. Some Wedding Shots Skills are Essential
While traditions and customs are one thing, the expertise in taking photographs is an aspect irrespective of the wedding type, tradition, and the place. As a wedding photographer, one must know that the field is highly creative as well as competitive. And so holding expertise in wedding photography skills is a basic must-have for any wedding photographer. Make sure that you are great behind the camera; know what is going on in the industry, what trends are catching up, what can make you someone unique in this field, and how your captures are going to bring the best in the visual detail.
2. Meet the Couple before the Wedding Day
Usually, at Indian weddings, the photographer meets the couple on the day of the wedding, and it’s that time when they have to make the contact and create an understanding and bring the best in the captured results. However, this means that everything will go randomly. But, meeting the couple before the wedding day, even a quick meet-up, will set-up things nicely between both parties. Both will be acquainted with the other party’s expectations, they can plan the shots beforehand, any specific couple requirements can be matched, and also both will feel at ease and comfort for the click on the wedding day.
3. Candid or Planned Shots
There was a time when especially the couple shots used to be planned along with other wedding ceremonies and function captures. However as the trend has evolved over the globe, the fantasy for candid wedding shots has also grown immensely. And the shots you take as the wedding is happening is how you bring forward the story or the movie of the wedding day through the stills. Now, it isn’t that you should focus on only one aspect. Having a mix of both planned as well as candid shots is something that will make the wedding album stands out.
4. Have a Family Member Play the Co-Ordinator
If you are being hired by the groom or the bride then you will definitely need someone else in the family to be your go-to contact for any specific or urgent requirement on the wedding day. This may seem a usual or a trivial thing, but sometimes feel a lot worthy. Especially in the times of photo session when everyone is trying to be the special one after the couple to get their shots. Having a coordinator means you can be told of who are the people to focus on most, what specific occasion to follow, who are the real family members whose pics are central to the wedding album collection. They would also come in handy when handling the crowd.
Getting the best from Indian wedding photography is not something that only the photographer is responsible for. The family members, bride or groom who are hiring must also sit down with the photographer discussing each and every detail so as to get the best result at the end of the day, whether it is the couple shots or Anand Karaj photography, or everything else.
