ASIAN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Asian wedding photography is as colourful as it is diverse, full of traditional customs and the most colourful costumes, which makes me think of rangoli.  As an indian female wedding photographer, it makes for a more relaxed environment, to be able to photograph the bride getting ready. Understanding the significance of the day's events and the special moments that need to be captured, enable the story to be told.

Understanding the ceremonies in detail enables me to capture the key moments that are so important to our elders as well as ourselves.  With Asian weddings generally lasting for more than a day, I provide a customised quote for each event depending on requirements. Please see the pricing page for more details.

Asian Wedding Photography - on the Wedding Day

Asian weddings are full of colour and glamour – it’s one of the many reasons I love photographing them.  And photographers capture images in their own style.

I want to capture the day itself – the lead up to the ceremony or ceremonies, the ceremony itself, which is the most important part of the day and the reception that follows – telling the story of the day.

I believe the wedding day should be enjoyed by the happy couple and they shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time with the photographer and/or videographer.  And that is why using documentary style photography works really well.  It captures the flow of the day – the images capture spontaneity.  Wedding images with loved ones is customary in Indian culture as well as some editorial shots with the couple.

Some of the best images I have captured are documentary style.  These are the moments that are shared and create a memory for the people involved who probably didn’t even realise it at the time.  One bride told me that she cried when she saw an image of herself waving a farewell to someone very special to her.  It was a very natural image, she wasn’t aware of the camera which captured her from the back and yet, it was a very poignant moment for her.

The customary images of the couple posing for photos with relatives and friends, whilst being blessed by them, is part and parcel of the big day.  It can be a little tiring but usually the adrenalin keeps everyone going!

The editorial images capture a feeling and so it is important for the couple to relax and it’s a reason why I encourage a pre-wedding shoot.  It’s usually easy to tell if someone looks uncomfortable in front of the camera.  We’re lucky these days because so much of our lives are captured through our smartphones, but it can still be a little bit daunting.  This is where a photographer comes in to their own – helping you to relax and enjoy the experience.

We photograph all types of Asian weddings - Sikh, Hindu and Muslim weddings. Each faith has its own rituals and traditions with crossovers such as the mehndi and haldi ceremonies, with attention paid to details and differences between the different faiths.

Asian Wedding Photography

SIKH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Sikh weddings are lively and joyous events. The ceremony, known as the "Anand Karaj", takes place in a gurdwara, followed by a reception with a few hundred guests! Most of the time, nothing runs on time!

With the celebrations usually starting 2 days before the wedding itself, the official start of the wedding is usually marked about a week in advance with the “karahi charai”.  This is where the family will start to cook finger foods both savoury and sweet, for their guests.  Nowadays, this can be catered for by the caterer but traditionally, all food was cooked by family and friends and was a social occasion.

Sikh weddings don't all follow the exact same traditions. Families will have their specific traditions and rituals as will the different castes within Sikhism. Indian society is thousands of years old so it follows that some traditions can vary. A wedding ceremony and reception (be that a party or langar) is guaranteed.

From a photography perspective, it is important to ensure that the moments (and people), important to the family, are captured, so I spend time understanding specific requirements that the family may have.

Asian Wedding Photography

HINDU WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Hindu weddings are full of tradition. Different families will have different rituals much like any other faith. The main ceremony takes place under a Mandap, which is a temporarily erected open structure which is covered, on a small stage so guests can see the wedding ceremony. And it is usually decorated with flowers, statues and ornate Indian accessories.

From the mangni through to the sangeet and haldi ceremonies, the bride and groom’s families will organise their pre-wedding events in the lead up to the main ceremony.  They may or may not require the services of a photographer but pre-wedding photography for Indian weddings can differ from western styled weddings.

This is one of the reasons why Indian wedding photographers may cost more to hire.  The wedding lasts longer than a day.  The day itself can be as long as 14 hours, sometimes a little longer.  This all means more images that will require some form of editing.  More than one photographer may be required because Indian wedding guests tend to number in the hundreds.

So again, it is very important that as the photographer, I work with the family to ensure that they trust what will be photographed and cover the moments most special to them.