Wedding Photographer Professional

Significance of the wedding event

For most of us wedding is the once- in- a lifetime event. It is an attitude changing and water shed occasion for men and women. The historic significance is unmatched. It is a time not only for revelry and gaiety but also a time for profound religious significance. Quite naturally therefore the occasion is to be well recorded so that it is preserved for posterity. Who better to record it than the professional wedding photographer. It is the job and role of the professional wedding photographer to capture all the important finer details of this momentous event.

Why professional photographer

Modern cameras, both still and video, are easy to handle and operate. These are designed to ensure ease of operation so as to attract maximum number of people into buying and using these. This is how the manufacturers gain through massive sales volumes. Thus we see the very large number of home videos. It is true that the works of amateur photographers have their own importance. Convenience and cost savings are the keys of amateur photography. When time is of essence we cannot run after and employ the services of a professional photographer at a moment’s notice.

However there are events and occasions that lend themselves specifically to the domain of professional photographers. Consider the example of a corporate event like the Oscar or the Filmfare award distribution programs. As another example consider various sports programmes that are telecast. A cricket test match is covered by as many as a dozen photographers/cameramen located at different points in the ground or stands. Some are posted at specially made points hundreds of feet above the ground level.  Similar is the case of a fashion show where the cat walks need to be covered through different angles. Or even the wedding functions where lights, angles and timing are of particular essence. All these events demand the employment of professionally trained photographers and one cannot entrust the task of covering these to amateur photographers.

Best Wedding photographer

Who is the best wedding photographer? This is hardly possible to decide in advance as there is no formal ranking system as such. Much depends on the reputation of the photographers in the market. However discrete inquiries from within the field workers or directly from your friends’ circle can give you much needed information. One can also scan the web where the top photographers display the results of their endeavors.  The uniqueness, individuality and creativity of the artist photographers would be evident from such sites and will help you to  narrow down the search and short list a few of them.

Cost of the wedding photographer

This will be largely determined by your budget. Obviously the best one would not come cheap. If there are any budgetary constraints then one has the choice of restricting the coverage. A sane piece of advice is not to be penny wise in the selection of a professional wedding photographer.

Still Versus Cinematic Coverage

Though there is no hard and fast rule to make a choice in this regard the rule of thumb is to go for cinematic coverage for the main event/s and go for still photography for smaller events.

Types of Weddings

All weddings have common points in that they represent the union of individuals embarking on a journey of their life time.
Christian weddings are comparatively the simplest and briefest.  Main elements on focus are the wedding dress of the bride, wedding ring followed by a dinner for the guests. The scale of these would depend on the social and financial status of the groom.
Hindu weddings are a little more elaborate. The precise date and time for the wedding is of much significance and it is worked out by the holy men. There are colorful ceremonies and home decorations.  There are three essential features and these include Kanyadaan (father of the bride gives her away), Panigrahana (holding hand before the fire) and saat phere Saptapadi (taking seven circles before the fire).
Muslim weddings are the most elaborate. Islam enjoins strict injunctions pertaining to upholding and protecting the rights of the bride. There is a wide range of functions which include the following:
•    Mangni (engagement)

•    Uptan (another bride beautification through application of sandalwood paste, aromatic oils etc

•    Dholki(Singing of wedding songs)

•    Mehndi (bride beautification by applying henna)

•    Baraat (procession of groom and his friends/relations to the bride’s house), Rukhsati (bride goes to groom’s house)

•    Nikah (official solemnization of the marriage before witnesses and through signatures and verbal pronouncement)

•    Valima (consummation of marriage and dinner for family and friends).

All of these functions are held over time which may range up to two or more weeks  and sometimes even more than this. For those who cannot afford to have such a large number of functions the bare minimum are Mangni(engagement), Nikah(marriage) and Valima(dinner)

Work of the professional photographer

No matter which wedding the professional photographer is covering he has his work cut out. And his sincere efforts will not only bring satisfaction to him but also joy to the client.

Wedding Picture Ideas

Introduction

The professional wedding photographer is expected to have a bag full of ideas to turn each wedding into a historic and memorable one. Each wedding event has some identical features and yet each will have certain unique and distinctive features as well. Experience will guide the photographer towards these unique features. The successful photographer will highlight and focus on the unique features and capture the routine mundane ones as well. He will try to spot something new, something interesting whether it is regarding the dresses, flower arrangements, décor and layout of the wedding location, backdrops etc. This then is the utility of the professional wedding photographer. He delivers quality and substance which is quite naturally found wanting when non-professional amateurs handle the job. Mega pixels, thermal noise, film grains, types of lenses etc are matters that are beyond the comprehension of amateurs and therefore must be left to the professional wedding photographer.

Wedding photography then and Now

Due to unwieldy photographic equipment during the initial years most wedding couples were content to have their photographs taken at the photographers’ studios.  Those were the times when unsolicited photographers took pictures on free lance basis on their own and then tried to sell their pictures!  The advent of film rolls technology and better lighting systems (compact flash bulbs) gave a fillip to wedding photography. Modern editing techniques have added a whole new dimension to wedding photography. Wedding photography has now become a specialized subject and demands formal training at photographic schools. Such training is a necessary adjunct to qualities like passion and vision which a budding wedding photographer must be gifted with.

Wedding Picture

A wedding function presents opportunity for hundreds of photographs.  From engagement ceremony to Nikah, Rukhsati and valiima Each moment is precious because it will not be repeated. A wedding is after all once in a lifetime occasion. Therefore the professional photographer has to plan his work and then ensure strict compliance to this plan. The images thus captured will give immense satisfaction to the client. It will also be a source of pride for the photographer as well.

Styles of photography

The two main styles of photography are known as Traditional and Photojournalist. In the traditional style the photographer plays a key role in
Deciding what is to be photographed where and how. The photographer decides on lighting, seating, standing for a group photo etc. In the photojournalistic style the emphasis is on what is natural and candid. A third approach, which is still in its infancy, is all about adding a touch of ‘fashion’ to the pictures.

The Studio

The photographer’s workplace is commonly referred to as a studio. This is where he takes photographs and develops the same. This is also where he prints and makes multiple copies where required. A dark room is an integral part of the studio. Modern studios of today draw heavily upon computer hardware and software to achieve quality in their results through enhanced editing, processing etc. The studio eliminates unwanted sound and therefore allows unhindered and congenial working environment. Ordinarily the studio uses a backdrop made of wrinkle free white or off white muslin cloth. When it comes to lighting there is a choice between continuous lighting for static subjects and strobe for moving subjects. The camera in vogue is the DSLR or the digital single lens reflector camera.

Family Photos

Family photographs are cherished and well guarded. These are passed on from generation to generation. The older the photo is the greater is its value in terms of nostalgia. Family photographs are taken during all special occasions. Such occasions would include birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, birth, and reunions etc.  This is not a rule because family photos can also be taken outside of such occasions for instance a picnic, a sports event.

Wedding Images

Whether the medium of photography is film roll or digital the wedding pictures need to have freshness, sparkle and originality. The subject matter will be the same that is the bride, groom, stage, guests etc. But the professional wedding photographers can add a touch of class and a new dimension. As explained earlier the professional has the advantage of his experience and training. He can adjust lighting, use a better angle or different lens, and arrange a better pose of guests and so on.

Conclusion

This brief write up can be concluded by stating that ideas are created by a photographer’s experience and training and also by application of professional photographer’s vision and creativity.