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)
• Dholki(Singing of wedding songs)
• Mehndi (bride beautification by applying henna)
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.
