Much has been said about jewelry in an Indian wedding… but all those words fall short in describing their beauty and their place in our rituals. So I thought I dedicate one exclusively to jewelry and et’al. I am no expert on jewelry but I sure appreciate their beauty and they are my fav when it comes to photography. Modern jewelry is sleek and minimalistic, in contrast to the elaborate and ‘heavy’ appearance of the traditional jewelry. A lot of weddings still stick to the traditional way but receptions are places where you would find a tinge of modernity.
I tried giving a post processing treatment, inline with the type of jewelry I photographed. So most of it is that good old ‘timeless classic’ feel.
Bangles, I feel is one of the simplest yet stunning combination of glass and colors that man has invented. And they obviously enjoy a unique place in all our weddings; most of the times preceding any other ‘metallic’ jewelry. Here is a collection of bangles in all colors, envying the rainbow.
Rainbow Bangles
What a busy half year it has been for me..! No time to write. I covered weddings and receptions, that were both challenge and fun at the same time. For someone into people and portrait photography, there is probably no better occasion than a wedding. You have people dressed to their best. the Bride and Groom are decked up to perfection and the rituals, customs and culture add spice to the recipe. The challenge is – there is no margin for screw-up; no one out there is going to enact all that a second time just because you werent ready, or your camera didnt work, or you were talking on phone, or simply because u were in a bad mood…
Rather than getting into specifics of events; something that has been discussed a lot elsewhere, here are some of the images that I loved the most. The moments these images depict make them special to the people that they were made for.
The Beginning
My efforts are always focused around making an impact..! and it starts with shooting an image, followed by the post-processing. After having seen thousands of photos from a hell lot wedding photographers, only some make an impression.. the reason is they infused their images with something unique. This is just such an attempt.. There is always a room for improvement and I will keep improving with each pass 
A wedding shoot in God’s Own Country – Kerala was a truly ‘divine’ experience .
I had been talking to the bride to be, Brinda over phone and e-mails for almost 3 weeks and I got to meet her on the morning of reception in Kumarakom. Over breakfast, I was introduced to her family and Kumaran, her groom who had flown down from US just a couple of days earlier. Since none of the sides had a home in Kumarakom, they were all put up in 3 different resorts. These are truly wonderful people and personally took care to see that I am comfortable. Thanks a lot folks for that..
My arrangements were made at the Tharavadu Heritage Homes , a rustic but cozy place with a clear view of Sri Kumaramangala Temple, just across a backwater canal. The temple was the venue for the wedding the following morning.
I started with exploring Tharavadu and the surrounding townscape looking for suitable environment and lighting for the next morning. Lovely little town with lots of opportunities for even a casual street photographer too. A high bridge went over the backwater canal and gave a breathtaking view of the temple and the easy-going village life. Here is one my my most fav pics.
Sri Kumaramangala Temple
When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. ~Nora Ephron
A wedding is a very special event not only for the couple to be, but for the two families, relatives and friends. And if its an Indian wedding, well, its an event like no other . The wedding rituals in India are just as diverse as its rich and vibrant culture. Capturing it all in camera is fun and challenge at the same time.
Here is Ashwini and Shantanu’s wedding from the eyes of a wedding photographer. I had just upgraded to Canon 7D and couldnt wait to use it. With the superb EF 85 f1.8 and the super-wide EF-S 10-22, I believed I was covered for all situations. The wedding was to take place in a wedding hall with a huge open lawn attached to it for the evening’s reception. I had not planned on using any flashes (though I had a 580 EXII) and I fully depended on the fast 85mm for almost all my pictures except the group shots. Wedding halls are well lit not only by the electrical lighting (mostly fluorescent) inside but also by video lights. The video lights combined with the fluorescent lighting gives strange color casts on skin. Something to watch out for and knowing which one is the dominant lighting and adjusting the white balance accordingly.
Posted here are a few ‘spreads’ out of the album. Do check out Xlens Imaging for more…
Front (inside cover and page 1)
