THE MOST WELCOMING WEDDING!

May 18, 2018

This wedding is the most welcoming wedding I have ever covered, everyone was so friendly and went out their way to make sure we were all having a good time. It certainly wasn’t hard, the whole experience was incredible.

What I noticed from chatting to all the guests (well not all of them, there were a few hundred!), was that everyone was related to the bride and groom, being a photographer, that was the best part for me. From there, the next two days were a blur. The wedding was a two day affair. Boy, when they say people go all out in Indian weddings, they are NOT joking. Over the next two days we would sleep very little, shoot very much, and eat to our heart's content.

So, prepare to be emotionally and physically wiped. Seriously, you’re going to be active for 18 hours a day. And most of what you experience is going to be brand new and wonderful, from the music, to the food, to the conversations.

Standing next to the groom when he first laid eyes on the bride, dancing like a serpent in a beautiful red lehenga for him, made me a believer. His hypnotic gaze and all consuming smile turned my scepticism into pure admiration and awe. I saw the look of love, the look of two souls merging into one, the look of “You’re it. You’re all I want.”

It was beautiful witnessing the two days wedding affair to understand that it might be possible for two people to spend eternity together without either one of them wanting to jump out of a window. Together, these two were stronger, and neither one of them felt like they were settling, or compromising, or being tied down.

Two days of this beautiful wedding made me understand that the idea that two people were made for each other does exist. Hell, if two people can live through those two days of mad chaos and still want to spend eternity together, that’s testament enough to their compatibility.

Living simply is the key, less is truly more. We define our own happiness. When in doubt, though, start dancing. Take your Hollywood mindset and put it on a plane to Bollywood. I promise, it will put things into perspective.

Wedding Photography- I consider it an honor!

February 18, 2018

A love combination of two compatible beings...

Love is the greatest of all things and deserves to be captured candidly, with honesty and integrity.

You don’t hire a photographer to take pictures of your dress hanging up in a tree, back lit and shot at f/2 on a DSLR. You hire him because you believe in his vision.

The point remains: if you show what you want to shoot in your portfolio and people hire you based on that, then you don’t need to compromise.

The single most rewarding thing about photographing a wedding is when a client tells you they can relive the day through the images. If my photographs re-enforce what they felt and mirror everything they experienced on the day, then I know I have done my job.

In no other field of photography will you receive such personal feedback. A commercial client will never tell you they shed tears of joy when they watched the slideshow. Weddings offer any photographer the ability to make a tangible connection with other human beings and this is why I don’t want to photograph anything else.

Weddings bring out something in people that you never encounter in everyday life: a level of openness and vulnerability. Our relationships with our partners are kept to ourselves, only on this one day will you declare how you feel publicly. To allow yourself to be vulnerable is one of the bravest things I can imagine. Being so emotionally charged that you can’t help the way you behave and the way you feel.

There is a purity of emotion that is inaccessible at any other point in one’s life. This purity is what I love to capture.

Shooting products and still life will always be overseen by a shoot director. Their job is to maintain brand identity and communicate brand values through imagery. With weddings you’re able to sculpt your own identity and shoot exactly how you believe the day should be captured. Ultimately, you deliver a product to a commercial client. To a wedding client, you deliver so much more.

You make an emotional connection with wedding clients, to the extent where you feel like you’ve known them your whole life.

I’m a big old softy at heart; I find it easy to emotionally invest in other couples when I see the love they have for each other, because I recognize it. The love felt on the day isn’t just between the couple, but family and friends too.

The highest level of trust is placed in a photographer. I approach it is as if someone has entrusted me to capture their memories for them.

For this reason, I consider it an honor.

Why I love beaches...

August 4, 2017

I love beaches. I like watching the waves, and having most of the background noise muffled by the crashing waves. I hate loudness, and this mutes everything.

Sometimes it's good to sit back and take in nature. To look at the birds, listen to their singing, go hiking, camping and jogging and running, playing games and sometimes walking along the beach; being alone with the great outdoors.

I walked to one of the city's beach and sat down. The city's weather was cloudy and seemed like it would drizzle anytime. As I sat facing the beach, I indulged in experiencing the cold breeze. I saw two boys playing on the beach. Yes, there will always be Beach Boys.

But, you know that I try to steal the moments. Sometimes, I get up very early in the morning and enjoy a quiet house and cup of tea before the craziness begins. Other times I'll take a quick walk on the beach or streets. And I find peace in a few minutes.

I love things that you don't even need to pay for. Going to the beach and being around five of your friends or just being alone and having a good time means so much more than going. out and spending money.

It brings out the child in me.

Leave your thoughts and comments below.

A Mumbai-Chennai love story. (Jennifer & Srinath)

July 31, 2017

Wedding is a once in a lifetime event. Its all about love and a day to cherish for a lifetime; the kind of love that is patient, kind, does not envy, that does not boast, that does not dishonor others, not self seeking, not easily angered and keeps no records of wrong; it always protects, trusts, hopes and preserves.

I still remember, I was praying for a long time. The day I landed in Mumbai, when I saw her for the first time, I knew she was my girl. But the funny part was, I couldn't tell her immediately; isn't it amazing? One of the initial thing that I noticed about Jenny (Jennifer) is, she is so humble and down to earth person.

I wonder how many people have this character and she has lots of patience to handle me, which is quite challenging for other people. There are so many things I can talk about her. She is my biggest blessing. What more can you ask God?

What can I say about Srinath, I'm from Mumbai and he's from Chennai and we absolutely have no mutual friends, no connections, no contacts at all. But it's only through god and god's grace alone that we met and now, here we are! We're getting married. This walk had really been wonderful and through every step of the way we can see god's grace and his faithfulness throughout our relationship. I still remember the first time we met, it was at the Gateway Of India. He held my hand and the first thing I asked him was," Will you marry me?" because didn't wanted to waste my time if he said no. But he looked at me and said,"How do you even expect me to say No, I'm already in love with you." And that's where it all started.

He's a wonderful person. TO be honest, we both never agree on anything. We fight on almost everything. He has his weaknesses and I have mine. But we compliment each other perfectly. I cannot expect anything better. No one in this entire planet can handle me, but he has proven it. So, I'm really happy.