The date is set. The wedding venue too. Most arrangements are in place. But there’s the apprehension of choosing the best photographer to capture the moments of the most important day in your life.
You would want to settle for nothing less than an artist, who could capture the moments, as they are — candid, rapturous, poignant.
While in the ’50s and ’60s, the newly wed couple would go to the nearest photographer to get clicked or at the most he would be called home for a big family picture, by the ’80s, video recording of the events had also begun.
But gone are the days of video cassettes, heavy wedding albums and camera rolls, which only offered limited pictures.
With digital cameras ushering in the possibility of experimenting with photography skills, over the recent years a new genre of candid wedding photographers has emerged. They not only ace in visualising the best possible outcome of a moment, they also leave no stone unturned to ensure that the results leave you amazed.
Meet 28-year-old Gaurav Kainth, who left his well-paying job at Dell, to pursue his passion for photography that he nurtured since childhood. Taking cues from online tutorials, watching YouTube and some seasoned photographers on Facebook, one day he impromptu stepped out to photograph a friend’s wedding.
To his amazement, all her friends and family members were spellbound by his photography.
From thereon, there was no looking back for Kainth, who after posting the shots from his friend’s wedding started getting lots of offers for photo shoots.
For Harleen Deol, 25, who is pursuing BEd, photography was just restricted to random clicks and capturing things for the sheer pleasure of exploration.
But, she never knew that posting her work on social media to share it with friends and family, would straightaway land her a wedding photography deal from a family, who was enchanted with her work.
Wedding coverage seeing change
According to Kainth, unlike in the past, when couples and families would settle for photography of events preceding the D-Day and the wedding itself, the trend of pre- and post-wedding shoots is catching up among the youth. Also, over the time a lot of changes have come in photography style and technology. Therefore, to be at the top, one needs to keep learning and upgrading the gear, he adds.
Call it the photographers’ initiative or customers’ preference, photographs are increasingly becoming natural looking and theme-based.
To his amazement, all her friends and family members were spellbound by his photography.
From thereon, there was no looking back for Kainth, who after posting the shots from his friend’s wedding started getting lots of offers for photo shoots.
For Harleen Deol, 25, who is pursuing BEd, photography was just restricted to random clicks and capturing things for the sheer pleasure of exploration.
But, she never knew that posting her work on social media to share it with friends and family, would straightaway land her a wedding photography deal from a family, who was enchanted with her work.
Wedding coverage seeing change
According to Kainth, unlike in the past, when couples and families would settle for photography of events preceding the D-Day and the wedding itself, the trend of pre- and post-wedding shoots is catching up among the youth. Also, over the time a lot of changes have come in photography style and technology. Therefore, to be at the top, one needs to keep learning and upgrading the gear, he adds.
Call it the photographers’ initiative or customers’ preference, photographs are increasingly becoming natural looking and theme-based.
Customers expect something unusual and never seen. They don’t want to pose for the camera; they want the photographer to find the right timing, correct expression and perfect location to click candid pictures.
"I am mixing a lot of styles and tones to my pictures to try and make them stand out and bring forth novelty. I don’t want people to merely look at a photograph, I want them to enjoy it," Kainth says.
Echoing Kainth’s views, Deol says people are becoming weary of the hackneyed approach to wedding photography. "Pretentious posing against uninspired backdrops and sterile group shots of the lineups on stage are all passé. There is a growing keenness towards candid photography. The idea is to capture the gamut of emotions that the couple and their loved ones experience in those most-special days of their lives. A shy smile, a loving glance, teary eyes or a naughty laugh — a shot that touches the heart is catching up! Wedding photography today is all about captivating those beautiful moments as truly as possible," Deol adds.
Customers content
Twenty nine-year-old Siveni Puri, hailing from Jammu, got married in November last. Based in Chandigarh, she got to know about such photography through social media. "I saw some shots and it was really interesting, the way they click pictures, make you comfortable and discuss the whole process. A photographer himself should be confident, how and when to click pictures and out of the box ideas are a must."
Inderjot Chatwal, who wanted something unique for his wedding photography, says, "Kainth’s work revealed a side of me that I never knew existed. His efforts resulted in an album full of beauty, colours and happiness. I can see the joy in the eyes of anyone who lays eyes on our pictures."
Nupur Bhardwaj, who hails from Chandigarh and is now settled in Canada, wanted to explore the photography options for her wedding. She says, "I was a bit confused. It was not lesser than taking a risk, as it was the question of capturing my wedding. But once I had a meeting with my photographer and discussed the theme and understood his ideas, I was pleasantly surprised. The kind of work these young talents are showcasing will take them a long way."
Not to forget the opportunity that these candid photo shoots give to the couples to come closer and enter a comfort zone, which becomes the icing on the cake.
So, if you, too, want to get the feel of something exclusive when it comes to your wedding photographs, go for a change. Go for candid photography!