Contemporary Wedding Photography

Your wedding is not simply an exchange of vows and rings. Neither is it just a series of disparate religious rites. It is a mark of a new beginning, a new chapter in your life. It is an exquisite occasion, each moment of which you would want savor as the time goes by.

A wedding photographer specializing in candid style of photography will capture these little moments which would tell the story of your day, the way you want.  Right from the time you are getting ready to the final act, your day will be packed with rituals and customs. Each ritual or custom is punctuated by variety of emotions experienced by your family and friends – joy, love, anticipation, pangs of separation - and these can often be overwhelming. You need a candid wedding photographer who you can trust to capture these emotive moments.

Where traditional photography relies on posed and staged settings, candid or photojournalistic approach of photography is more narrative and artistic. The latter style of photography blends photojournalism, storytelling and fine art to make your memories personal, real and sophisticated. Candid photos are much in demand as they look real and lend a more "human touch" to the special day.

As no two weddings are identical, it may be a good idea to work with your wedding photographer and ensure that he understands your vision but be careful not to be overbearing in your demand. This would unnecessarily stifle and stunt the photographer's style and approach.

That brings us to the selection of the wedding photographer. So how do you go about selecting a wedding photographer whose sensibilities match yours?
It may help to do an initial short listing after considering various important parameters: exclusivity, varied experience, portfolio, styles, price ranges and references. After all — it’s a question of lifetime memories of some of the most significant days of your life.

Here are a couple of points you may want to consider to get started with selecting a wedding photographer.

First, your budget for wedding photography:
When determining your wedding photography budget, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. As a general rule of thumb, you should expect to invest about 10% of your total wedding budget toward a wedding photographer (this does not include a high-end wedding album or special custom prints). This might seem like a lot, but when you consider that, besides the dress, the only thing you can take away from your wedding day are the photos, it is a reasonable investment to make.

Second, build a list of wedding photographers whose style you like and whose price ranges fit within your budget. Next, visit the wedding photographers’ websites, and spend some time carefully reviewing their wedding photos and wedding photography packages. Look to see if the wedding photographer takes the kinds of images you like, incorporating a good mix of indoor, outdoor, candid, portrait, fine art, and detail photography. A good wedding photographer needs to be capable of executing a number of photographic styles and approaches in various conditions. He should be able to capture the beauty, pageantry and deep religious overtones that are hallmark of Indian weddings. This should be reflected in the sample photos you view online. Reasonable wedding photographers list their wedding photography packages and prices online so you can get a general idea of their cost structure. This saves time for you both.

That’s it. I hope this helps you plan for the style of photography that would make your experience personal and truly unique.

Rajesh is a contemporary wedding photographer based out of Bangalore, India. His works can be seen on his website www.rajeshpandeyphotography.com