The New Indian Bride

When the ladoos are all gone, the bridal lengha is packed away and the mehndi has faded all that will be left are the fabulous memories of your wedding day.  Hiring a photographer that meets your aesthetic is the easy part.  The harder part is ensuring the photographer you selected is able to capture all the special moments of your big day.  Which is why I couldn’t be more excited to have San Francisco Bay Area wedding photographer Jigar Champaneria of Samay Studio Photography offer his expert insight!  Brides – you are going to love Jigar’s fabulous tips!

TNIB: As a photographer, what should the Bride and Groom share that helps you photograph a wedding?

Jigar: Besides the events of the day, talk to your photographer about what is important or what you are worried about.  If there are two traditions (i.e. Gujarati and Tamil) in the wedding how are you blending the two? Was there any tension in combing events? Let your photographer know about this since it can help to focus on certain aspects of the wedding or conversely, stay away from photographing other aspects.

Do you have any surprises planned for the day? Many couples like to surprise guests with a choreographed dance.  If this is something you have planned make sure your photographer knows about it so they can be ready to capture the surprised looks on your guests’ faces.

TNIB: Should you communicate details you would like captured?

Jigar: Yes, let your photographer know about specific things you want extra attention paid to.  Are you totally into your shoes? Let your photographer know about how cool your shoes are so they know it’s something they should spend extra time on.

TNIB: Should the couple creat a short list of the specific photos they want?

Jigar: Many photographers say they hate it when their clients give them a “shot list” where the bride is demanding a certain set of photos from throughout the day. But I think it helps to spend time going over some of the most important moments for you and even some examples of photos you have loved from other weddings. This isn’t a formal shot list, but it helps to ensure that you and your photographer are on the same page.

TNIB: Is it important to select a style of photography for the wedding day?

Jigar: No matter how much you might want candid, photojournalistic style photos, you are going to want some wonderful portraits. These portraits are typically what you and your parents will have enlarged.  So set aside time for a private portrait session in your wedding and reception attire. For wedding portraits, don’t just plan for post-ceremony photos at the mandap – try to take some wedding portraits before the ceremony so you look fresh.

TNIB: Any final thoughts?

Jigar: Try to add fun and special moments to your day that can lead to special photographs. How about a “First Look” before your wedding portraits? It really is a special moment when you see your fiance for the first time all decked out in their wedding attire. Why not capture that first glimpse of each other during a private moment rather than as the wedding ceremony starts? 

Also, in addition to your wedding coordinator, your photographer is the key person to help keep your schedule on track. Make sure you let your photographer know about your detailed agenda. A great photographer will politely help you to stay on time.

About Jigar: Jigar has been a lifelong, mostly self-taught photographer. Based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, Jigar has been a professional wedding photographer for six years. In addition to weddings and family portrait photography, he has a passion for helping others to improve their photography so he leads informal workshops focusing on different aspects of the craft.  See more of Jigar’s work at www.SamayStudio.com, www.facebook.com/samaystudio and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jigarchamp.