The
last few years have seen a huge change in the way weddings are photographed in
our country. Wedding photography that was earlier limited to the bride and
groom posing along with their family and guests as they went through the
rituals is now being carried out more creatively, with more than one type of
camera being employed, more stress on candid shots, and use of other equipment
like better lights and props. Wedding photography now isn’t merely an activity
on the side, taken up to make some extra money; it has become an independent
stream of photography, with photographers even gaining international acclaim
for the creativity they show and the efforts they put in to make a couple’s
special day even more special.
Siddesh
Mayenkar, one of Goa’s popular wedding photographers, speaks about the change
that has taken place in the way weddings are now shot here. He feels that
today, photography at weddings is more about “capturing the moments naturally”
rather than posing for them. “Earlier, weddings were all about posing for
pictures. Nowadays, people are more interested in the photographers who are
into candid photography wherein we don’t make people pose for photographs, but
capture them as the rituals are going on. People have realised that it’s the
candid moments that make the best memories, and want their wedding albums to
look authentic and natural. I give credit to social media for the changing
perception of people. It’s through the internet that the public gets to know
about these new concepts,” he explains, but also adds that though wedding
photography has got a new face, it still has a long way to go.
Goa
is currently hosting India’s first ever wedding photography seminar and
workshop festival, Silk Inspire 2016. This festival is being organised by Sephi
Bergerson, an Israeli/Indian photographer of international acclaim who has
experienced a great deal of Indian wedding photography while researching for
his book, ‘Behind the Indian Veil’. The festival has brought to Goa a
panel of award-winning wedding photographers from different parts of the world.
Spanning over four days, the first two days of the festival included seminars
from these expert photographers, wherein along with enriching the participants
with their knowledge, they also talked about their journey and experiences. The
next two days would comprise workshops, which would help the participants in
recognising their own style as a photographer. The panelists who passed on
their expertise to the participants are Apresh Chavda
(UK), Christophe Viseux (France/Dubai), Franck Boutonnet (France), Joseph
Radhik (India), Mahesh Shantaram (India), Susan Barbera (Spain), Erica and
Lanny Mann (Canada), and the organiser Sephi Bergerson (Israel/India) himself.
As Sephi puts it, “This event is not about answers. It’s about asking better
questions to ourselves as photographers.”
Sonal
Vaz, a wedding photographer who attended the seminars, describes it as
“educational and inspirational”. “Listening to the extremely talented
photographers and learning from them has been a great experience. Even getting
to know their journey and their success story is so motivating. This workshop
is a great initiative. It’s a community that needs to grow, and I am sure such
seminars and workshops will facilitate the growth,” she maintains.
Wedding
photographer Chetna Bhat Teles acknowledges the change that has taken place in
the field of wedding photography and the way people look at it. “Wedding
photography has changed from a staged/traditional scenario to couples looking
for candid, creative and contemporary wedding coverage that helps capture the
overall personalities of the couple, which look raw and real. The fun, light
moments of friends/family and the efforts they put in are captured in these
photographs. Photography is such an integral part of any wedding, and today, we
make it even more beautiful and creative through this new kind of photography,”
she concludes.
