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category: weddings view all recent posts |
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SAFFRON - SESHU'S DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY & PORTRAITS BLOG
Kinjal & Sandip's Engagement Ceremony & Party |
12.12.11 |
Hawk's Landing Country Club | Southington, Connecticut |
| In early November, on a crisp evening in Southington, Connecticut, I photographed Kinjal and Sandip's engagement ceremony. The event took place at the Hawk's Landing Country Club.
Kinjal and Sandip set the tempo for the night with their truly grand entrance, dancing their way through their guests. Skits, toasts by friend and a diverse collection of music kept everyone on their toes laughing and dancing through the night. I was pleasantly surprised to know that Kinjal had organized the decorations and the scrumptious food all the way from Tampa, Florida, where she and Sandip both live. The pictures you see above tell you clearly that everyone had a great time and so did I. Kinjal and Sandip, I was truly honored to photograph your engagement ceremony and party. Here's wishing you both a wonderful and beautiful wedding in California and lots of success into the future. |
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| category: Weddings tags: engagement, ceremony, Hindu, Gujarati, reception, dancing, slideshow |
| 1 comment | PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND |
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My Kind Of South Indian Wedding |
05.22.11 |
Video of Thibu & Rachou's Celebration In India |
| I don't know the couple. But when photographer Amar Ramesh posted a link to this cross-cultural wedding experience on Twitter, I had to watch and share it here.
I assume the couple is French, only by the rolling credits at the end of the 12 minute video clip. Compared to the weddings that take place most of the time, it is a very modest celebration, yet it is filled with so much joy. What that highlights for me is this - the couple and their guests make a wedding happen more than the venue or other goodies. You'll notice in the film that people's expressions and interactions with their guests are the most important. There was very little or no posing either. And did you see what troopers their guest were in sitting down on the floor to eat off of banana leaves? Yeah, my kind of wedding. The movie was shot by Lokesh Moorthy. I am not sure if the couple worked with a professional photographer. When I learn more about this truly adventurous couple, I'll update you here. Thanks for watching and reading. Would you design your wedding in a similar - simple, yet wholly elegant - manner? Do post your comments below. |
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| category: Weddings tags: South Indian, Wedding, fun, expatriates, French |
| PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND | |
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Digital or Film For Wedding Photography? |
04.07.11 |
The Digital v. Film Debate Rages On |
| Let's get one thing wide out in the open so that we are all working off of the same page. Well-meaning people, after seeing my images, will often say this:
"Wow, those are great images. Your camera must take great shots." [CRINGE] Cameras, film and now memory cards are nothing more than tools for me. They are like a painter's brush or their canvas. Or, a chef's KitchenAid mixer. Sure, having the latest and greatest may feel good, but a photographer still needs to know how to use them appropriately. And this is where friends and uncles who have graciously offered to photograph your wedding for free will fail. It's usually not an option for most of my clients because they value images, expect them to evoke pleasant memories and want to pass those on to the next generation through wedding albums. |
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The 2003 image above was created by using film, is from a Chinese-American wedding reception in New York City. Lots of toasts, lots of posed portraits through the event. It was among the first 10 weddings I ever photographed.
The First Days Of FilmOk, now that I have that off of my chest, I wanted to tell you that I have been thinking a lot about my first days photographing weddings. Kodak TriX, Fuji Neopan 800, Portra 160 and T-Max 3200. Those were my film choices when I started in this business. No, I am not afraid that bit of information will date me. I feel those of us who have worked with film before have a better sense of the aesthetics behind those final images that make it into your wedding album. So, yes, I am one of those photographers who actually exposed black and white negatives, hand-processed them and printed images on RC or fibre-based archival papers. The color negatives were usually processed by a custom lab, which also created contact sheets for me. If you were heavily into instant gratification back then, well, you could end up going a bit batty. Things simply took time. Lots of time. Clients understood that the process was long. And, they were willing to wait. Then came digital. First Beginnings In DigitalWhen my first son Rohan was born, I "graduated" to a Nikon 950. I was curious about this new tool. The lens swiveled gracefully up and down which I thought that was very cool. I recall that the images out of that camera were often very RED. A newborn baby, already quite pink, looked like he had had just been sunbathing for a week. I knew no way of adjusting the white balance on that camera; the first of three things that determines accurate skin tones (the others are correct exposure and managing the red channel). [Thanks to Doug Levy for educating me about the red channel issue.] Years later, I upgraded to a Nikon D70, Nikon D80 and then to the Nikon D90. But IGS, instant gratification syndrome, was in full play. I could see the images, move them into a folder and send them to my favorite custom printer after I had edited them. You would think that this process was easy, but it required buying more memory cards, batteries, local hard-drives, storage space in the cloud, a faster computer and software for processing all of these images. And to keep up with technology, there is the biennial purchase of a new professional digital camera body to replace that "older" version. Back then as a newly minted dad, I'll be honest, I was frustrated by the learning curve and also the time it took away from my family. But my clients expected digital files on discs and so I opted in and started photographing weddings using digital cameras. The good news is before each wedding season (that is right now), I reevaluate my digital photography workflow, so that I can get my client's wedding albums into their hands faster. I am excited about the changes I have made for my clients, and subsequently for my family, in 2011. Will I Give Film A Second Chance?But back to film. As my friend Jonathan Canlas, suggests in his widely acclaimed guidebook called Film Is Not Dead, it is a lot easier to work in analog. A father of five kids, Canlas, has even more commitments to his family than I do. The way he sees it: You photograph a wedding, you send the film in to be processed and scanned and then the images arrive on a DVD. You are welcome to enhance the images further for final prints or wedding albums, or upload them to a gallery service like Pictage. You are literally done. Result: Happy clients. The debate rages on whether the final scanned images from negatives do or do not look different than their digital counterparts. Canlas feels his images do and my friend Sephi Bergerson says "film-like" effects can be easily reproduced through the use of Photoshop actions or Lightroom presets and doesn't see any logic in going back to film. Well, from my perspective, they are both right. In the end, then, it comes down to which workflow makes the most sense for your business and what your clients expect. If you read Canlas' guidebook, he outlines his workflow very lucidly. Mine, which is all digital at the moment, follows the footsteps of Richard Esposito, who helped me set up my system. I believe I will give film a second chance if I can make it a natural part of my workflow like Jonathan Canlas, Riccis Valladares or Dan Milnor. What Do My Clients Want?The most important question I ask, however is: what do my clients want? If you are getting married, how important is it for you to have a photographer who is experienced working in both film and digital mediums? Do you believe the final products - albums, canvas prints or folios - will look and feel different? Have you considered how your memories will be archived for generations? Does film have an advantage in that regard over digital files? What are your preferences? How will your wedding images be different? For you, is it the medium or the approach of a wedding photographer that's most important to you? In the comments section below, please tell me. I am eager to hear your opinion about all of this. If you are a potential client who is wondering if I can shoot a wedding with nothing more than a trusty analog camera, the answer is SURE. Will I? For the right clients, you betcha. What's more, I am more than happy to pull out my 4"x5" Wista Field Camera to create some very cool portraits of my couples too. Or, if Rohan would have his way, he will want me using this fun film camera. |
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| category: Weddings tags: Film, Digital, Photography, Trends, Style, Approach, Weddings |
| 3 comments | PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND |
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David Goes Cultural Spelunking |
03.05.11 |
South Asian Weddings Rock! |
| My friend Hari Srinivasan sent out this Tweet and I had to share the accompanying video:
"Funny- Cultural Spelunking http://bit.ly/dRyz4v Wonder what he would say about a South Indian wedding" For most desis the wedding experience is so ingrained in us that we take it for granted. However, this animation video shows how welcoming Indian weddings can be for those outside our culture. Indeed, it's this warm embrace that even I look forward to every time I am asked to photograph an Indian or Pakistani wedding. I have yet to go to one where I have not been asked whether I have had something to eat or drink. David's video above got it right and he put it together in a very clever and elegant manner. Now, as Hari asks, I wonder if I should invite David to a South Indian wedding. What would his experience there be like and what would his video show? Sound off below in the comments section after you have seen the video. If you have been to a South Asian wedding, what did you experience? What did you take away from that celebration? How did it make you feel to be at an Indian or Pakistani wedding? |
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| category: Weddings tags: Indian weddings, cultural spelunking, New Jersey, multicultural perspective |
| PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND | |
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The Perfect Photographer For Your Big Fat Indian Wedding |
07.05.10 |
An Event Coordinator's Guide To Working With Visual Artists Who Document Your Event |
 This is a guest post by Richa Chandra Johari, Marketing Director for Indian Weddings Online. You can find her on Twitter as @RichaCJohari and @IndianWedOnline
Selecting the ideal photographer to capture the most celebrated occasion in the South Asian family's life is one of the most important decisions you will make. Whether you make four or seven pheras around the sacred fire, wear a Mangal Sutra, sign a Nikkah contract, or marry at the Gurudwara, you and your photographers must have the perfect chemistry. As an event coordinator and former Desi bride, I realize that this decision is more involved than may appear on the surface. One of the questions you may face is whether you should choose an experienced or rookie photographer when it comes to Desi weddings. There are two sides to this dilemma. The experienced photographer will capture the emotional moment of the kanya daan (when the father gives away his daughter) or the kick off of your garba circle. On the other hand, the Desi wedding rookie will see beauty in the display of barfis and ladoos, the details of your chudis, and the height of the havan fire. You may feel an intangible sense of awe captured in their images. You will feel like you are looking through the eyes of a person who is attending a Desi wedding for the first time, which can be quite poetic! Regardless of the experience of the photographer, the most important criterion is that you like the style of your photographer's pictures and that their style matches your taste. To ensure the photographer's style is complementary to your own, you should try to meet or talk to the photographers or have your wedding coordinator meet to explain your overall vision. Study their portfolios, ask for their creative input, and find out their shooting style. I recommend having an engagement and bridal portrait session with your photographer to also help establish chemistry. By the time of your wedding day, you will feel at ease with your photographers, and they will be more like friends. Some photographers have a natural tack at making you smile and laugh whereas others may be non-interactive. This is an important quality to consider in terms of whether you prefer candid shots or more posed shots. The type of photographer that works best for candid images is non-intrusive and will not need much guidance. The one who is great for posed shots will be interactive and skilled at directing and making everyone feel like a star. One of the most cumbersome moments during your wedding day for you and your photographers will be the "organized" portrait sessions. Whether you have an event coordinator or not, this is often chaotic because family and friends are often unaware of all the little behind-the-scenes details. Plan your portrait sessions in advance. Make sure everyone who needs to stay for a portrait session after the ceremony is informed. Send out an email, or make a list to be distributed to your family and close friends. Now, at your reception will you take pictures with all the guests? In my opinion, this always becomes a lose-lose situation. You may regret not having pictures with all your guests, but if you go through this strenuous undertaking, you may not have the energy to dance the night away. Consider the length of your wedding day and events and try to spread out pictures with family and friends over the nights of the mehendi, sangeet, and finally, ceremony and reception. This way you won't be overwhelmed with by "table shots" or "sweetheart table portraits" with groups. On another practical note, go over your contract! Make sure the package you choose fits your needs. As our desi wedding events are numerous and long, you may have over a 1000 images from which to select, and it may take anywhere from two months to a year to choose pictures for your album and prints! Make sure you know what this process will be like with your photographers. You also need to make sure you know how many hours the photographer(s) will shoot and what their overtime charges are for your events. Okay, so everything is clear as mud now, right? No worries, here is a summary for the overwhelmed dulha and dulhan-zilla: a) Make sure the photography matches your taste. b) Study their portfolios. c) Establish chemistry with your photographers through bridal and/or engagement portrait sessions, and decide whether you prefer posed or candid shots. d) Make a list of your needs: i.e. bridal session, engagement session, ceremony portrait session, all your events, number of prints, albums, and number of shooters needed. e) Plan for portrait sessions! f) Go over your contract to make sure it fits all your needs or hire an event coordinator to make sure you are covering everything. The photographic material of South Asian wedding ceremonies is diverse, and visually appealing with colors, jewels, and poignant moments galore. To ensure that your pictures transcend beyond the innate beauty of our wedding traditions, make sure you select your ideal photographer carefully. Unlike many of your wedding gifts, this will be the gift to yourself that keeps on giving. Get ready for the fun and exciting road of planning your big fat Indian wedding, and congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! |
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| category: Weddings tags: Weddings, Guide, Photographer, Indian, Event Coordinator, Wedding Planner |
| PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND | |
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Are You Planning A Destination Wedding In India? |
02.03.10 |
For Indian Expatriates or Non-Indians, India Has Plenty To Offer |
| I am in India at the moment. I arrived here on January 23rd and will be here through February 10. Being back in Chennai has been a blast. Seeing my parents enjoy their grand children, a real blessing. The weather has been perfect (i.e. warm and sunny, mid-to-high 80's) and the food, phenomenal.
The trip hasn't been all vacation, though. I've been reaching out and trying to build bridges with those in the wedding industry in India. It's been more listening and learning than talking. With the wedding season in the US winding down by the end of October, it makes perfect sense to serve clients in India where the wedding season begins in November and runs through March. Non-resident Indians, NRI's as they are called here, are coming back home in greater numbers. I don't have exact numbers in front of me, but I do know that many multinational companies are hiring and the country is booming. Everyone and I mean every one has a cell phone. Television commercials and magazine publications are slick and thick. While the US may have experienced a recession, my cousin in Mumbai looked at me quizzically and said, "What recession? Looks like the downturn bypassed India." And yes, she should know. She owns three apartments in Mumbai. Whoa! If you are a photographer who is into fashion, advertising or architecture, you've got to check out the Indian marketplace. On the SpiceJet flight back from Mumbai to Chennai, I read about Atul Kasbekar who has made a name for himself in a big way after studying at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California. And there is a rising tide of glamorous, high-end weddings as well. While breaking into that circle may be somewhat difficult without the right social connections, I can sense a new found respect for wedding photographers and what they do. Take for example the magazine Better Photography. It's editors recently announced a joint print competition with Kodak to find the very best Indian wedding photographers. (Sorry the deadline was January 20, 2010). This was unheard of even two years ago when I visited and photographed Nidhi & Chirag's wedding in Devi Garh, Udaipur. At a recent gathering of a small number of photographers in Mumbai, I heard of wedding photographers commanding as much as Rs. 25 lakhs (that's about $55,000). While that may be somewhat rare and the discussion mildly speculative, the feeling I left with was that the general attitude towards documenting weddings is changing here in India. It's not a sea change by any stretch of the imagination. Wedding photographers can still expect a lot of grip-n-grin sessions with families and friends, but a select number of couples living in India are starting to look for something different and original. They are not particularly going for the glamorous, fantasy-like or, gasp, "Bollywood" movie look-alike contest. How refreshing! Parthip Thyagarajan of WeddingSutra.com suggests that many more expatriate and non-Indian couples are also looking at India as a potential venue for their destination weddings. Having lived in India in the past, being totally comfortable traveling within its borders and to a degree being able to speak a few of the languages, I am looking to serve those wedding clients from the United States, Canada, Europe or the Middle East, who plan to travel to India to get married. So if you are an Indian planning your wedding or you live outside of India but are planning your destination wedding in India, please check out my work, see if it matches your expectations and then contact me as soon as you have set your date and venue, as I would love to help. And if you have been hired to work in India and are seeking the assistance of experts to make your transition a smooth one, please consider the friendly and highly resourceful folks at Global Adjustments. On February 5, I am giving a short presentation of my work to a group of very enthusiastic photography hobbyists at their India Immersion Center. Check out the poster below. If you are in Chennai, please let me know so that I can arrange for you to join us. I look forward to meeting you someday soon and hearing from you if you have any questions about what I have to offer you. |
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| category: Weddings tags: Destination Weddings, India, Photography, Travel |
| 2 comments | PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND |
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Nidhi and Chirag's Wedding Celebration In A Fort Palace |
01.20.10 |
A Hindu Ceremony In One Of India's Historic Luxury Hotels |
| As I start packing for another trip to India, I am reminded of my last visit there when I photographed Nidhi and Chriag's wedding in Devi Garh.
Devi Garh, an 18th century fort palace, is just outside of Udaipur, a city in Rajasthan and part of a chain called Preferred Hotels & Resorts. As a luxury hotel with all the amenities your imagination can conjure up, Devi Garh is a popular destination resort for weddings. When Nidhi read about my wish to photograph at a heritage hotel in Rajasthan, she contacted me about her Hindu wedding. We must have spoken on the phone at least a half-a-dozen times before we finally met in New York City for a quick cup of coffee. Chirag was out of the country on business and I didn't get to meet him really until I got to Udaipur! I flew into Chennai, spent some time with my family (my parents have lived there since 1970) and then flew to Udaipur, through Mumbai. I used Jet Airways and loved their courteous, professional service. My equipment two Nikon D300 bodies, a slew of lenses and two SB-800 flash units all fit neatly into my ThinkTank International equipment bag. It was full and heavy but the gate agents passed me through without any trouble at all. When I landed in Udaipur, I took a taxi out to my hotel (no, I didn't get to stay at Devi Garh). The hour-long ride was quiet, save for the ringing cell phone in the taxi driver's pocket. I was quite amazed that he had such amazing reception where I could see no cell phone towers for miles. The evening before their big day, Nidhi and Chirag spent some quality time with their family and friends at a Sangeet. "Sangeet," in Hindi means music. The event was filled with laughter, dancing, splashes of color, simply the very best food I have ever tasted and of course lots of music. The folks at Devi Garh coordinated quite a show and I had a great time making images thanks to their efforts to make me feel very comfortable. The following day, Nidhi and Chirag got ready in their respective rooms. The "bharaath," or procession for the bridegroom was something I had never seen before. Chirag rode on top of an elephant! While camels and horses led the way, the wedding band trumpeted Chirag's arrival into the fort palace. The wedding ceremony was conducted after the sun slipped below the horizon. From this South Indian's perspective, it was a short ceremony. Nidhi and Chirag took charge of the dance floor and slowly their family and guests joined them. The food, as I mentioned earlier, was phenomenal! The festivities in the desert continued on through the wee-hours of the night. Here are a few of my favorites from the two-day event. To see them all as a slideshow, click on the link below that says "Big Show." As always, I welcome your comments. By the way, if you know of couples planning their destination weddings in South Asia, please let me know. Whether it is now from January 23 through February 10 when I will be in India or sometime in the future, my goal is to photograph at every heritage luxury hotel in Rajasthan. Having lived in India, Japan and now the US, I am extremely fond of traveling! Nidhi and Chirag, it was an honor to photograph your spectacular wedding. Thank you both for the opportunity to be a part of this very important family event. Big Show at Devi Garh, Rajasthan. |
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| Read More! Click here to view this entire post... |
| category: Weddings tags: Udaipur, Wedding, India, Photography, Heritage Hotel, Resort, Luxury, Hindu ceremony, Destination Wedding |
| 11 comments | PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND |
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Unique Stories Create Photographic Wedding Moments |
12.24.09 |
Your Story Can Help Customize Your Experience |
| Great wedding photography tells a story. It captures precious moments and creates memories for a lifetime. The emotional level is increased when personal stories are told and witnessed by your guests. The right DJ can help create these amazing moments. Jim Aldridge from Romantic Entertainment specializes in unique wedding moments. I asked him to share Matt and Rachel's fun personal wedding story.
Jim writes: I had the opportunity to help Matt and Rachel celebrate their October 2009 wedding. During the final consultation, Matt was called away (he is an EMT). The bride stayed with me and her mom to plan their reception. When I asked about her choice of music for the cake cutting, Rachel became visibly distraught. "What's wrong?" I asked. Rachel replied, "I want it, but Matt won't eat cake. He hates it." She then explained that on his birthday, his mom usually bakes him banana bread. "Make him banana bread," I said. After some convincing, Rachel's mom offered to make it. The wedding day came and everything was perfect. After dinner, I set the bride and groom up to cut the cake. Matt had no clue that a heart shaped banana bread was hiding next to the huge multi tiered wedding cake. It was covered with a white cloth (matching the table) and red rose petals were sprinkled around for color. Matt said, "We're not cutting cake." I responded, "Matt, do you trust me? Go pose for some nice pictures with Rachel and the cake." As Rachel and Matt smiled and pretended to cut the wedding cake, I set the stage for the surprise - "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a problem, the groom won't eat cake!" There was laughter, confused looks and some friends even heckled Matt. Who doesn't eat cake, right? Then I told the story, "Every year on his birthday, his mom makes him banana bread, tonight we pass the tradition on. The bride will cut the banana bread." There was applause. Matt's mom cried. Rachel's mom was grinning ear to ear (she pulled one over on Matt). Matt held up the banana bread for all to see. He was of course thrilled! So here is the moral of that short story: While planning your wedding, surround yourself with vendors who "get it." Weddings are about you. They should be personal. Great weddings moments make fond memories. Your personality, taste and style are the catalyst. Banana bread won't work for you, you probably LOVE cake. It's your story that will make unique, fun wedding entertainment and amazing photo memories. So what's your story? Use the section below to comment. Your entry may just win an engagement photo session (valued at $500) in Connecticut. Winner announced on January 15. Spread the word! |
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| category: Weddings tags: Personalized, Love Story, Wedding Ideas, Entertainment, DJ's, Photography |
| 4 comments | PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND |
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6 Questions For Aayan Creations | Boston, MA |
12.14.09 |
Hip Wedding Vendor You Should Know |
| If you are looking for great looking wedding invitations cards, you've got to check out Boston's Aayan Creations. I had a chance to visit with Shruti Sharma, its founder and lead invitation specialist. I was amazed at the quality and breadth of choices available for today's Indian families. I asked Shruti to respond to a few questions about her business and how she may be able to help you an Indian or South Asian bride, looking to set the right tone for her wedding.
1. How did you get your start in the boutique invitation card business? South Asian elements are growing in popularity across a range of products and activities. Many people are interested in the overall South-Asian culture and are beginning to incorporate the style into their day to day lives, such as furniture, décor, clothing, entertainment and special occasions. I believe many brides are looking for something unique at their weddings and feel that invitations can really set the tone and mood for the event. Because of the increasing trend and busy working professionals, I felt there was an opportunity to offer not only a unique product but a customized service to make their overall experience a stress free one. Therefore, if brides are looking for modern styles where east meets west and guidance along the way, Aayan Creations can offer those options. 2. What else do you have to offer the Indian bride? 
Aayan Creations is able to offer Indian brides a breadth of knowledge of the culture and traditions. With this I am able to provide clients guidance and suggestions based on the traditional and modern elements of the Indian heritage they make be looking for. In addition, I am ble to assist them with other wedding resources they may be looking for their big day. 3. What excites you the most about Indian weddings? South-Asian weddings are full of vibrant colors and packed with a culture & unique traditions. I feel the most exciting part of South-Asian weddings is being able to combine the culture and bold colors into every entity of the wedding from the stationary to the décor. Each bride finds a way to do that in their own individual style and thats what I love! 4. What can a couple or family looking to work with you expect in terms of a service? We normally follow a five step process when working with our clients. The overall process from invitation selection to delivery typically takes anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the complexity of the order. I'd recommend brides begin thinking about their invitations and stationary as soon as they have reserved their venue. Aayan Creations is focused on working closely with clients to help guide them through the process and ensure they receive individualized service from selection thru delivery. 5. Can your cards and other products be customized? We offer a large collection for brides to choose from and then customize their selection according to their individual styles. There are numerous amounts of customization opportunities, anything from colors, shapes, & sizes etc. Brides are encouraged to make an appointment for a personalized consultation so we can discuss what they are looking for in terms of colors, styles, themes, etc. 6. While you are located in Boston, how would a client outside of Boston work with you? I do offer clients the ability to see the collection through my electronic catalogs. The rest of the communication happens via phone and email. Many of our clients are nationwide and for those we are able to mail samples to help them make their final decision. Working remotely with clients is definitely possible, ensuring quality service as well. |
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| Read More! Click here to view this entire post... |
| category: Weddings tags: wedding vendors, interview, questions, Boston, invitation cards |
| 1 comment | PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND |
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Veena + James: An Indo-American Wedding |
09.30.09 |
At The Hyatt in Morristown, New Jersey |
| Veena and James found my documentary wedding photography services through a website called NJWeddings.com. It was really the first year I had tried the web site and wasn't sure what to expect. What kind of clients would come knocking on my door? What would their expectations be? Why was wedding photography important to them?
Well, when Veena called and described to me exactly who she was looking for and what kind of work excited both of them, I knew we were on the same page. It was a matter of putting our thoughts to paper and finalizing it with an official agreement. Veena was completing her degree in Law and James was deep into his Phd. program at Duke studying political science. Neither one of them could make it up to where I live; Connecticut. No worries. Sometimes my clients and I do get to meet and sometimes decisions are made using the phone and corresponding by email. The wedding was no ordinary Hindu ceremony. Veena's family trace their roots back to Shenkottai, a town bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, in India. As Sankethi, they are Brahmins (the priestly caste) and so one of the most interesting parts of the wedding was the chanting of the "Purusha-suktha" by family and friends. One of the images you will see below is of all the uncles practicing outside the ballroom. Find out more about the Sankethi community at the North American Sankethi Association. My thanks go out to Veena and James, Veena's twin (and yes, identical) sister, Aruna, their parents and family for making the day go so smoothly for me. I also want to thank Preeti Desai, who assisted me when I created formal portraits of the couple and their families. The Hyatt in Morristown, New Jersey is a terrific venue for intimate weddings. If you have a guest list of 250 or less, this is a great option for you. I found the staff extremely cordial and the wedding was deftly coordinated by Monica Boswell. I only wish the hotel was landscaped. Being that it is a "downtown" hotel, there aren't too many places to go to photograph large groups or even the couple. All Event Decorators, led by Jyothi did a wonderful job transforming a ballroom. Dan and his partner of DJNYC spun tunes from the corner of the dance floor which was hopping. Moghul Catering's delicious dinner was a hit. Varsha Patel was in charge of hair and makeup and Veena looked stunning in her multiple outfits. The cake, which you will see below, was designed by Christine Pereira of Design Cakes. And, now on to the images! |
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| Read More! Click here to view this entire post... |
| category: Weddings tags: Multicultural, Wedding, Sankethi, Hindu, Ceremony |
| 21 comments | PLEASE DISCUSS | CONTACT SESHU | VIEW PORTFOLIO | LINK TO POST | SEND TO FRIEND |
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