Roshni and Aalok: teaser

I just got back from Milwaukee, where yesterday I photographed the pre-wedding ceremonies (morning Pithi ceremony and evening party) for Roshni and Aalok. This was my first wedding this year and the most images I have shot at a wedding EVER; just over 3,000! Ridiculous!! Mostly because the ceremonies have many people doing stuff in them and everyone needed photos of them doing the same thing over and over, its great if you try and keep getting a new angle and take on it. Fortunately in Indian Wedding culture (or at least this one) the photog is allowed to do pretty much whatever he wants, even be up next to the bride the entire time or sitting on the floor in front of the mom, or get in peoples face for that “great shot.”

Things I learned:

• Take more cards that you need, i almost ran out after 32Gigs
• Take extra clothing, Indian weddings are modest in dress even in the heat, i sweat through 2 long sleeve shirts.
• Be ready for that "hey photographer, take our picture" moment, because they think you can make any badly lit location look like a studio.
• Be ready to have fun; that is really what it is all about for them too.

I have just barley gotten all the images onto my computer and done the obligatory backup process, but I did notice a couple shots here from the morning Pithi ceremony that grabed my attention:


(Bride smeared with a yellow turmeric "beautification" paste)

(It is customary for an uncle to bless the bride’s family, it was hilarious to watch the bride’s father trying to give money to that uncle)

(Groom told by Mother of the Bride, "You’d better show up tomorrow")