This is not manipulated…!

Well, sometimes you surprisingly get what you never planned for…!. This picture, shot in a traditional South Indian wedding in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is very peculiar and it shows the oneness of the couple in a unique form!

While trying something with a long focal length lens and to get a very shallow depth of field, during the ‘Oonjal ceremony, the face of the groom except one of his eyes was almost hidden behind the face of the bride and looked as though it is a single face, with a strange appearance..! The level of the camera was carefully aligned to get the shape of the face as one, made this picture look different..!

As I always tell my students and fellow photographers in the photography workshops, “Professional Photography is never boring; if you try to find something unique and different in all photography situations”.

- KL.Raja

Can your Wedding be replayed…?

Weddings in India are so special with every event carrying a unique significance, portraying our deepest values of Indian culture practiced by our ancestors long before.

Well, the couple may be from countries abroad and the celebrations may be lavish, but when it comes to their weddings, I find there is always a ‘touch of tradition’ in the expression of the couple. The couples prefer not to come out of the traditional values though their lifestyle maybe that of the westerners. I have witnessed some of the brides leaning on the chest of the groom in ceremonies like this, unable to hide their coyness and the new feeling of togetherness. Such a true expression from a bride or a groom usually motivates me to go for a very tight close-up to show them in oneness.

The meaning for a wedding in India is much more than just the union of a man and woman. It means the unconditional love, the true value of two souls and their families. The ‘long and live’ ceremonies, performed during the weddings prove that they make the couple understand the value of living a life together.

The touch of contemporary style of photography to document the values of people in their own mood and world during a wedding is what I prefer to do than just asking them to smile at my camera.

- KL.Raja