On your wedding day, your Punjabi San Jose Wedding Photographer will be following you around, they will be there for every important moment, they will see you getting ready, walk down the aisle, be emotional—ugly cry and laugh out loud—and witness every emotion of everyone in your wedding. Even before the ceremony begins down to the post-production, your photographer will be there, so here are some important and useful tips to help them while letting you relax and enjoy your day.

1. The order of the day

What time will you be getting ready and where? What about your groom and groomsmen? Do you need a second photographer to take photos of them, too? A schedule of the day and location allows your Punjabi Wedding Photography California to plan their day, ensuring they are at the right location at the right time.

2. About the Family shots

If you want some family photos or group photos then let your photographer know. Decide on the important group photos you want to have and ensure there is enough time to have these taken. The more people and the more photos you want, the longer it takes, so ensure there is plenty of time. Informing your photographer about family shots allow them to find a good location and backdrop for these pictures beforehand, saving time and making it easier on the day.

3. Family Details

Face sheets can be helpful for your Punjabi San Diego Wedding Videographer for them to know who the key people are, especially if there are a lot of guests in attendance. It makes it easier for your photographer to recognise the important persons and makes it easier when it comes to organising the pictures post-production. If you have guests or family members that have strong aversion to flash lighting, then let your photographer know as well. If there are any awkward family circumstances, then ensure your photographer is aware, too, so they know how to facilitate them during photo shoots.

4. Surprises

Surprises are great for guests and your other half. However, it is also better to let your photographer in on the secret, too. Whatever it is—be it fireworks at the end of the night or a special dance—let your Los Angeles Punjabi Wedding Videography know, so they can be ready to capture it from the best angle. If they know what is coming, they can plan for it accordingly.

Photos only capture so much of your wedding day, and hiring a wedding videographer will help ensure you don’t miss a thing. However, we understand that figuring out how to narrow down the selection can be overwhelming. Here are some tips from Saiaf Films on what to think about before selecting your official wedding videographer.

The Vibe of the Video

The first question to ask yourself is how do you want your wedding video to look and feel? Do you want your wedding video to be more cinematic—a movie that tells the story of your wedding day—or more like documentary style? This choice between cinematic and documentary will serve as a major filter in narrowing down your list. But don’t feel like you have to commit to one or the other. In fact, you’ll be surprised how many videographers today use a combination of both styles in their finished products.

Camera Cues

Two types of cameras can be used when shooting a video: DV (digital video) and analog (non-digital). Analog was the standard until DV technology became more affordable. Digital produces crisp images where the color and skin tone rendition is flawless. Also, these cameras are significantly smaller than analog, can be handheld and are twice as sensitive to light as analog.

Next decision: How many cameras do you want to have at your wedding? Two or more may seem obtrusive, but one cameraman can’t be everywhere at once. And remember, with two cameras, you’ll get choices of perspectives—you can shoot the father/daughter dance and the expression on your mom’s face, or you can have one camera covering the girls’ getting ready and the other one covering the men’s. The cost of additional cameramen is either a flat fee or prorated, depending on how long the extra coverage is needed.

Tag Team

Wedding videographers like Saiaf Films offer both photography and videography services. Besides a cohesive look to the final products, there are other advantages to getting your photography and videography services from a single company. For example, two people with different agendas may jockey for position or get in each other’s way, whereas two people who work as a team can look out for each other and keep in touch about what’s happening. And with one less vendor to worry about, it’s also easier on you.

Just be sure both products meet your standards—don’t be blinded by ease alone. Moreover, if you want your photos to have a formal feel and your video to be flashy and fast-paced, be sure that the two professionals from the same company can nail both of the styles.

Your wedding video are just as important (if not more important) than your wedding photos. Finding the right wedding videographer is critical in the creation of an action-packed, tear-jerking wedding video.

Selecting a wedding photographer is an essential part of the wedding planning process, as integral as choosing a venue or finding the perfect dress. But unlike your flowers or catering, the photographs from your wedding live on long after the day. It can be difficult to find a photographer and videographer who match your aesthetic and taste—not to mention someone you trust to really capture the most important moments. Will they take the right shots? Will we work well together? If you’re feeling overwhelmed, our pros here at Saiaf Films have some tips for making sense of it all:

1. Ask around
Word of mouth is one of the most tried-and-true methods of finding a great wedding photographer. Going by the old theory, “birds of the same feather flock together,” friends often share a common style and similar budget. If you loved a friend’s wedding, don’t be shy to ask about their wedding photography experience.

2. Determine Your Style
Try and form a clear idea of whether you are more drawn to the organic aesthetic achieved with film or the crisp, classic style that digital photography offers. Taking the time to browse a photographer’s portfolio can be invaluable to finding the right fit. Are you looking for candid, documentary style or more posed and traditional portraits? If there’s something in particular you’re looking for, focus on a photographer who specializes in it.

3. Do It One Vendor at a Time
Have you found the florist of your dreams? Ask them who their favourite photographers are. The wedding industry is a close-knit community–don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from industry vendors. Another option is to look at their website to see who shot weddings they were a part of. This will not only give you an idea if their styles would match yours, but also if they’re going to fit your budget.

4. Review Their Work
Be sure to ask for three to four full galleries from past weddings. It’s so important to see how a photographer is going to cover a wedding from start to finish. Don’t just look at the highlights in their portfolio (anyone can compile 30-40 great images for their online portfolio). In addition, ask for references. Talk to other couples about their favourite moments with their photographer as well as any aspects to learn from.

5. Agree on Every Detail
There are a few critical things to keep in mind before you sign a contract. Most importantly, when will the photographer provide the final images? Be clear about the timeline so you know what to expect. If you’re getting married in the fall, do you want your photographs by the holidays? Do you envision making large-format prints to frame, or creating a wedding album? All these elements should be discussed and agreed upon in advance so you know what to expect post-wedding.

Whether you’re here because you’re engaged to the love of your life or because you just love beautiful, romantic photographs, whatever brings you here, we assure you won’t be disappointed! You’re in the right place and we’re so glad you’re here.

After being a professional wedding photographer for years and having photographed hundreds of weddings across US, you would think that we would outgrow weddings, right? The reality is, we have seen and photographed it all, and the more weddings we shoot, the more we fall in love to the fairytale-like beauty of weddings. The joy, the excitement, the intricate details, the genuine emotions, the first dances, the portraits that speak the love and devotion that couples have for each other…. we just love it all. Even after having covered countless of weddings all over US, it’s just always humbling to know that people have trusted us with preserving over the most memorable and romantic event of their lives—their wedding. It has been a great honor and privilege to be part of the most precious event of your life and we’re looking forward for more beautiful and memorable moments with you.

Your Engagement Session
Your engagement session gives us the chance to get to know you personally and get a feel for your personalities and preferences. We aim to make your photos look just like you—to represent you. As you let us into your love story, telling how you met and how you are as a couple, we get to see what makes your love and life together so special – and this plays a major role on how we approach your wedding day.

Getting to Know You
We are not just your photographers, above all, we aim for your trust and comfort with us. Our initial consultation, engagement session, and other pre-wedding interactions will hopefully help you feel comfortable entrusting us with such an important job. The more comfortable and confident you are in us, the more you will be able to relax and be yourself – and the organic joy of those moments is where beauty is found. We surely can edit many things to make photos look perfect, but genuine emotions is not among them!

Marriage is one of the most important events in a person’s life. It is coming together of two individuals, two souls and two families. In the Indian context, the importance and sanctity of the wedding institution can be gauged from the fact that a number of rituals are performed to accomplish it. South Asian weddings are performed with utmost care and in accordance with ancient practices.

Some of the Important Parts of a South Asian Wedding

Pre Wedding Ceremonies

Roka (end of search) – This ceremony marks the beginning of a formal relationship between the families of the bride and the groom. This is a relatively small family tradition to secure the commitment to the relationship. The families involved exchange sweets and gifts (generally traditional clothes and jewelry). This exchange is symbolic of welcoming the bride’s family to the groom’s and vice versa.

Chunni Chadana Ceremony (Gifting of a scarf to the bride) – Chunni chadana is similar to an engagement in the western tradition. The groom’s parents and close relatives visit the bride’s house. The groom’s sister or sister in law presents the girl a red sari or suit, as a token of acceptance of the girl in their family. Thereafter, the girl wears the clothes given by the boy’s family. The main ritual of the ceremony is when the girl’s soon-to-be mother-in-law places a red chunni or scarf on the girl’s head and gives her traditional jewelry. The ceremony comes to an end with the exchanging of rings between the prospective bride and groom.

Mehndi Ceremony – Mehndi is an important pre wedding ritual for Sikh, Hindu and Indian weddings. Mehndi is taken to the girl’s place by the boy’s family. This Mehndi is then applied to the girl’s hands and feet in beautiful motifs. The gifts for the girl with the mehndi also include dry fruits, specifically dry dates.

The Wedding Ceremony

Milni Ceremony – The bride’s family welcomes the groom and his family when the baraat (wedding procession) arrives at the wedding venue. The girl’s relatives offer shagun (a token of good luck) to the groom’s close relatives. It is a ceremony symbolic of the coming together of both families.

Religious wedding Ritual – This ceremony involves the recital of sacred verses from the holy text of the bride and groom’s religion.

In the Hindu tradition, this is called Lanyadaan and Phere, the bride and groom take seven rounds along a small fire. Fire is symbolic of sacred energy and the seven rounds are symbolic of promises made by husband and wife to each other. The Bride’s give her hand into the hands of the groom. This symbolizes that the bride is a part of the groom’s family.

In the Sikh tradition, this ceremony is called Anand Karaj. The Bride and Groom, their families and relatives go to a Gurdwara where sacred verses are recited, and the bride and groom take four rounds around the Holy Book followed by Ardas.

Reception Ceremony

The groom’s family often throws a reception party following the wedding day. It is an occasion, where the newly wedded couple is given a warm welcome by all who are invited at the wedding. A more relaxed atmosphere is observed at the reception and families celebrate the successful completion of the wedding.

Maybe you’re a wedding photographer who’s just new in Hindu cultures and looking to improve your couple shoots? Or perhaps you just enjoy spending time with people who are in love? Then this blog post is for you!

Taking photos of couples can be a great way to gain confidence in posing and directing your subjects, all of which you can put into practice with your wedding photography, may it be a wedding in Arab cultures or Sikh cultures.

One thing to consider, however, is that this might be the first time for a couple to have their photos professionally taken. If you’re more familiar with photographing models, then you’ll be used to them knowing what to do in front of the lens. A couple, on the other hand, might be awkward and not as aware of how they’re coming across on camera.

Below are some tricks of the trade that we at Saiaf Films have learnt over the years in photographing Sikh cultures engagements and weddings. Producing images that both you and your client love should be the ultimate goal and it isn’t that difficult once you know how.

Plan Plan Plan

As with almost all forms of photography, having a solid plan in place is the key to success.

While spontaneity can be great for photos during the shoot, you should have an idea of where you’re going and what you’re going to do in a particular location.

Your planning should also consider the time of the day in relation to your location. This will ensure you make the most of the available light. Obviously, you can’t guarantee this especially if you’re shooting outdoors. However, choosing a location with nice shaded areas or colourful backdrops will mean you’re prepared for almost anything.

Brief Them About What To Wear

A common mistake with engagement shoots is when your couple shows up in completely contrasting outfits.
When you photograph a wedding, you can pretty much guarantee that men will be wearing suits and women will be in a white dress. There are obviously exceptions to this but generally, they will be well matched on their wedding day.

However, an engagement shoot is completely different, unless you brief them about what does and doesn’t work ahead of time. Try to avoid bright contrasting colours as these will dominate your photographs and distract from the couples lovely interactions. We also suggest advising your couples to avoid wearing big logos which can also be distracting and problematic.
Instead, you should think about getting your couples to choose more neutral looking outfits. Show them examples of your previous shoots which have really worked and inform them that this will produce the best results for their photo session.

The Poses

When you hear the word pose you might think of a rigid, robotic looking photo but it doesn’t have to be that way.
A certain pose or suggestion to your couple can just be the starting point which eventually leads up to that natural interaction between your couple.

• Walking
• Kissing
• Whispering
• Cuddling

In order to get a natural look and feel to the images, you want the couple to forget that they’re being photographed. May your engagement sessions be in Arab cultures or Sikh cultures, make your couple feel at ease by being warm, personal and fun towards them.

Now that you are fully equipped for before and during the wedding, here at Saiaf Films we give to you some more tips and insights on how to handle the wedding photography AFTER the wedding.

Don’t Shy Away From Using Black-and-White

The beauty of shooting digital, and especially in RAW, is that you can convert your files to black and white later in the post-production process. If you have trouble seeing contrast, you can even shoot the whole wedding in black and white. This really simplifies the photography as you don’t get distracted by colour, especially with hindu cultures, which is known for having the most colourful weddings. You can then convert them to colour in post-production. Black and white conversion can be particularly helpful with the unpredictable lighting you get as a wedding photographer. It isn’t a substitute for bad photography, but it can definitely make an emotional photo pop.

Express Deliver

You might have included in your contract that the photos will be ready within 8 weeks. However, the quicker you can get the photos edited and delivered to your couple, the happier they will be. It shows you care about their wedding. It is also a great reason for them to refer you to family and friends if you are going above and beyond their expectations.

Learn From Every Photo Taken

The absolute beauty of digital photography is that you can shoot and shoot and shoot. It might be tempting to delete images that don’t work right away, but we strongly recommend to just hold on it. There is plenty of time for scrapping out poorly taken imaged in post-production. You don’t need to add another job on the wedding day. Additionally, you have to think that images can be manipulated in the editing, whether that’s cropping or sharpening slightly. If you find that a photo is a poor shot, look at it closely and realize where you went wrong to help you improve.

Ask Couples for Their Referral

Once you have delivered your photos to the couple and you know they absolutely love them, ask them if they know anyone else who is getting married and have they booked a photographer yet. Referrals are a great way to acquire bookings as their friends have often seen you working at their wedding. They also then get to see the end result in the form of wedding photographs.

A great way to keep your couple happy after the wedding is to send them a few preview images. They might be expecting this if you have discussed it in your contract, but if they’re not it can be a great surprise. Just drop them an email telling them how much you enjoyed their wedding and give them some indication as to when the final images will be complete. This is a great way to keep them in the loop. Additionally, they will likely share these images on Facebook or with family and friends which can be great for referrals.

Honor Traditions

Weddings in sikh cultures and arab cultures are quite traditional, so listen to what your couple wants to achieve with their wedding photos. With such colorful cultures, you may need to exert a little more effort to make colors pop and look more vivid in still images.

In our previous article, we share with you a few tips on how to prepare for your next wedding photography gig. Today, we give you a few insights and how you can successfully maneuver onto the wedding day itself.

Being a Pakistani Wedding Photography Colorado and having covered thousands of weddings over the years, we at Saiaf Films have tested and proven these tips effective for wedding photography.

Clothing

The formality of the occasion will generally dictate how smart or relaxed you can be with your clothing choice. Say, for example, the couple are getting married on a beach. The groom is wearing shorts and sandals; thus, you would look pretty out of place in a three-piece suit. There isn’t really a perfect answer for what to wear as a Pakistani Colorado Wedding Photographer. However, generally speaking, if you keep your outfit quite smart with fairly neutral colours, you shouldn’t attract too many complaints. Most of all, you should make sure you are comfy and can maneuver your body. It is a long day so you don’t want to be restricted by overly formal clothes.

Be a Silent Assassin

Being a Pakistani Denver Wedding Videographer, you want to be discreet and as unobtrusive as possible to be able to capture every moment naturally. One way to do it is to put your camera in silent shutter mode. This is particularly handy during the ceremony, especially if you are in close quarters with the couple. Sometimes, it can feel a bit laggy and slow in comparison to full-on continuous mode shooting. Therefore, just adjust it to suit the situation.

Don’t Forget the Small Details

The small details that a couple has spent hours upon hours planning deserve to be photographed. Moreover, these details make for great photographs that you can use to tell the complete story of the wedding. It can sometimes be easy to forget to photograph these or the schedule might not allow it. But there is no doubt the couple will appreciate photos of things like flowers, rings, dress details, table settings etc.

Work at the Speed of Light

Seriously, a wedding is fast paced so you need to work at the speed of light. This mainly comes with the experience of knowing what will happen and when. Following a shot-list and even having a second-shooter will certainly help you capture the most important and fleeting moments of a wedding. If you’ve been in the industry for quite some time, you should already have an idea of what events to anticipate. For the aspirants, it helps to watch tutorials and read blogs to gather ideas about Denver Pakistani Wedding Videography and photography.

Take Advantage of the Golden Hour

You may have already done a shoot with the couple just after the ceremony and safely have some awesome shots on hand. However, there is something special about the light just as the sun is setting and you should definitely exploit it. Learning to use the sunset light will once again come with experience. Do you want to shoot with the sun on the couple? Or do you want to shoot backlit? Both methods can yield stunning mantelpiece worthy photos.

Advertise Your Works

So you’re at a wedding. More than likely, there are a few unmarried couples at the wedding. One idea is to display some photos from earlier in the day. You can take your own computer and make a quick slideshow of say 20 images to play during the evening. The couple get to see some sneak previews of what you have captured. Meanwhile, potential future couples have seen you in action and the results produced. Obviously, inform the couple beforehand, but it can be a win-win for everyone.

Listen to Your Instincts

As mentioned, weddings are fast-paced and can sometimes be unpredictable. If there is a break in the clouds and an epic sunset appears, seize that moment. Be spontaneous and pounce on opportunities that present themselves.

Over the years, we have shot hundreds of weddings and blog site has been a great platform for us to share our knowledge to couples, aspiring photographers and even to the pros.

For this blog post, we aim to share some ideas on how you can prepare as a Lebanese San Jose Wedding Photographer and photographer for an upcoming wedding. We don’t expect you to take these tips as gospel, and would still encourage you to find your own way. However, we hope we’ve provided you with enough tips that you can take into consideration for your next wedding.

Contract

A lot of planning goes into making a wedding happen and unfortunately, things can go wrong. Couples can break up, circumstances can change, but having a contract legally protects you and should ensure you still receive payment. It is also a great way of laying out exactly what the couple receives from you on the day and in the final delivery. Some of the things you have to nail down on your Lebanese Wedding Photography California contract are:

• The number of edited images they will receive
• The number of hours you will shoot on the day
• Whether or not you will include raw photos
• Whether the couple gets an album
• Whether the travel and the food cost is involved in the package

Do this and it could save you a lot of aggravation and awkwardness on or after the wedding day.

Get the Fleeting Moments on Schedule

We mentioned in one of our Los Angeles Lebanese Wedding Videography blogs about creating a list of must-take shots on the day of the wedding. In addition, it is also a good idea to schedule the capture of the fleeting moments, such as the cutting of the cake, tossing of the bouquet, confetti and sparklers. You don’t want these moments to happen whilst you are having a quick sandwich or have just nipped to the toilet. These moments are over in a flash so it is best to have the timings locked down if possible.

Sit Down With the Couple for the Shot List

Perhaps, you already see yourself as a professional Lebanese San Diego Wedding Videographer, but don’t see a shot list as an unnecessary thing. Have some shots in mind that you and the couple have discussed prior to the wedding. This way you can discuss the feasibility of the ideas. Plus, if they want a shot with Uncle Bill you will know to capture that specific photo. A shot list can be unnecessary for the things you already know you will capture. But for the more obscure things that a couple wants to have photos of, it can be a great thing.

Names

Being on first name terms with the Maid of Honor and the Best Man can be a great help. Get their numbers as well… No not like that! They generally know a lot of the people at the wedding, so they can help you out massively with the logistics of the day. Having their numbers can be great if you encounter any problems on the day, too.

Get Faster (and More) Memory

Because one of the best ways to capture images is to shoot in RAW, we advise getting fast memory cards. RAW files are big and there is lots of data to store on your memory card. You should be looking at the ‘write’ speed measured in MB/s. BEWARE! The speed listed on the card is the transfer speed (the speed in which it transfers the files to your computer). While it can be good to have a fast transfer speed, what you want is good write speed. Look for 95MB/s—it’s a good write speed and should easily handle a continuous burst of RAW photos.

All the guests at a wedding, from the bride’s 8-year-old niece to the groom’s 80-year-old grandpa, are snapping photos with their phones. While some of the best wedding photography is done by a Palestinian San Jose Wedding Photographer with advanced DSLRs and changeable lenses, the rest of us can still create some stunning images with smartphones. Here are some tips:

1. Close in on your subjects

Rather than trying to get everyone and everything in a scene, focus on just a few people and capture a specific action. This approach often creates a more powerful image that conveys emotion. Bonus points if there’s great expression in the eyes or a genuine smile.

2. Get a good spot

Pay attention to where you’re sitting. Tall guy’s head in the way? Move to an empty chair in front of him to get a clearer shot. Rather than trying to zoom in with your smartphone—the zoom feature on most phones aren’t great anyway—try to sit closer to the altar, BUT be mindful of your role as a guest. The bride and groom will love that you’re taking photos, but don’t interfere with their official Palestinian San Diego Wedding Videographer and photographer.

3. Details, details

The bride and groom spent many months choosing their clothes, flowers, food, table settings, and a million other intricacies that make up a wedding to perfect them in person and for their Palestinian Wedding Photography California. Take advantage of them and capture them in your own lens.

4. Go macro

Be creative with some fabulous close-up shots of objects, such as the bouquets and table setup. Phones are great for macro-photography, where you focus very close to an object, paying attention to its interesting shapes and texture.

5. Mirror, mirror

Use reflective surfaces to create interesting portraits. Sunglasses, rain puddles, mirrors and water glasses can provide ways to make extraordinary portraits.

6. Go crazy with selfies

What’s a party without a selfie (or a groufie) to prove that you were there? Most likely, the bride and groom are going to be busy talking to everyone and posing for their official Los Angeles Palestinian Wedding Videography at the wedding that you may not get to spend very much time with them. But they liked you enough to invite you to the wedding—and pay for your dinner. So be sure to take a fun picture of yourself, which will be priceless for the couple later on.