With the 100th International Women’s Day approaching, DNA finds out that wedding photography — an arena hitherto dominated by men — is a profession that is increasingly being taken up by women despite long and odd working hours.
Think of a wedding photographer and it conjures up an image of a hefty man carrying a bulky camera bag on his shoulder, instructing you to pose. But with weddings being an emotional affair, who better than a woman to approach this occasion with that extra tact and sensitivity?
With all the odd work hours, the travel and chaos that prevails at Indian weddings, capturing these memories is no longer restricted to male shutterbugs. In the last couple of years, the city has seen the emergence of several women photographers who are extremely popular on the wedding scene.
Aarti Das Choudhary, a professional photographer, feels that females can do much better when it comes to taking pictures. She takes pictures of would-be-brides and makes them feel comfortable during the shoot.
“I got married last year and realised how awkward it can get for a girl to get her pictures clicked by a male photographer,” said Aarti.
“First of all, a would-be-bride is nervous and when it comes to getting clicked by a man, she might not always be comfortable. It is difficult for a girl to give a fake smile...it should come from within,” she added.
Vinita Salome, a lifestyle photographer who has recently shifted to Holland has taken several outdoor assignments.
“I think the trend is changing gradually and today there are lots of professional female photographers. Pre-planning is very important as I make sure there is proper transportation and accommodation available for us,” said Vinita.
As Vinita has a four-year-old son, she takes up only five weddings per year. “I have to arrange for somebody who can take care of my little son before heading for an outdoor shoot.” When asked what precautions she takes while going for outdoor shoots she added, “I do inform at least one of my friends or family members where I am going. Also, I keep my cellphone fully charged and carry some cash along.”
Interestingly, the perspective of female photographer plays an important role as she can relate to the bride. Vinita further added that these days, there is an increasing trend of having two wedding photographers in the event.
“One person fully concentrates on the bride and groom and another one takes general shots. It helps in the proper planning and capturing pictures of every important ritual,” she said.
Namita Bhope who started with street photography has now taken up wedding photography. This 28-year-old shutterbug doesn’t mind travelling to outdoor locations for wedding assignments.
“Initially when I started going for weddings, people used to give me a surprising look but eventually they are getting used to it. My parents were also little sceptical in the beginning but when they saw my work they were quite happy. I think being a girl you can capture those candid moments and you tend to look at every ritual with certain emotions which reflects in the images,” she said.
Mehul Chimthankar loves capturing images and is in this field since 20 years. He has a number of female photographers in his team.
“I feel the bride feels more at ease when it comes to female photographer. As we all know there are so many ceremonies in an Indian wedding, so every time a bride needs to change into new attire she doesn’t feel shy in front of a female photographer. A female photographer can also help the bride with the touch-up and can capture the perfect emotion,” said Mehul who works in an IT company and runs his company clickmehul.com on the sidelines.
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