Lahore
Irfan Ahson
What kind of photography do you do?
I mostly do portraits and wedding photography, but I have also started doing fashion now.
How are you taking wedding photography a step forward this year?
I am trying to be more creative with my photographs. We start by interacting with the couple to truly capture their personality. I know that since we are in Pakistan, there are issues with security, but working with different lighting, creating more drama and trying new locations is always great.
What kind of photography do you think brides and grooms should try this season to make their weddings unique?
My advice is to not let the studio’s hijack the couple’s event. When you ask 10-15 photographers to come it becomes an extravaganza. Instead keep your event intimate. Ask a photographer to follow the couple around, while the preparations are going on — this guarantee’s better images.
The Videographers
What kind of photography/videography do you do?
For photography we prefer candid shots, which is what we specialise in. We started something called ‘Wedding Diaries’, in 2009. These are cinematic videos of the bride and groom, and their story. Every family is different, some people want more involvement from the photographer, whereas some want less, but we try to get as much content as possible, and analyse the family to the best of our abilities.
How are you taking wedding photography/videography a step forward this year?
There is a new technology in photography emerging abroad, which is called 360 photographs. We have brought that to Pakistan, so this year, we are going to be taking a lot of 360 photographs and videos. This new technology will make you feel like you’re present at the venue.
What kind of photography do you think brides and grooms should try this season to make their weddings unique?
Brides and grooms should experiment at their bridal shoots. They should step out and consider going to better locations. There are not enough people doing this and opting to do more studio shoots — but we definitely love taking people outdoors!
Irfan Younas
What kind of photography do you do?
We take candid, natural, family photos at weddings.
How are you taking wedding photography a step forward
this year?
These days lighting is getting better and better. There is an emerging trend for outdoor lighting in photography, which makes pictures better and different. I think what needs to be improved is the overall presentation.
What kind of photography do you think brides and grooms should try this season to make their weddings unique?
Focus on candid pictures. Brides and grooms should understand what we are trying to capture and should cooperate with the photographer.
Faisal Farooqui
What kind of photography do you do?
I mostly do fashion photography now, but I started off with doing wedding photography. Now, for weddings, I have a very selective clientele.
How are you taking wedding photography a step forward this year?
Photography is a medium that evolves and gets better every year. I started in 1998, so pictures then are very different to what they are now. These days the available light method is quite big. This is basically photography without the use of strobe or flash. Candid shots are also trending.
What kind of photography do you think brides and grooms should try this season to make their weddings unique?
I recommend having daytime events, for better picture and better lighting. Farmhouses and gardens always photograph well. Nobody really does this, but having a daytime mehndi would be great photography wise.
Shahnawaz Studio
What kind of photography do you do?
I do traditional photography, with an ethic touch and dramatic lighting. I like to play with backgrounds. The atmosphere in my shoots reflect an old world charm. They have an essence of the great Abdur Rahman Chughtai.
How are you taking wedding photography a step forward this year?
Right now, I’m focusing on backgrounds and sets, but very natural looking sets. I feel everything should look very real in bridal shoots, not photoshopped.
What kind of photography do you think brides and grooms should try this season to make their weddings unique?
These days’ photographers are taking the bride and groom outside, even though brides look out of place outdoors in heavy outfits! The image they create works for European weddings, but not for traditional brides. My technique is to first ask the clients their outfit designer’s name as well as the colour of their suit, and I plan the background according to that.
Karachi
Kohi Marri
What kind of photography do you do?
I do photojournalistic photography, recording the event as it is from various points of views.
How are you taking wedding photography a step forward this year?
I’m doing fewer weddings and concentrating on putting all my energy into the ones that I do. I’m also concentrating on finding ways to capture them differently.
Wedding Story Films
What kind of videos do you do?
Our work is documentary making or candid style filming of the wedding and related events with interviews and testimonials. In our films we tell a story, which is missing in our weddings. If you watch any of our videos you will get an idea of the wedding, its flow and how things took place. The point is to make you feel like you were there.
How are you taking wedding videography a step forward this year?
We’re not into gadgets and more focused on the emotions because that is what it is all about. We want to change the mindset that it’s all about technology, and want people to watch and feel what it’s actually all about. We want you to feel the moments and forget about the technicalities.
What kind of photography do you think brides and grooms should try this season to make their weddings unique?
What we lack is daytime events and punctuality! Ever noticed why weddings abroad look so awesome? It’s because they do it all in one day, and in the day. Imagine how cool a mehndi in the daytime would look! Another thing, with mobile cameras nowadays people have stopped enjoying events — we always see them taking selfies! We miss those smiles and all the action in our video making, which are the essence of these events, so be bold and write in the invitations that it is an ‘unplugged wedding — please turn off all mobile devices’.
Sadriwala Portraits
What kind of photography do you do?
I do all kinds of photography but portraits and detail shots are my favourite. For me photography is about people and their interactions. As a former art student, I always try and make my photographs look like paintings.
How are you taking wedding photography a step forward this year?
I’ve always been experimenting with new styles of photography and for me this year it will be all about going back to old-school portraits. I’ve been looking at old wedding photography styles and Mughal paintings. I like to create images, which look straight out of a journalism magazine.
What kind of photography do you think brides and grooms should try this season to make their weddings unique?
Make sure your photographer is capturing moments and not staged shots at your event and for portraits have a mix of formal images with some fun ones. Old school mixed with contemporary shots is my preference. With weddings it should not be what’s trending, it should be timeless. Natural photography is great if done correctly. I can’t stand awkward dupatta poses. Photographers have to understand that couples might be doing this for the first time so it has to be a mix of posing and letting them be natural.
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