A Twist in the Tale

Conchita Fernandes invites wedding photographers to tell her about their mishaps during assignments, and how they avoided potential disasters.

Wedding photographers by far, have the biggest responsibility of documenting the most important day of a person’s life! They need to make sure that they are fully prepared and have a plan in mind for the big day. But you see, sometimes even after preparing for days or weeks, mistakes do take place. Maybe a camera is forgotten at home or is manhandled by an erratic wedding guest. These things are bound to happen. Here are four wedding photographers who share their stories and how they dealt with the problems.

Anup emphasises on not panicking at the time of a disaster. Just as photographers have to anticipate important moments, they must also learn to predict problems. Photograph/Anup J Kattukaran

Anup J Kattukaran is always on the look out for ways in which he can push his creative boundaries. He dabbles in various things such as cinematography, wedding photography and underwater photography.

“I did not panic when my camera’s shutter failed. In my mind, I already knew what needed to be done.”

I often ponder over what could be the worst thing that could happen to a wedding photographer, especially during an assignment. Is it missing out on the crucial moment when the groom garlands the bride? Or is it when your camera decides to fall apart? In my case it was the latter.

I was photographing Kaveri and Asheesh’s wedding in New Delhi. The couple had just completed their pheras when my Canon EOS 5D Mark II bailed out on me. I wish that the camera’s battery had died instead, but it was much worse, the shutter had failed! And I wasn’t able to make any more photographs.

Luckily, my colleague Bhushan was just around the corner. Immediately, I called out to him, grabbed his camera and asked him to take a break for a few moments or hit the bar, while I continued to shoot the couple.

“No amount of experience in photography can eliminate the occurrence of a problem. They are simply inevitable. It is always wise to have a plan B at hand.”

Tips to Help You be a Better Wedding Photographer:

1. Check Your Gear: A day prior to the wedding, check all your equipment to see if it is working properly. Also, check whether all your batteries are fully charged.

2. Include the Little Things: The mandap or the confetti center piece are as integral to the wedding as the bride and the groom. The charm is in such details.

3. Dress Comfortably: You are going to be spending at least 7–8 hours shooting at the wedding. Wear something comfortable and light. But don’t opt for anything casual.

4. Explore New Locations: Gardens, restaurants or old buildings are cliché while doing a post-wedding shoot. Try something new, like maybe underwater photography!

Anup was lucky that his camera started behaving erratically after the couple completed their rounds around the pyre. Even with a backup camera, he would have risked losing on a few crucial moments. Photograph/Anup J Kattukaran

5. Move on to the Next: No matter how prepared you are, capturing every single moment is impossible. So don’t get so fixated over a certain moment that you miss others.

6. Beware of Laser Lights: Weddings may use laser lights. Ensure that you do not point your camera directly at them because this could damage your sensor beyond repair.

7. Push the Boundaries: You will be surprised to know the extent to which couples are willing to go for a good shot. But you wouldn’t know this until you suggest an outlandish idea.

8. Know Your Surroundings: It is possible to hurt yourself during a wedding. Be careful of where you step or you may accidentally sit on a burning lamp and set yourself on fire!