Wednesday, February 10, 2016

That Didn’t Fit Right during a wedding capture

I am sure we all have heard of wedding woes but we have never heard of 'Wedding Capture Woes'. Photographers covering a wedding have to be on their toes in order to capture every moment in the right way. To top it all if you are a 'Candid' wedding photographer, you not only have to be one your toes but also have to be eagle eye sharp and lightning fast to capture the delicate moments which a regular photographer would fail to notice. To make things worse, a candid wedding photographer has to make his/her own way amidst the crew of photographers and videographers who keep shuttling along with the bride and the groom and yet get the best moments which none of them would have captured. It is a constant struggle for existence. But, when the client has paid and expects so much from you, one can't really exist. One has to stand out. I have been there and done all of this from the past two years when I decided to read the marital vows with my better half of being a part-time 'Candid Wedding Photographer.' 

So, this was my first official assignment with my better half and I, being a total novice into photography was supposed to cover one of the major events, that is the garland exchange- Varmala/Jayamala along with my husband. I obviously had got enough practical lessons on photography and its techniques but I was still not prepared. Before the event was to begin I sat inside the room wondering what I should wear. I had not decided upon the kind of clothes that I should be wearing while capturing a wedding. Saree was a strict , 'NO-NO' from my husband as he told I would have to run around a lot. I wanted to settle in for a beautiful salwar or an anarkali when he suggested me to choose something simple like, a Jeans and a kurti. The kind of occasion specific fashionista that I am, I did not want to look ordinary. I told my photography partner, ' Look, I cannot wear something that ordinary when I am going to capture a wedding.' Saying this I continued hunting in my wardrobe but at last I took my partner's help in deciding the outfit that I was going to wear. I chose a knee length red tussar halter kurti and decided to team it up with black leggings. The kurti was simple, elegant, because of the colour and beautiful because of the fine embroidery work done on it. Problems with women and their wardrobe do not end here. I had to choose the right brassiere for it. I chose a normal black one which fit perfectly but the thin black straps were peeping out occasionally when I tried to move my hand a bit. Considering that I would have to do a lot of photography and my hand  and shoulders wouldn't be still, I decided to change it. So, I decided to go with transparent straps as there wasn't any other bra which was fitting well with this kurti. I had only one transparent strap which I hurriedly put and took one last look in front of the mirror. It was tight and at times I felt it was hurting me but I had no other option but to go ahead with it. I was not in a mood to change my dress and settle for something different. 

Here I was, at the wedding venue, looking elegant and nothing that could define me as an ordinary photographer. I roamed around with the camera and was feeling quite confident about everything. I was slowly getting a hang of photography. The D-Day's most important moment, Jaymala/Varmala was about to start. My partner had gone to a place near the center stage and taken his position, in order to get clear and close images. I was still searching for a place when I saw all the regular photographers and videographers in a single line , towards the front and close to the center stage. There was just a little space left between them which I wanted to take. Excusing myself from the crowd, I squeezed in and took my place. It was a perfect spot and I could get decent images from there. Well, obviously the other photographers felt strange seeing a girl dressed like this taking photographs like a professional. But the actual fact was that, I was neither an established professional and nor was I going to get extremely great images. I was just trying to capture the best moment with steady hands, without missing even the slightest one. I had to pass my first test which my better half was conducting. It was just the 3-4 minute session which I had to struggle and capture. I had to bend my arms, scoop in between other people and then take my shots without having any other photographer to block my view. Adjusting the camera, holding the lens correctly, keeping my hand steady and concentrating on the focus was a daunting task. It was too much to handle. I sat kneeling down on the floor and kept my camera in a position between two photographers, in orders to get the best image. I stretched my hand a bit to keep the camera in front when I heard a snap. The first instinct was to check with my hand if the camera sling around my neck snapped. Seconds later I started feeling very light at my shoulder region. That's when I realized it was my transparent bra strap that had snapped. Keeping my focus on the camera and the moment capture I sat there crouching with both my hands close to my chest and the camera in front. Thankfully, the ceremony got over soon. I got up feeling extremely embarrassed,without keeping my hands down. The other photographers looked at me strangely seeing me walk away so soon  I tried to act as if I was capturing images and went quickly to the washroom. Oops!!! It had snapped right from the center. I then realized my mistake of not using a proper fitted transparent strap. I realized only that day that the quality and fitting of bra straps is also so important. I tied a small knot to keep the broken strap in place and walked out from the washroom only to see my partner looking at me quizzically. He had a hearty laugh listening to my little wardrobe malfunction.

I decided from that day that I would never wear something so uncomfortable, especially while doing wedding photography. Even it is as delicate as a tight transparent bra strap. #PerfectFit matters a lot. 

'That Didn’t Fit Right’ contest , by Women's Web and Buttercups gave me a chance to write about this funny incident.


Celebrate yourself with a perfect fit. Take the Buttercups quiz @ http://bit.ly/buttercupsquiz and get that perfect fit you deserve. Use GYRF10 to avail a 10% discount.




1 comment:

Rasmus Korra said...

This is undoubtedly one of the most special wedding venues Los Angeles. We had 6 passed appetizers with the Liguria table which consisted of steamed veggies and fruits and breads. I didn't even care that I'd just been to another feast less than 12 hours ago. I could not stop eating.