Awww SGC! Thanks for the detailed answer. U r such a princess. What does unmarked proofs mean? Also I have read so much abt yr wedding & would love to see the pictures. Can u pls tell me where I can find the link for yr wedding album on GS?
From above answers it seems like I should maybe try a gora person. I know Desis can be stubborn & "Nak Chiray" at times( no offense) but then they know our customs better too. On the other hand I m thinking non desi & the whole excitement to cover a cultural wedding will keep the photographer alert at all times?
Shay I was really thinking abt getting a team where I can probably get a male & a female. So all the religious ladies won't get uncomfortable & I can get the girls' dances covered as well. But u have changed my mind now. More confusion :S lol. Crazy me.
Affy what does reportage work or journalistic work means? I m sorry people I know I m asking too many questions. But I dunno much abt photography except posing in front of the digital camera.
Re: Can Non Desi Photographers really Capture our Desiness?
My wife's brother does photography. He works with a lot of non desis and insists they can't capture our desi-ness.
I am indifferent to the whole thing.
Re: Can Non Desi Photographers really Capture our Desiness?
^Yes, I keep hearing that but can't capture desiness in what sense? I mean it's really confusing when people refer to this 'desiness' constantly and the poor gora photographers are made to sound all clueless.
Re: Can Non Desi Photographers really Capture our Desiness?
^ No, I don't think they are clueless. I just think they aren't exposed to our culture as much and as often as we are to theirs. And so it is unfair to expect them to know when and how to snap those oh so special moments.
When I get potential goray clients that come to my studio to have a consultation, they don't look if I am white or asian, they just look at my past work. Of course when you do a wedding of which you are not familiar with the culture you need to prep yourself by asking your clients plenty of questions on what generally happens, when it happens who does certain things etc. Sometimes its helpful to ask a client to show samples of work if they had it done for a friend or family member so we know what to expect. I do all sorts of weddings, I have done pakistani, malaysian, bengali, hindi, sikh, chinese, african and scottish. We all need to start somewhere and no one is born with all the knowledge of all cultures. Its just asking the right questions and doing plenty of research. You will probably find that the gora photographer will work harder as he probably will take pics of absolutely everything rather than just what needs to be done. and you will most likely have a better selection to choose from.
If you are unsure about the photographer look at his work, check his feedback if you can, show him some samples if you can get hold of them, try to tell him that asian weddings are really tough and people don't listen to anyone and they are always late, if that doesn't put him off then he will be worth a try.
I think most importantly with any photographer, make sure he has a system in place which he backs up all his work, you will be surprised at how many photographers call themselves a professional but don't want to spend the money on a decent camera or their IT equipment, and yes I have heard it plenty of times that a photographer has lost someone's photos as their hard drive burnt out.
Its worth spending the time to look for the right photographer but if you leave it too late you might not get one that you like. Most goray weddings are booked a couple of years in advance so if this photographers popular then make sure he is free for your wedding.
Thanks again SGC for helping me differentiate between one & another. I think I saw yr pictures on the website too. Beautiful MashaAllah.
Shark Man could it be that yr wife's brother is a Desi person that is why he said that Non Desis CAN'T do the work. As Shay mentioned abt Taimur.
Affy "If you are unsure about the photographer look at his work, check his feedback if you can, show him some samples if you can get hold of them, try to tell him that asian weddings are really tough and people don't listen to anyone and they are always late, if that doesn't put him off then he will be worth a try."
That sounds like a good idea. Wouldn't wanna scare them away though. Also how can I make sure abt the whole back up system thing. I mean what do I ask & how can I be sure a person is not just lying? I know that my cousin never got her wedding pictures last year because supposedly the photographer's hard drive crashed. Have heard abt a lot of people having the same issues.
Xenophanez what u said is true in a lot of ways. But just so it will be clear to everyone. By Desiness I dun mean anything weird abt us Desis. I mean every race or culture has its ups & downs, but who cares. Whole point was if others would know when to capture what & when. I personally think that our Desi weddings r very beautiful & colorful events compared to a lot of other cultures. And as Chanda mentioned. Write down all the poses etcetera.
I guess I have an idea of what to ask & of what to expect.
Oh & yeah thanks Angel for the links. I have a long list of people to email & call now.
Affy "If you are unsure about the photographer look at his work, check his feedback if you can, show him some samples if you can get hold of them, try to tell him that asian weddings are really tough and people don't listen to anyone and they are always late, if that doesn't put him off then he will be worth a try."
That sounds like a good idea. Wouldn't wanna scare them away though. Also how can I make sure abt the whole back up system thing. I mean what do I ask & how can I be sure a person is not just lying? I know that my cousin never got her wedding pictures last year because supposedly the photographer's hard drive crashed. Have heard abt a lot of people having the same issues.
You don't have to scare the guy, just let them know that our weddings are challenging and require a lot of attention at all times. I suppose there is no real way to check if the have a back up system, but I suppose you can put the question to them in a round about way and see what they say. Hard drives crashing can happen to anyone (allah na karay is happens to me), but if you have a backup in place then their is no way that can happen. I know of photographers locally here the say that their cameras got nicked (stolen) or their HD burnt out, a lot of the times this is an excuse as the pictures have not turned out right and they do not want anyone to see them and they lie about the facts so their reputation is not totally ruined, beware!
Going back to your question about desiness, well if there is desiness on display then surely it will be captured.
So this is what I have come up with. I m gonna rewrite everything u guys told me so that the future brides or maybe even grooms would be able to get some guidance later on from this thread, and now I m am gonna start my hunt. Wish me luck everyone.
**
Things to Ask a Wedding Photographer**
Availability for the date, and if so, what are their hourly rates and what is included.
Specify about wanting a male & female photographer and that it is a cultural wedding and there is more than one event that would need coverage.
Will they be there themselves or send an assistant? How many photographers do you get for how long? What is included in the package- is it digital work with all your pictures on cd, or do you get an album and copies in print? Are the proofs unmarked? Do the rights to the pictures belong to you or to them? How much deposit to secure them, and how/when do they want final payment?
Ask them for references from other clients.
Sit down with them, show them pictures/poses, explain to them what exactly are you looking for and what you DON'T want. Give them the breakdown of the main rasmein.
Let them know that our weddings are challenging and require a lot of attention at all times.
Write down all the poses, the ideas...the possible shots....and give a copy to the photographer.
Make sure the proofs are unmarked.
Own the copyright to your pictures.
Get all your files on DVD.
Make sure he/she has a system in place which he/she backs up all his/her work.
Re: Can Non Desi Photographers really Capture our Desiness?
there is some lady in chicago, sadaf, notr sure what her business is called, she is supposed to be very good and actually trained formally in this stuff rather than most desi hacks. Not sure fi she does weddings and all and just stills or also video but I can try and find out
Bint-e-naeem, you forgot TRUST your photographer to be a pro and do a good job. and TRUST your own good judgement when hiring someone for this very crucial and important rule in your wedding- if you don't get good vibes from someone, your instincts are probably trying to tell you something.
Also very important, look at their portfolio. Not just the pretty pics on their website, but ask to see a complete wedding, from end to end. This will give you an idea of what percentage of their photography is good and what percentage is average. Even the best photographer will have some so-so shots, so ask to see a full wedding- it will give you a better idea of their style and work.
Bint-e-naeem, you forgot TRUST your photographer to be a pro and do a good job. and TRUST your own good judgement when hiring someone for this very crucial and important rule in your wedding- if you don't get good vibes from someone, your instincts are probably trying to tell you something.
Also very important, look at their portfolio. Not just the pretty pics on their website, but ask to see a complete wedding, from end to end. This will give you an idea of what percentage of their photography is good and what percentage is average. Even the best photographer will have some so-so shots, so ask to see a full wedding- it will give you a better idea of their style and work.
:)
Thats a great point SGC, most photographers will only show you their portfolio or part of a photoshoot or a wedding. its only when you see the full wedding album you will know their style of photography.
Re: Can Non Desi Photographers really Capture our Desiness?
I think non-desi photographers quite enthusiastic regarding desi weddings. They capture each moment as if they want to re-live them themselves. They are fascinated by the surroundings, sounds, songs, activity and it shows in the pictures.
Re: Can Non Desi Photographers really Capture our Desiness?
[QUOTE]
Pareezay: Originally Posted by Sara516
^ and what he said abt the female fotog?
that they are lazy
[/QUOTE]
I dont agree with him at all, being a female photographer based in Islamabad I beg to differ in not just the typical poses but also in the variety of post processing.
