Sunday, March 23, 2008

The Photographer

It’s not that easy to get a wedding photographer less than two months before one’s wedding. Or rather, it’s not that easy to secure the service of a highly recommended photojournalist two months before one’s wedding.

One of the best wedding photojournalists around would be none other than the Principal Photographer of CandidSyndrome - Saiful Nang. This guy is in great demand and must be booked many, many months in advance.

I must also admit that I admire Ikram Ismail’s work – yes, he one of the exclusive Photographers. There’s nothing wrong with admitting my admiration although I know that I can’t afford that particular package I really like, right?

One can always consult their recently married friends for recommendations of wedding photojournalists. But if all else fails, then, there are many wedding photographers ready to offer their service who could be found around here and various photo studios. The normal charge is depends on how many event or per session we want. I peeked at some portfolios and thought that a few are quite okay even if they are not as impressive as Ikram Ismail’s or Saiful Nang’s. But hey, that’s the reason why they cost so differently, right?

It doesn’t take a pair of trained eyes to notice the difference between highly professional and semi-professional photography. When I attended one of my friend’s wedding in SA about few months ago, I have seen how the photographer cleverly guided the newly wed couple for prompted shots. The end results, I must admit look natural and professionally handled. The photos of my friends and his wife took for the sambut menantu kenduri in SA though were something else – they looked rather stiff despite all the cheery genuine smiles. “The photographer did not guide us as thoroughly as the one in SA did,” He explained as I flipped the pages of his wedding albums, remarking on how different they looked on the two separate occasions.

While most of people doesn’t believe in spending a small fortune (“Our friends and family can take our pictures for free right?”) for a wedding photographer, I’ve consulted many friends and majority of them recommended hiring a professional. “Consider it a long term investment. This is something you want to share with your kids, insya Allah, with your menantu, your cucu.. This is something you want to keep for life,” a friend advised.

Okay maybe my dearest fiancé has a valid point in pointing out that our wedding is just a one-day event to start our adventure together for the rest of our lives and if possible, it’s better to save what we can for the future. Still, I’m a sucker for beautiful photos. In fact, I’m simply a sucker for any kind photos, beautiful or otherwise. And I really, really want the essence of our big day to be nicely, naturally, professionally captured on photos.

Thus, We finally settled on hiring a photographer from fp, who was personally recommended by Alang. While I must admit that his portfolio is not as impressive as SN’s or Ikram’s – I consoled myself that at least he’s willing to listen to my wish of must-take shots and even willing to take a look at other people’s photos to get a better understanding of my wish.

After some sort of research - browsing through friends’ and colleagues’ wedding albums, browsing the net for suggestions - I've just compiled a list of must-take shots. Of course these are apart from the obligatory photos on the pelamin – the bride and groom together, the couple with her parents, the couple together with his parents, the couple with all parents, the couple with her entire immediate family, the couple with his entire immediate family, the couple with immediate family members from both sides, the couple with both pengapits, the couple with her extended family members, the couple with his extended family members, the couple with guests insisting on having a picture together on the pelamin and on and on and on..

Here’s my personal list of crucial moments I hope not to be missed by my photographer – please let me know if I should add more, in case I’ve left some important moments…

Majlis Akad Nikah
- The groom before the akad
- The bride before the akad
- The signing of the last few forms in front of the Kadhi
- Ayah before akad (he’s going to do the akad himself)
- Ayah as he utter the akad
- The groom as he utter the lafaz nikah
- The groom as he is about to start the solat sunat
- The groom putting on the ring
- Close up of the hands as the groom slips the ring onto the bride’s finger
- Close-up of the bride kissing the groom’s hand
- Close-up of the groom kissing the bride’s forehead
- The group family picture after the akad

The Kenduri
- Shot from outside the house, the canopy and all
- The preparation by caterer, orang dapur & other last minute touch up on this and that
- The Marhaban group in action
- The bride getting ready/made up
- Mak helping the bride out with last minute stuff like checking on the selendang
- Ayah whispering last minute advice as he kisses the bride’s forehead
- The bride checking herself out in the mirror
- Detail of clothing, shoes, the invitation card, the ring, the bridal bouquet
- Detail of the hantaran, bilik pengantin, pelamin, bunga pahar
- Some touching shot with Mak, Ayah, Abang, Adik, cousins, uncles, aunties, grandma
- The bride with her pengapit
- The groom with his pengapit
- A rear shot of the bride standing, looking down one side at the floral bouquet in her hand
- Some touching shots of the groom with his family as they wait for the kompang procession to begin.
- Close up of the groom’s adorably nervous stance before the procession begin
- Close up of the bride’s nervous posture as the procession nears her house
- The flower girls laughing and grinning among themselves
- The kompang boys as they ketuk the kompang vigorously and sang loudly
- Flower girls happily leading the procession
- The procession
- Guests whispering to each other as they watch the procession
- Wide shot of the guests from the procession’s point of view.
- Close up of the hands holding firmly as the bride and groom proceeds
- Bride and groom at the head table for makan beradat (or is it makan berhadap?)
- All guests at the head table
- Detail of special bunga telur, goblets and food item on the head table from side view
- Close up of the groom and bride feeding each other
- Detail of the wedding cake and the cake table
- Bride and groom cutting the cake
- Bride and groom feeding each other the cake
- Congrats shots – bride and groom hugging, laughing, crying, and accepting well wishes and handshakes from close friends and family.
- Bride’s and groom’s parents chatting with each other
- Kids playing and messing around with the bunga telur, the canopy, the pelamin or something
- Bride laughing or giggling with her pengapit
- Groom with his arm affectionately around his pengapit
- Bride and groom chatting up guests

just my 2cents at 10:16 AM |

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