7 Steps to Master Tamil Wedding Photography

As a professional photographer who specialises in wedding photography, I’ve had the privilege of capturing hundreds of weddings over the years. Tamil wedding photography or in general any wedding photograph is much more than just clicking the shutter button.

Professional wedding photography is about preserving the rich traditions and beautiful moments of a wedding that defines the cultural celebration. 

When the traditional customs, the intricate details of the event and the vibrant colours come together, it creates an unforgettable atmosphere where you can take traditional Tamil wedding couple photos and do candid wedding photography Tamil people love.

When you photograph a Tamil wedding, try to tell the story of the couple in a creative way, ask them how they want their Tamil pre-wedding photoshoot to be done. Talk about all the lively ceremonies that they want you to capture and more.

The end goal here is to tell the couple’s story with your camera and highlight their journey as well as cultural heritage.

Whenever I do a traditional wedding photography I always make sure to pay close attention to elements such as the couple’s attire, traditional jewellery, and ceremonial details. Paying attention to these small details help me to create images that will be cherished for generations.

The Essence of Tamil Wedding Photography

I have talked about this point in my previous articles as well, “Make it a point to understand the culture and tradition of your client”. If you have a Tamil wedding photography lined up in your schedule, knowing about the Tamil wedding culture is very essential.

Every step of a Tamil wedding is infused with tradition from the marriage mangalyam photos to Tamil traditional wedding photos during the various ceremonies – every photo tales the unique and rich Tamil culture.

Now as much as you would love to capture all the intricacies of these moments, always make sure that you are being discrete and respectful during these ceremonies. 

I have seen it a hell lot of times where the photographer does very unprofessional work and stands next to the couple during intimate ceremonies like the tying of mangalsutra or even worse they go on stage during exchange of garlands.

I know you want to capture these moments to add depth to your photo and visual story but there is a proper way of doing so. Get yourself a zoom lens, preferably a f2.8, 24-75mm.

You’ll find that by blending into the background and observing quietly you can capture the moments for what they are and that too without disrupting the flow of the event – isn’t that what we as professionals should aim for?

Now if you are a photographer that serves all over India and has to deal with different cultures, you can check out my articles on Bengali wedding photography, Telugu wedding photography and Marathi wedding photography to get an understanding of how to deal with clients with different cultural backgrounds.

Traditional vs. Modern Approaches in Tamil Wedding Photography

Wedding photography as a whole has evolved over the years. I believe that modern day photographers like us like to blend the traditional styles with modern trends for creating a stunning and timeless wedding album

Traditional Tamil wedding photography focuses on capturing the rituals and ceremonies that have very important significance and on the other hand modern approach to Tamil wedding photography emphasises candid moments, creative angles and innovating lighting techniques, etc.

Here are some ways I’ve balanced traditional and contemporary styles:

• Traditional: I prioritise capturing key moments of the rituals, such as the bride’s entrance or the couple’s first look, ensuring every meaningful event is documented.
• Modern: I incorporate outdoor wedding photography and dramatic lighting to bring out the natural beauty of the couple and surroundings.
• Candid: I strive for wedding candid photography to capture raw emotions as the couple interacts with family and friends.
• Pre-wedding: In recent years, couples have started taking a keen interest in pre-wedding photography. I try to convince them for a night romantic pre-wedding session if possible to add a sense of mysterious romance to the couple’s photo.

By blending these styles in my wedding photograph, I increase my chances for creating a comprehensive album that honours the Tamil culture and tradition as well as reflects the couple’s love story in a unique way.

I have made a table below, to help you get a quick glance and understand the difference between three different approaches in Tamil wedding photography – Traditional, Modern and Candid.

Traditional Tamil wedding photography	Modern and Creative Tamil wedding photography	Candid wedding photography Tamil
Focuses on capturing rituals and ceremonies	Uses creative angles and dynamic lighting	Captures spontaneous emotions and interactions
Detailed documentation of cultural traditions	Incorporates outdoor settings and natural landscapes	Captures the essence of moments as they happen
Emphasises ceremonial shots like tying the mangalsutra	Utilises contemporary styles such as black and white photography	Shows real, unposed moments of joy and love
Maintains a respectful distance during rituals	Blends traditional and modern poses for variety	Brings out the couple’s genuine expressions

Aim to strike the right balance between traditional and modern approaches, do not just stick to one approach and overdo it. If you strike the balance correctly, you’ll be able to create an album that is a true reflection of the couple’s special day and cultural heritage. The beauty of this approach is that you’ll have photographs that are both beautiful and meaningful.

Key Elements for Stunning Tamil Wedding Photos

The goal of a good wedding photographer is always to encapsulate the key moments and elements that make the day special. When doing a Tamil wedding remember to capture all the grand festivities as each event has its own unique opportunities for beautiful shots.

For example during Tamil engagement photography sessions and Tamil wedding couple photography sessions you can get so many intimate moments between the couple. 

If I were in your shoes I would prepare a shot list for Tamil wedding photography poses in advance and keep it with me so that I don’t miss any shot.

When you are doing a Tamil village wedding photography always strive to photograph moments that symbolises family bonding, cultural pride and love such as the bride’s family welcoming the groom or the couple’s first shared meal as husband and wife for these are the moments that the elders of the family in Tamil village will appreciate the most.

Now you can take a mixed approach for shooting these moments – blending candid and posed photos.

This way you will be able to create a visual story that is authentic and also remain present and ready for spontaneous moments while respecting the sanctity of rituals and ceremonies.

The Role of Lighting and Composition in Tamil Wedding Photography

Now, this again is a topic that I have touched upon in my previous articles. I have said it before and I’ll say it again because it is just that important “Lighting can make or break your photos. So use lighting carefully”.

Let’s forget that we are wedding photographers for a moment, we all still know how important lighting and composition are for capturing a great photo, right? And wedding photography not only Tamil wedding photography but wedding photography of all sorts are no exception.

Good lighting will dramatically enhance the colours, the sharpness, the patterns, the decoration – literally everything that you shoot in your Tamil marriage photos.

Whether you are capturing your couples against the glow of traditional lamps or natural sunlight during outdoor ceremonies by simply  adjusting your camera settings you can bring out the best in each shot.

In my photos, I also use composition techniques. Nothing fancy, just the basics but the good stuff like the rule of thirds and leading lines.

It helps to frame the subject in a much better and appealing way, their photos become more balanced and appealing to the eye.

These methods help in guiding the viewer’s eye and highlight the couple’s love and connection. 

By balancing these techniques you can create a visually stunning and cohesive set of images.

• Lighting: Adjusting for natural light and artificial sources to enhance the depth and vibrancy of colours in your Tamil wedding day pictures.
• Composition: Using creative framing techniques to focus on the couple’s emotions and interactions with their loved ones.
• Outdoor settings: Leveraging the natural beauty of the landscape for Tamil wedding outdoor photography.

In the words of Ansel Adams, “Photography is about capturing souls, not smiles.” This quote from his renowned book, “The Camera,” resonates with me and it always reminds me to go a step further and look beyond the superficial beauty and strive to capture the true beauty of the moment through careful use of light and composition.

I believe that combining effective lighting and composition with an understanding of Tamil wedding photo shoot traditions will lead to beautiful and meaningful photographs that your clients will be so happy to see. 

Incorporating Candid Moments in Traditional Posing Styles

Here’s a secret for all the beginner photographers – Client’s want you to tell them how to pose. 

Blending candid moments with traditional poses is like mixing colours on an artist’s palette—if used properly, it has the potential to create a masterpiece. 

Mixing candid photography Tamil styles with traditional posing offers a sense of respect for the couple’s heritage while at the same time capturing those natural moments that can only come out in a candid photo.

I remember listening to a podcast where a fellow photographer (I am really sorry, I forgot his name) was sharing his experience of his first Tamil wedding. He said “Capturing these weddings is like entering a world where every detail is imbued with deep cultural meaning.” 

“It’s not just about the couple—it’s about their entire family, their ancestors, and their shared traditions,” he added. 

He further added  “I focused on clicking photos that will make for a great Tamil marriage album photo and ceremonial moments, while also photographing spontaneous interactions between the couple and their families.”

These candid yet posed shots will not only add depth to the album but also highlight the true emotions of the day. By balancing the formal and informal you will be able to create a really unique story for your couple that is truly theirs.

An example of this could be asking your couple to do some fun activity in a controlled environment so that you can get those candid moments and also maintain the traditional feel of the photo.

Editing Techniques for Vibrant Tamil Wedding Albums

Mastering post-production is not a one day affair, it’s a constant learning curve but I’ll try to ease it down for you. 

When it comes to editing Tamil wedding photography your main focus and goal should be to enhance the vibrancy and richness of colours without sacrificing the authenticity of the photo.

You must bring out the best out of your tamil wedding outdoor photo and indoor photos by adjusting the exposure, contrasts and colours so that you can emphasise the beauty of the Tamil traditional attire and floral decoration. 

I recently shared on my instagram how subtle edits can make a big difference and add an artistic touch to your photos. If you want to see a live comparison of my raw and edited photos you can visit my instagram @offbeatmihir.

To achieve this I follow a structured editing workflow that I created to ensure consistency and quality throughout my photos. Here’s a breakdown of my process:

Step	Description
Colour correction	Adjusting white balance and colour temperature for accuracy.
Exposure adjustments	Enhancing brightness and contrast to bring out details.
Saturation tweaks	Boosting the vibrancy of traditional colours like red and gold.
Skin tone refinement	Perfecting skin tones while preserving natural hues.
Detail enhancement	Sharpening details and textures, such as jewellery and fabric.
Subtle retouching	Removing distractions and minor imperfections for a clean look.
Artistic touches	Adding unique filters or vignettes when appropriate.
Gradients	Adding a radial or linear gradient to give a dreamy look.
Consistency check	Ensuring a unified look across the entire album.

By following this workflow I am able to create a vibrant and cohesive set of pictures that look beautiful and are consistent. I suggest you take this table as your reference point when you start editing your Tamil wedding photos. Take a screenshot of it for later or you can always revisit the blog.

Preserving Memories: Choosing the Right Print Products for Your Wedding Album

Memories – that is what we as a photographer create.

Preserving these memories is an important aspect of any wedding photography and it starts with selecting high-quality print products that will do justice to the vibrant images captured in a Tamill wedding photography.

You must choose the right print medium as it also reflects on you as a professional wedding photographer and shows how much you care for your clients and the efforts you put behind preserving these unforgettable moments of your client.

When I deliver a wedding album, I always focus on the following key aspects:

• Print quality: I always opt for premium paper types that enhance colour depth and provide a tactile experience as well.
• Album design: I customise the layout of each album to include key moments from the wedding and ensure a balanced mix of candid and posed photos.
• Cover and binding: I always choose durable, elegant materials that complement the theme of the wedding and protect the album over time.
• Sizes and formats: This one is optional. You can consider different sizes for versatility such as a large album for the couple and smaller ones as gifts for family but this obviously will depend on the client’s budget and how much of it they are willing to allocate to the album.

By taking care of these simple factors you can create a wedding album that will stand out from the rest of your competitions. 

Conclusion

I strongly believe that capturing the essence of a Tamil wedding photography is a very incredible journey that not only has artistry but also respect for Tamil culture.

A sweet blend of traditional elements of photography with the contemporary techniques will enable you to tell the couple’s story in a way that preserves their memories of the big day of their life.

Weddings are not just about the bride and groom but about two families becoming one, the blending of traditions and histories.

Each Tamil wedding that you’ll photograph will offer a glimpse into the beauty and richness of the Tamil culture and you must consider it a privilege to be a part of these special moments of the couple and their family. You are creating something that they’ll cherish for life.

A note of brides to be and grooms to be

If by any chance you are a bride to be or a groom to be reading this article and are interested in consulting with me for your photography needs, you can message me on WhatsApp or call me at +91 6393168551. I’ll be more than happy to help you bring your vision for your wedding to life. You can check out my work here: Professional wedding photographer – Mihir Soni.

I’ll catch you in the next article, until then capture the world one frame at a time.

Peace out.