Since 1999, I’ve been photographing weddings all over the world in a candid, non-posed style. This allows my clients to focus on enjoying their wedding day rather than being directed by the photographer. I’ve found people are infinitely more interested in seeing what really happened rather than the photographer running them through a standard template of photographs that can be seen at any wedding. To me, the best photographs are ones that are moments that are just happening and that cannot be recreated or posed. For Indian and Hindu weddings, which typically occur over a 3 day period, there is a theoretically infinite number of moments to observe and photograph. Things usually begin with the Mehndi, which includes hennas, then the dinner called the Sangeet. The Baraat is the processional with the groom and his family walking and dancing (originally with a white horse, which still happens if the space allows for it) to meet the bride and the bride’s family. The ceremony includes the Saptapadi, which is when the bride and groom walk around the seven stations of fire. The reception has a number of events, including the Bhangra, a Punjab folk dance.
In 2001, I photographed my first travel wedding in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, entirely on film. I had already photographed many Indian and Hindu weddings in Seattle when I was commissioned to photographs weddings in Rajasthan, India and Bangkok, Thailand for the same couple in 2005. Since then, I’ve photographed over 20 Indian weddings, mostly in Seattle and Minneapolis. Clients can see how much I love black and white photographs in my portfolios, so I figured it was time to give these vibrant, colorful weddings their own portfolio as they tend to be significantly more colorful than my usual work.
This link will take you directly to the gallery. Like the rest of my portfolios, click the “+” in the upper right of the first image to scroll through them at full size.
To see more Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN portraits, wedding photography and weddings all over the world, visit my main portfolio on bradleyhanson.com or email me at info@bradleyhanson.com or call me at 206-393-8292 and we can discuss your wedding plans in detail.