Siddharth Sharma, founder of House On The Clouds zooms in on all the elements that make wedding photography most impactful and candid.
Excerpts from the interview with Siddharth Sharma of House On The Clouds:
T+L India: What inspires you when photographing a wedding?
Siddharth Sharma: I think it’s the unpredictability that inspires us the most. Although all weddings have more or less the same flow, we like to say each one is different—the emotions, the vibe and the character each wedding exudes is something we know little about, until we start knowing the couple well or sometimes even when we start shooting, and this is ever evolving—anything could happen anytime. That keeps us on our toes, allowing us to expect the unpredictable and at the same time, it is also very exciting and nerve-racking.
T+L India: What is your take on sustainable weddings, from the point of view of photography? Are they visually as stimulating?
Siddharth Sharma: Sustainable themes don’t necessarily ensure a visually-stimulating wedding, but they do stimulate one’s consciousness. And as photographers, it makes us feel good that we are a part of an endeavour, where a lot of thought is invested in ensuring the wedding celebration does more good not only for the families but beyond.
T+L India: According to you, what are some important things that a couple should know before booking their wedding photographer?
Siddharth Sharma: How much one connects with the work of the photographer is very important, in my opinion. This also gives enough, and more, leverage for a photographer to be creative and true to his or her signature style.
This is followed by one’s individual aesthetics, which play a vital role in how the final output is going to turn out. This is usually a balance of a few elements—the style of the photographer, details in terms of clothing, décor and venue. We are always trying to adapt and work around the setting to justify the atmosphere and the character it has. We want to challenge and push the boundaries beyond the regular and ordinary.
The unpredictability kicks in here too, with newer venues, different people, and several other elements. Finally, there’s the element of trust, that your photographer will do justice to the wedding to the best of their capabilities.
T+L India: In your experience, which colour palettes provide the best wedding photographs?
Siddharth Sharma: Colour palettes are a personal choice and do not necessarily affect the emotional quotient of wedding photographs. But personally, I prefer pastel and gold palettes for weddings.
T+L India: What has been your most memorable moment while shooting a wedding?
Siddharth Sharma: This is a very tough question to answer because selecting one single memorable moment from hundreds of moments from the hundreds of weddings we have shot is almost impossible! We have a huge collection of memories from so many weddings, which are all very dear to us. These little moments are what push us forward.
T+L India: If you had to pick one, which would be your favourite destination to shoot a wedding at and why?
Siddharth Sharma: I don’t think there can be a better place to get married other than your home. The emotions flow so freely and comfortably and this enables people to interact more—there are more conversations, more tears, and more laughter.
T+L India: What would be your advice to future brides and grooms looking to get good wedding photographs?
Siddharth Sharma: Trust the photographer. Be relentless in your search and quizz the photographer with questions about his or her work, but once you finalise a photographer have deep faith in their abilities. Wedding photography is a very tough job and your trust makes a huge difference to the quality of photographs.
Related: Choosing Sustainable Wedding Gifts, As Recommended By Experts
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