Bride and Groom portraits are a big part of Indian Wedding photos which get shared again and again over Instagram. We believe that is one of the biggest skilled art to take great portraits in the crunch of time. Fortunately, most Indian wedding brides invest in home decor for their home events and background where they can take family pictures or getting ready images on the day of the wedding. See below our home decor tips for your Indian wedding.
Home Decor
Here are four things couples sometimes do wrong when they are getting their home decor from a photography standpoint.
1. Distance
For photographers to take images in front of the background, we need space in front of the background. We recommend having 10 feet minimum clearance in front of the backdrop you are setting up so we can use our portrait lens. If we do not have a clearance of at least 6-8 feet in front of the backdrop, we would rather not use the backdrop as it will not allow us to use the right lens we need to create those portraits.
2. Colors
Colors are a personal preference. After understanding what kind of look you are going for, we will give you some recommendations.
- Dramatic and Regal – Most Indian brides prefer that regal morning look since most things have a royal feel for Hindu or Sikh weddings. This particular look is going to have warm tones, filmy looks and muted backdrops.
- Colors of backgrounds that work with dramatic and regal are golds, maroons, browns and olives.
- Bright and airy – Bright and airy is a more modern look which most of our Indian wedding brides like for the reception look as it is more chic and GQ-esque. This particular look has cooler tones, crisp colors and bright backdrops.
- Colors of background that work with bright and airy are whites, blush pinks, pastels and baby colors.
Note – At the wedding, we want the attention fully on the bride and groom so bright backdrop do take more attention than the subjects as viewers’ eyes lean towards the brightest spots of the room. In the case of a white background is on the backdrop, not the bride.
3. Distractions
- Avoid picture frames, or any other distractions hanging in the middle where the bride and groom will be standing.
A good photographer always keeps one thing in mind, bubbles around the heads! Concept comes from ancient days of painting, where subjects should always have space around their heads. We do not want anything coming out of your body or head so if you have anything distracting we will recommend removing it.
4. Light
- Light source required depends on the look you are going for, we suggest that you consult us before setting up your home decor as we can guide you where the light will be most suitable to create the look you desire for your pictures. If you are looking for a bright and airy look, then set up the backdrop next to the largest windows in the house. On the flip side, if you are looking to create a dramatic look, stay away from the windowed space and we can create light on our own.
Must-Haves for Great Bridal and Groom Portraits
1. Seat with no back support
- Most decorators will recommend you those couches which back support although photography-wise we recommend that brides and grooms sit on a bench or backless chairs.
- Reasoning behind that is that when we take a picture on your eye level, we will see the lines of the back of the chair support cutting your head or your body. Also, if the chair is of a bright color, it might distract the viewer of the image. The final goal is having a bubble around the head, so no back support is the way to go.
- So, have a small stool which we can put any dark color bed sheet or nice warm tone dark fabric and we are good to go. Also, keep in mind side arms chairs work as well.
2. Flooring matters
- Often times we have brides and grooms have phenomenal backdrops at their homes but with wooden or tiled flooring. We highly recommend having a carpet or fabric to match the look of the backdrop. If we have a regal backdrop with a modern tiled floor, we will have to crop the image half so we can avoid seeing the floor for cohesiveness.
3. Small step stool
- To help the bride and groom keep posture straight, it is always good to have a small step stool where the bride and groom can put one foot up so their back stays straight. If you look at old paintings from Sikh Gurus and Kings, they always had footrest in their portraits.
4. Mirrors
- Mirrors are great for portraits, so if you have a mirror about 4 ft to 5 ft at your house which can come off the wall then we can create some reflection masterpieces for you.
Hope these were helpful and which might help you understand what works from a photography perspective and stuff like candles always add another layer of perfection and depth to your images.
Check out some additional educational tips for your wedding photography here.