South Asian Culture Basics: Anand Karaj

Generally, it's called a wedding; but Sikhs have a sacred name for it: "Anand Karaj", which is Punjabi for "blissful union."

Sikh marital unions are closer in principle to western marriages than any other South Asian cultures, in that Sikhs are free to choose their partners, provided they are also Sikhs. However, the Anand Karaj is vastly different from a western wedding ceremony.

The Anand Karaj consists of a series of rituals, many of which involve paying respect to the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhism's sacred text. The ceremony also does away with marriage documents, needing nothing more than an affirmation by the bride and groom of their undying love for each other.

One of the highlights of the Anand Karaj is the four wedding rounds known as the Lavan. These rounds signify the four stages in a life of love: duty to the family and community, selfless love and holy fear, freedom from any desire other than God, and total harmony. As these verses are sung, the couple walks around the Guru Granth Sahib four times.

At the end of the Anand Karaj is the feast. Unlike Christian churches, the Gurdwara, where the wedding ceremony takes place, comes with its own free kitchen where the food for the guests is prepared and served.

Sublime Shots: Helping Your Wedding Photographer Take Great Photos

The thing about group portraits is that if you want more shots of different groups of people, the more time it will take to take each one. You can either go for a shorter list while being able to try multiple shots in different angles with each, or a longer list that includes several people but offers very little room to correct bad shots.

Working with a reliable wedding photographer will allow you to capture the best moments of your special day and turn them into lifelong memories. Don’t overwork yourself by focusing too much on the details, because what makes a wedding perfect isn’t solely the presence of a solid plan – but its smooth execution as well.

http://www.pixcellence.co.uk/info-articles/sublime-shots-helping-your-wedding-photographer-take-great-photos/

When an Asian Wedding Photographer Meets Sikh Culture in a Wedding

Taking snapshots of an Asian wedding— specifically a Sikh one—requires a different skillset. For starters, a professional wedding photographer must know the do’s and don’ts in Sikhism.

When your country used to have an empire that covered a quarter of the world, the influx of cultures to and from the home country stays for good. From a small community in the U.K. before World War II, Indians have swelled to a population of more than 400,000, 97 percent of which are concentrated in England. Today, they’re just as British as any natural Briton.

http://www.pixcellence.co.uk/industry-news/asian-wedding-photographer-meets-sikh-culture-wedding/

Working Wonders with your Wedding Photographer

Before hiring a photographer for your wedding, understand first that photographers are artists. They create art works out of captured real life images, and to do that, you need to leave them enough room to recreate images or moments during the occasion. There will be great pictures, and middling ones, but it is best that you can work with your photographer cooperatively and openly communicate how to capture moments brilliantly, as immortalized in pictures.

Candid photos are stunning, but do not underestimate the power of the pose. Sit with your photographer and settle on major shot selections, background shots, and even incorporation of quirky, yet memorable ideas. Bring out fashion magazines and get inspired by the ideas in them. Take note of the elements used in the cover and inside shots, and study how the elements combine to make the photos stand out.

It is also important to ask the photographer for access to his sorting session beforehand. This is handy if you’d like to determine which shots you’d like to include in the album, and identify those needing post-production work. However, remember that your input and that your photographer’s are required during this sorting session, or you might end up loathing each other.

Remember the saying, “There are no rules for good photographs”. You can set limitations as to the places where the photographer can position himself, when to snap photos, and other details. Being the artist that your photographer is, let him (or her) wield his magic.