*bliss – Seshu's Wedding Photography [www.seshu.net]

Like Changes? Change Is Good!

I do like change, especially if it is going to make it easier on my clients. Lots of cool changes are afoot. First off, if you aren't viewing this blog via a RSS reader, you will notice that the layout of the blog has changed. This is so that you get to the content of the site quickly. Let me know what you think of it.

The fabulous Anne Ruthmann (whom I haven't met yet, but hope to soon) pointed out to me that one couldn't easily leave a comment here. So, starting now all you will have to do is to enter your email address and configure a pseudo-scrambled set of letters that tells the system this blog runs on that you are a real human being, before your comment should appear on the site. I value your feedback and look forward to hearing from you ... often!

Next up is something very dear to my heart. For the past six months almost, I have been working with a terrific designer to help me brand my business around my name. I'll go into why I am making the business name change in another post, but Brock Martin has patiently listened to my ideas and come up with a logo treatment that I think says a lot about the kind of clients I have had the pleasure serving in the past and hope to connect with in the future. Brock is also beginning to work on the new website that will live here - http://www.seshu.net. So, yeah, bookmark it and keep visiting. I promise to update you when things start to roll.

So, you are saying, "where is this new logo?" Well here it is:

Remember, you can now more easily leave your comments. So please feel free to do so!

(Soon to be) Published In People Magazine

I entered the WPJA 2006 Winter photo contest and didn't hear from anyone about it. Just as soon as I had uploaded the images, I too forgot about tracking it.

Then two days ago, out of the blue, a writer for People magazine called me up and said that the magazine was interested in licensing an image of mine she had seen on the WPJA site. I sat there in disbelief, wondering if this was one of my friends playing a gag on me. But I checked with some other photographers and sure enough they too had been approached to submit their images for publication in a special Weddings Issue to be released in June.

Well, the image she was interested in placed 19th in the contest. And thanks to David Roberts, who runs WPJA, the image you see below will appear in People magazine. I'll update this post with a specific date, when I find out.

Am I excited? Ooooooh, yeah! :~) I have to say this as well – I captured this moment when shooting with Jane Shauck, a terrific wedding photographer also based in Connecticut. Jane had me second-shoot and I want to publicly thank her for the opportunity.

Staying Sharp

I am a strong proponent of the line – "when you learn, you earn." I am always looking for opportunities to acquire new skills and hone those I currently use for my portraits and wedding photography business.

Neil van Niekerk is a terrific teacher and photographer. He will be leading a workshop about flash photography for an intimate group of about 15 photographers in Boston tomorrow. I am really looking forward to participating.

There is no better feeling than to bring these new techniques with me to a portrait session or a wedding, to produce even more spectacular images for my clients.

Here is more information about Neil through his blog and also his rich "techniques" website. If you should ever get the opportunity to hear him speak or give a demonstration; do not miss it. Neil is offering the flash workshop on February 27 and February 28. I believe there may still be a few spots open. Check it ou!

A Fresh Approach To Wedding Photography

Underscoring a fresh approach to wedding photography, I am launching four images over the course of the year that will be published in India New England, a newspaper based out of Boston, for the South Asian community.

Here is the first one that will be published in the paper's annual Weddings supplement:

Let me know what you think. Feel free to comment on this or any other post you see here.

The Season Opener

For most people the new season in their wedding business begins only in May or June. For me, the season opener is when I book my first wedding.

In January, Anjali and Eric approached me after seeing a newspaper advertisement and my work online. After several emails, a phone call or two and finally meeting them with Anjali's brother and father, they booked me for their Boston wedding on July 21, 2007.

Anjali comes from a art-history background and Eric works as an accountant. They will be married in a beautiful and artist-inspired location that I'll reveal in a future post. I am really excited about their wedding because of the kind of energy Anjali and Eric bring to their wedding planning. It's super-charged with great attention to detail and high-standards.

As a bonus, I will be working with a few very talented professionals. Charles "Nic" Dragomire is flying in from San Diego to second-shoot with me, Basia Winograd, an edgy New York city-based videographer will be documenting the wedding, Shoba Shastry is in charge of the decorations and Shelley Chhabra is working with Anjali in designing her trousseau.

I have been in touch with Anjali and Eric on a nearly weekly basis, even chatting with them online. Plans are to head up to Boston (when it is a little warmer) to do a quick engagement photo shoot with the two of them. I can't wait!

Being A Niche Photographer

I recently attended a workshop hosted by the wonderful photographer, Claudia Kronenberg, on Nantucket Island. Part of the workshop was about defining, or, in my case redefining my business goals and refining my niche.

With so many Indian and multi-ethnic weddings I have loved photographing over all these years, one might guess that my niche is the South Asian community. As an American of Indian origin, I am able to blend in, almost to the point of being mistaken for a guest. I know what to look for and position myself at the right time and in the right place in anticipation of a moment I know my clients would like captured. The rituals may appear similar from one wedding to the next, but what defines my images are the natural interactions of the bride and the groom with the people celebrating their wedding.

But it doesn't end there. With time and new skills, I have found I can create new products like albums, slideshows and print enlargements, that my clients will value forever. It is an awesome responsibility, but I take pride in that my images evoke and then refresh a memory of a cherished once-in-a-lifetime event.

My portfolio from 2006 is a great mix of weddings that are Indian, multi-ethnic and mainstream American. Going back to the images I created last year, I can see a definite pattern. It is of knowing in my heart that what I love to do best is to honestly and unobtrusively capture the emotions of the day. So my niche isn't just one community – it's photographing people and their essence from all walks of life.

Please continue visiting Pipal Productions to view new slideshows and special projects.

> Bliss Is Brought To You By Seshu Photography

This blog is brought to you by Seshu Photography: Wedding Photojournalism in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and beyond.

Refer my photo services to your friends and family and accept a $100 thank-you gift card.

Wedding Shoes

I have a slew of images to post from at least four weddings in the past month. Yesterday, I photographed in Billerica, MA where Nisha and Pat were married. I'll post images from their elegant backyard wedding soon. Meanwhile, I remember seeing this image behind the mandap and loving how the wires cordoned off the shoes which were left outside as a mark of respect.

Denise & Ben

Denise and Ben met as traveling nurses, contracting with hospitals for a few months of the year and then moving on to a different part of the country. Their last stop was in Hawaii and now will be working in San Francisco.

I photographed this wedding with Bill Wang, who taught me a few things about posing people during group portraits. His humor and enthusiasm got the job done.

Shruti & Ankur, The Images

Using digital cameras has its distinct advantages. I can quickly see what I have captured and make sure the focus, exposure and composition are all spot on. The other advantage to digital is that an image can be massaged into something that my mind's eye envisioned, taking the captured image beyond the ordinary. While this was possible in a wet darkroom years ago, it would have taken a whole lot more time and used up valuable natural and financial resources.

Today, the computer, Photoshop and raw image files are all that are necessary for me to create these spectacular custom prints for my clients, allowing me to depict their wedding more accurately and honestly. I call them Pipal Prints. And here are a few from Shruti and Ankur's wedding in East Brunswick, New Jersey.