Spontaneous, with love… Click!

Daguerreotype portrait of man smiling, clicked in 1850s was among the first few photographs with the subject smiling. Back in the day, a smiling photograph was as rare as a reel camera is in 2015. This was largely due to the exposure time each photograph took, and also given the fact that photography was an expensive affair.

Cut to present, you have cameras everywhere, making the clichéd ‘posed’ photographs, a passé. This must explain why candid shots are in huge demand, especially among the lots who are ready to get hitched. Riding on this trend are photographers like Abhinav Sagar, who makes sure that every photograph is knit to emotions, so that you cherish them for eternity.

“Candid photos are always a treasure. Earlier, during wedding shoots, couples were the only subject. Now, candidly capturing subtle moments is what everyone longs to have. Families love them, too,” says the techie turned shutterbug, Abhinav Sagar, the owner of ASP (Abhinav Sagar Photography).

For Abhinav, it was an “accidental rendezvous” with photography, after he completed his Masters in Computer Science in the US. “My mom gifted me an SLR in 2010. I had no idea how to use it. It was there with me so I took a few courses to learn how to use it. But, that did not turn out positive. Ultimately, after watching videos on YouTube I finally started working part-time as a photographer in the US by shooting weddings, fashion shoots and events. After garnering experience there, I came back and started ASP,” he shares.

Explaining his signature style, “Indian weddings are always busy, rather chaotic. Despite all that, capturing moments without missing anything is the key,” he says. “It is always difficult to capture the right moment. People are so emotive all the time. Sometimes, by the time we set the frame, their expressions change. These are our real world challenges.

All I make sure is that I don’t miss any of these moments and maintain the spontaneity in capturing them,” he mentions. Talking about composed-candid clicks, “These depend on the couple. If they require the properties during their shoot we use them. Asking the couple to pose in certain moment and capturing happens here,” he explains.

Many a time, it is these photos that bring out the better of the couple, also sometimes, it is vice versa. “Pre-wedding shoots often help as a catalyst for the couple to bond. But, not all the couples are comfortable with each other especially, if it is an arranged marriage,” says the photographer.

“However, during the post-wedding shoots the couple is familiar with each other and an intimacy is building, thereby making our lives much easier,” he explains. He is all vivacious when asked about his team, “I’m fortunate to have a great team who brings with them their vast experience, with an eye for photography,” shares Abhinav.