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South Asian weddings are in a league of their own when it comes to tradition and festivity. And no one knows this better than award-winning, Canadian-based, international photographer, Andrew Adams. Andrew describes South Asian weddings as a "non-stop kaleidoscope of vibrant colours and stirring customs". When this visual feast is accompanied by warm South Asian friendliness, it becomes a wedding photographer's dream.

Andrew has been capturing the soul of South Asian weddings for over 12 years. His gift for style and creativity has made him very successful, and his love of travelling off the beaten path gives him the insight to capture the customs and soul of his South Asian weddings. A recent trip to India for a wedding was his latest opportunity to be immersed in South Asian culture. It was the only way to be up close and personal with one of his favourite subjects. Andrew spent a month on this trip, exploring the multitude of sub-cultures that makes up India including Varanasi, one of holiest cities in India and a major pilgrimage place for Hindus. And witnessing firsthand the ceremonies and rituals along the Ganges River struck a very special cord with Andrew. "I will never forget the immensity of the culture there and the spirituality of the Indian people. It grabbed me from deep within and won’t let go."

His signature style and ability to capture the essence of the occasion has earned Andrew respect and accolades from among his peers and clients.

Andrew’s sensitivity to the tacit interaction between a bride and groom belies his passion for photography. The wedding is marked throughout with emotional moments. South Asian weddings emphasize this union of the husband and wife and of their families as well. Large guest lists of friends and relatives make these South Asian weddings a very festive celebration. Add to that the various other wedding related ceremonies, and you have a wonderful stream of pomp and camaraderie that ensures the new couple get a great start in their new life together.

Andrew describes himself as a "visual storyteller", incorporating images that are as meaningful as they are beautiful. Evoking the true essence of the day, these images take on a life of their own. While fashion wears out through time, these keepsakes capture the moment for generations to come.

A client recently wrote, “Dear Andrew. My entire family wishes to thank you for your hard work and amazing talent. You captured our wedding beautifully and gave us a gift that we will hold close to our hearts for generations to come. I know because I still keep a picture of my mother on her wedding day on my desk. Thank you for your patience, grace, and professionalism in both India and Toronto. You navigated a host of obstacles and still created amazing photographs. We will always be grateful. Sincerely,

Palak and Medha”

These memories are preserved in beautiful art albums made with custom layouts and binding. Andrew uses fine leathers, silks and archival papers, and works closely with his couples to create albums that reflect their individual style and personality. "We have even taken leftover silk from a bride's wedding sari to create a very personalized album cover." Andrew is high on creativity but straightforward in his approach to developing wedding albums, and he is more than happy to share his philosophy on creating these unique heirlooms. "Albums should tell the complete story of the wedding day and include the important moments that take place on the sidelines. They should allow a person to live in the moment again and again. For the newlyweds, these albums should let them see their special day in a different light and discover the things they missed in the chaos of the day's events.”

A ‘visual storyteller and historian’, Andrew understands and appreciates the customs and traditional elements of South Asian weddings. Having a particular interest in the culture, quite apart from the weddings, keeps him in touch with the essence of the people and the customs.

Andrew’s affable nature and open honesty is evident in his images. He establishes a candid and natural relationship with his couples and their guests, putting them at ease in front of his camera. He does this by staging a pre-wedding day photo session to establish a rapport. "I like to get to know my couples before the wedding day so they will be comfortable when I am present. This lets them focus on their special day and enables me to capture the unique moments in a real and un-contrived setting. These off-guard moments often turn out to be my best photographs of the day”.

Some South Asian weddings can pose a financial challenge with the plethora of events to celebrate various occasions. Andrew suggests talking to your photographer about building a custom package that includes all of the important events. The mehndi, sangeet, garba and bharat are smaller events but they are important and should be included in your complete collection of wedding images.

While he got his start in film photography, Andrew has embraced digital technology because it has allowed him to raise his artistic craft to the next level. The increasing use and acceptance of digital cameras nowadays has made image manipulation easy and common. "Photoshop is an amazing tool for the creative artist but it can be overused, thus dating your wedding pictures if not used discriminately." Andrew uses image editing only to enhance the photo, and refrains from the trendy digital effects. He prefers to focus on making an honest and beautiful image. "At the end of the day, good technical skills, combined with creative talent, are the most important characteristics of an excellent wedding photographer." Long after the guests bid Namaste, the lasting record of a wonderful wedding is captured in the photography. And making these images sing with the experience of love, joy and happiness is Andrews' lifelong passion.

Andrew Adams is a Toronto-based photographer. In 2006 Andrew was named by the National Post as one of Canada’s top wedding photographers. In 2007 Andrew won a national wedding photography contest called the Captured moment. When not photographing weddings Andrew loves to travel, and document life in places off the beaten path. Andrew is available for travel, and welcomes inquiries for destination weddings. For more details and to view Andrew’s work, please visit http://www.andrewadamsphotography.com/

Email:Info@andrewadamsphotography.com

Telephone 416.599.3662