Asian Wedding Photographer
I’m Allister Freeman, an experienced Indian wedding photographer, capturing Asian weddings including Sikh, Hindu and Muslim across London, the UK and Europe. My wedding photography has led me to work with couples across a variety of cultures and faiths and in all kinds of interesting locations – from the traditional to the downright quirky and everything in between.
If you’re interested in me being your Indian wedding photographer, get in touch to discuss pricing and availability.
See Indian weddings, stories & articles on the blog…
Sikh Wedding Photography
If you’re having a traditional Sikh wedding, it’s important to hire a wedding photographer that respects and understands everything that goes into the making of your Sikh wedding day (or days!). Sikh weddings can often run over two to three days, starting with the Kurmai, the engagement ceremony, and running all the way through to the big, loud and vibrant wedding reception – where the dance moves really get brought out. I mean, really.
Sikh ceremonies are beautiful to photograph and carry some traditions that really are best told in a narrative style – the groom is presented with a ceremonial sword, his arriving on decorated horseback for the meeting of the families, the Bride’s first appearance. Capturing those important moments in the Gurdwara is key to telling the story of your day, especially as they often involve the family.
I love to capture the father of the bride passing the scarf to his daughter as a symbolic sign of him passing his care to her new husband, and the family helping the Bride to complete her walks around the Guru Granth Sahib to show their support for her joining a new family.
As a reportage style Indian wedding photographer, I’ll be at the heart of the action, but practically go unnoticed. And there’s plenty of action to be at the heart of after a Sikh wedding. The vibrant colours and energetic dancing provides plenty of material for photographers looking to produce a visually stunning wedding album.
Hindu Wedding Photography
Hindu weddings provide a visual feast for the wedding photojournalist, you become truly immersed in the emotion of the day.
I’ve photographed Hindu weddings in all kinds of locations, as the venue is usually chosen by the Bride’s family. Family, as with all the Indian weddings I’ve been involved in, are at the heart, and it’s amazing to see the part that they play in the day – from choosing the venue to the many blessings in the service, to the lavish Indian dinner and reception party.
The most important part of the Hindu ceremony to capture has to be the Saat Phere – the seven steps around the fire. Like saying your vows, the couple prays for food, strength, for prosperity, for family, for progeny, health, for each other, and pray for their lives together.
At the end of the traditional Hindu ceremony, it’s custom for the Bride and Groom to play games. This has to be one of my favourite parts of any Indian wedding day to capture on film, as the pranks and challenges often have the room erupting in laughter and make for some of my favourites Asian wedding photos.
Muslim Wedding Photography
Due to different traditions and cultures, Muslim weddings can vary greatly. I’ve had an amazing time photographing some truly vibrant Muslim weddings and occasions – but I really would love to experience more!
One of the aspects I love the most about being an Indian wedding photographer, and especially at Muslim weddings, is the colour. As you can imagine, I capture plenty of western weddings where the Bride and Groom are in traditional, often Christian attire – the classic white gown and dark suit. But the Muslim bride is the complete opposite – adorned in an exquisite gown of gold, jewels and flowers that are exceptionally eye-catching, which is just one of the many reasons I love creating Asian wedding photography.
It’s the cultural norms of these Muslim weddings that makes them a pleasure to photograph. The Savaqah is a perfect moment to capture - rather than a showering of confetti, the Bride is ritually showered with coins. Adopting a photojournalistic approach to photographing this means that I’m telling the story of your Indian wedding day authentically, rather than posing you, and moments like these cannot and should not be posed!
Islam has no official clergy, meaning that any Muslim who understands the Islamic tradition can officiate your wedding. This is something I love about being a fly on the wall at a Muslim ceremony. If you’re having your ceremony officiated by a Qazi, you have the beauty of a traditional Mosque as your backdrop. Alternatively, if you’re having your Muslim wedding ceremony officiated by a friend or relative, there are endless possibilities of unique locations to capture your Nikah.
Indian Reportage AKA Documentary) Wedding Photography
My natural Asian wedding photography is often described as ‘reportage wedding photography’ or ‘documentary wedding photography', in a nutshell, I discreetly capture your Indian wedding day without dictating, or asking you to pull cheesy 90’s style poses.
If you have a look through my portfolio of previously shot Indian weddings, you’ll better understand the honesty and authenticity you can expect from your collection.
I revel in photographing the intimate cultural moments during any Asian wedding photographer commission, especially in my trademark reportage wedding photography style. I photograph moments as they happen, meaning that when you look back at your album you’ll be transported back to that moment, with authenticity, filled with all of that emotion you were feeling (whether tears of heartfelt emotion or tears of sheer laughter!).
I’m frequently commissioned as an Indian wedding photographer in London, Surrey, Essex and Buckinghamshire - get in touch if you’d like to chat about your wedding documentary.