August 2012, Botleys Mansion, Chertsey, Surrey
I was hired by another photographer to work as a ‘second shooter’ for a Hindu wedding at the gorgeous Botleys Mansion last August.
Second shooting is frequently a junior/assistant role, however on occasion there is a requirement to have two top-notch photographers at one event and in that case the main photographer will hire a peer who they consider to be of similar ability and who shoot in a similar style to their own. Such was the case with this wedding and it was a rare thrill to be able to work with another photographer for the day.
Our day started at a hotel not too far away from Botleys Mansion where I covered Claudio’s preparations whilst the other photographer was with Preema. Claudio is from New York so he had hired a classic New York taxi cab to transport himself, his brother and me to the ceremony:
Once we arrived we all went through to the main ceremony area and Claudio was hidden behind a sort of veil as he and Preema were ‘officially’ meeting for the first time at that moment and there was to be a big reveal.
Preema arrived and the reveal took place. Both parties seemed to get what they were expecting!
After the ceremony the other photographer took on the task of shooting the formal photos whilst I roamed and took some candids.
(see this one larger!)
After a couple of hours Preema and Claudio were to have a ceremonial departure during which the groom’s side was expected to dispense some cash to the bride’s family. There was some pretty hard bargaining from Preema’s family’s side…
Eventually, once enough money had changed hands, the newly-weds’ vehicle had to run over a coconut and they made the short drive around the corner to the residential part of the mansion where they were to get changed for the evening event.
The evening event was a black-tie dinner. Dinner is often a time for a quick break for photographers and this wedding was no different. After shooting Preema and Claudio’s arrival the two of us – along with three videographers! – went and grabbed some food of our own until the time of the speeches.
The speeches were hugely touching and all the speakers (I think all the siblings had at least a brief word) paid respect to both families.
The first dance segued into a flashmob from some of the younger family members from both sides.
At the end of the day I was left to reflect on a fantastic wedding. The overwhelming sentiment was that everyone was having an incredibly fun time and that Preema and Claudio had truly ‘knocked it out of the park’, as Claudio’s countrymen might say.