Wedding photography of the next level: Sam and Ekta
WallMag : An introduction about yourself
We are Sam & Ekta - we are wedding photographers & filmmakers based in Mumbai, India. We travel all around the world shooting weddings of interesting couples, who believe in the power of documentary storytelling. We are currently ranked among the top 100 photographers in the world by Fearless Photographers, and are previous winners of the the Wedding Photographer of the Year as well as Wedding Filmmaker of the Year, awarded by WeddingSutra.
WallMag : Tell us where it all began. How did you become a photographer?
Our pursuit of photography started when we started travelling together. The desire to capture the special moments our own lives in a matter-of-fact, honest manner led us to exploring and learning more about street and documentary photography. Our best friends were getting married in Amritsar, and we decided to carry our cameras along to document some moments - including our visit to the Golden Temple, Wagah border and so on. We ended up clicking pictures throughout the trip, which also included the wedding. Our way of capturing these moments in a real, honest manner connected with a lot of people after they saw our photos from the wedding, and we ended up getting enquiries for professional wedding photography. Over time, we learnt the art of documentary filmmaking, and here we are - 5 years later, now doing this full time with our own handpicked team.
WallMag : How did you discover your style of photography? How would you describe your style?
We discovered our style through our pursuit of street photography - which is about capturing decisive moments as they happen, in an pure and unadulterated format, without intrusion or direction.Our approach towards wedding photography & films is exactly the same - we look for moments of truth and capture them in an honest manner. We want all our wedding pictures & films to feel real, so that the natural magic of every couple's story is preserved. And this is what we believe, will make these photographs & films timeless. Our couples choose to have us because they want to remember what their wedding FELT like, not just what it looked like.
WallMag : Who and/or what influences your work and why?
We derive inspiration from all forms of art. When it comes to photography, some of our inspirations are Alex Webb, Martin Parr, David Alan Harvey, Vineet Vohra, Rohit Vohra, Suresh Naganathan, Two Mann Studios. In the world of filmmaking, our favourite cinematographers & filmmakers include Roger Deakins, Emmanuel Lubezki, Seamus McGarvey, Terrence Malick, Denis Villeneuve, Spike Jonze, Stanley Kubrick, Alejandro Calore to name a few. Some of these artists work in the wedding category, most of them don't. We believe in being inspired by life, and channeling that into our work.
WallMag : Is there a photographer or artist who you admire or think they are killing right now?
There are genuinely too many to name here. But the common pattern among everyone we admire is a sense of honesty toward their craft, and the continuous pursuit of learning new things, coupled with a desire to excel.
WallMag : Tell us through your photography process. How do you complete your work from start to finish?
Since weddings are all about understanding people & their relationships and then translating that into photos & films, our first step is always to know more about the couple. We prefer to meet them face to face and understand them as human beings - what drives them as people, what are their goals in life and in their relationship. We try to understand their chemistry & also tell them about our unique way of looking at, and capturing their memories. Once we are all on the same page, then we completely focus on bringing their story alive in the best way possible.We believe in giving our best to every story, so we limit ourselves to shooting only 20 weddings a year. Our personal attention and involvement to every wedding (we are shooting & editing everything with our team) puts us at a premium price bracket, and we work really hard to give all our brides & grooms a fantastic experience. Sometimes this may include organising screenings for them, so that they have the best experience when they view their wedding photos & films for the first time.Shooting and filming a wedding in real time is probably just 5% of the total time we spend on a wedding. The rest of the time is spent in understanding our brides & grooms, and then thoroughly editing the output to bring their wedding memories to life. After all, we are documenting family legacies.Each wedding requires a lot of physical, mental & emotional involvement at our end. We end up forming everlasting bonds with most of our brides & grooms. It is truly, the best job in the world.
WallMag : What you do when you are not photographing?
When we are at home, we love spending time with our dog, Crusoe. We try to stick to a fitness routine as much as possible. We also love travelling and experiencing new things. Irrespective of whether we are travelling or at home, watching movies, listening to music & exploring other forms of art is how we love spending our time.
WallMag: If someone wants to get in touch with you - maybe a bride & groom, or a photographer or filmmaker who wants to join your team, how should they go about it?
Apart from Facebook & Instagram, our website is the best way to get in touch with us. There is a 'Contact' section for brides & grooms, and a 'Careers' section for people looking to join our team. Write to us through either of those, and we will definitely write back.
WallMag: Do you guys plan to conduct any workshops in the future?
Yes we do, but we don't know when. We have attended some really great workshops by among the best photographers & educators in the world, and as a result of this; our workshop should first satisfy our own expectations, which are pretty high. We have to be sure that our workshop will be worth the financial and time investment for emerging photographers. So when we are confident that we have something extremely special to offer, we will conduct a workshop.
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Check out their amazing portfolio on their website - https://www.samandekta.com/