Ceremonies – How to Photograph the Baraat: Hindi Marriage Processions

During the Baraat, the marriage procession of a Hindi wedding, the groom and his family travel to the bride’s home, accompanied by a boisterous band playing music ranging from traditional to modern Indian music. The groom arrives on a decorated horse or elephant, separate from the baraatis, the groom’s party.  The event is full of laughter, dancing, and anticipation.

The fisheye is a great lens for this type of occasion because it allows us to capture the entire baraatis, the groom, and the environment in one shot.   Furthermore, it’s also useful any time there is a group of people in a circle, as it maximizes the number of people in the shot.   In addition, it’s great for dance scenes, as the distortion creates the unique effect of exaggerating the movements at the edges of the image.

Shot at the Bahia Resort in San Diego, CA using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with a Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye at 100 ISO, f/7.1 and 1/1000

The Baraat is an enjoyable and exciting experience, as we get to roam around and capture the many smiles and laughs in the group.   A medium zoom lens such as the 24-70mm f/2.8Lis great for such an occasion.

Shot at the Bahia Resort in San Diego, CA with a Canon 40D with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM at ISO 100 f/4.0 1/2500

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Article written by:
Chris Lin
Lead Photographer | Partner
Lin and Jirsa Wedding Photography
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