“Photography is a love affair with life.” – Burk Uzzle (American photojournalist)

From the minute we are born to that penultimate moment when we spirit away to another world, our lives are filled with moments. A moment of peace as we wake up in the morning and assimilate the world around us, a moment of harmony during our commute when our favorite music fills the ears and the world dances with it, a moment of joy as we exchange knowing smiles with a loved one, a moment of sadness when the day slips away its treasures seemingly undiscovered. Little moments fill our life, add beauty, and make our lives what they are. No instrument makes this more apparent than the simple camera. A good photograph captures the picture and the emotions behind it – a tiny encapsulation of the precious moments that binds our life. A perfectly captured picture is a cherished object. And the power of capturing that lies completely with the photographer.

Belying the “her” that is evident in a photographer, the person behind the lens, in India is traditionally viewed as male. Something, no doubt, that is a culmination of the patriarchal male gaze that every woman is subjected to almost since the day they are born. But as the world progresses and women take a step forward and bridge the gap towards equality, woman photographers are emerging as the new woke trend. Amidst the multiple burgeoning talents rising in photography today, some women are beginning to stand out for their unique verve and vision. Subverting the traditional gaze, having grown up in the same atmosphere as the subjects of their art, Indian women photographers understand not just the moment they are capturing but the past and the struggle that lead towards that particular moment. They know the right moment to click that shutter and the right emotion to capture having been through similar moments themselves. Like in any art, sensitivity and understanding are paramount in photography too and these women are bringing just that to the table.

Take any Indian wedding and you would see that behind the innocuous traditions lies the history of male dominance – it is always the giving away of the bride and never the bridegroom. Although families and people are stepping away from this inequality and growing towards a more holistic equal, our weddings still tend to be biased – perhaps adding to their very beauty. And who better than a woman photographer to understand these complex nuances behind the many ceremonies that fill any Indian wedding and bring out the true meaning of the moment. Having a confident woman behind the lens would no doubt also be a source of comfort and assurance to the bride on stage and elsewhere. It begins right with the getting ready shots when the little intimate details are beautifully captured by the knowing woman behind the lens. This sense of camaraderie between the subject and the photographer established early on, largely enhances the final quality of the pictures.

So next time you are looking for a photographer for your event, look at not just the pictures of your chosen photographer but also the person behind them and if it feels right – pick a woman photographer.