I've had the privilege of shooting many Philadelphia Sikh weddings. The Sikh Gurdwara of Pine Hill, NJ is a venue where several of my clients have celebrated their wedding ceremonies. While Indian weddings have many similarities, Hindu and Sikh weddings have many differences. While the colors and vibrancy are similar, the ceremonies are vastly different. The main difference is that Hindus believe that there are a variety of deities, where Sikhs believe that there is one god with multiple attributes. Both ceremonies are beautiful, colorful, and have many, many symbolic elements that are wonderfully photogenic.
The photographic possibilities are endless, and the yield of wonderful images I'm able to produce truly excites me when I'm immersed in the action. Usually, the events are spread out over multiple days, and it's an incredibly fascinating event to capture each time I am honored to do so.
Here, Mimi is photographed in Independence National Historical Park, which is one of my very favorite places to shoot. It was taken after their ceremony at the Sikh Gurdwara of Pine Hill. The only light source was the sun. It's drenching the gown from behind, creating the dramatic scene as only the sun can.
The image was shot with a Nikon Z6, an FTZ adapter with a Nikkor 105mm F1.4 E ED lens.
Location: 1110 Blackwood Clementon Rd, Pine Hill, NJ 08021.
1/500; f/4.0; ISO 320; 145.0 mm.