The Henna Ritual

The night before the Indian Engagement Party, I was invited to photograph the bride-to-be’s side of the family during a traditional henna application ritual. They are a wonderfully spicy bunch of people that welcomed me with open arms.

Some of the ladies applied the henna to themselves; decorating both sides of their hands with intricate designs.

When they offered to decorate my hands, I was very tempted. But, how do you recommend I photograph with this stuff all over me?

The future bride was ‘tsk-ed’ by the elders when she moved around as her special ‘wedding’ henna was being applied by a cousin. Naughty, antsy girl.

The whole family stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking over all the details of the engagement party happening the next day. Some got cranky….

Some passed out…
And me? Well, I got cranky and then I passed out. Finally, I went home at about 1 am and settled in for a long winter’s nap.

The next day, amidst the make-up application and the intricate outfit preparation, the bride-to-be was exquisitely beautiful and appeared calm. (see for yourself-An Indian Engagement).

However, I looked like death warmed over due to lack of sleep…but no one was looking at me. That was a blessed relief.

An Indian Engagement

Other than watching a few Bollywood movies, my knowledge of the Indian culture is slim. I know I like the food, the hookah and the nose rings. And that’s about all that I know.
Recently, I had been invited to photograph the engagement ceremony for one young Indian couple.
The experience left me wanting more of my family in my own life.

Americans are independent and proud of it; to a point of loneliness and depression.

This bride-to-be’s family was ‘all up in her business’. They were a part of the entire ceremony-from decorating the ballroom, to dressing her, to planning and organizing the event and pretty much anything else a family member could do to make her day special.

Her mother and her aunt literally spent hours putting her veil on in just the right way. These women were very patient…even when the men begin calling every five minutes to say the guests were hungry.
Men.

The bride-to-be wears an intricately decorated scarlet dress to the engagement party-as traditional as our white dresses on our wedding day. She looked like a foreign queen.
I want to be a foreign queen.

She was then escorted into the ballroom, surrounded by her family and protected from anything that might ruin her day.
I can’t wait to see what the families will come up with for the actual wedding a year from now.
It’s going to be quite the party…and I love parties….

(There are two more series along with this shoot: a Henna Ritual and the Indian Ceremony)

Color Saturation and Contrast

Using Photoshop, I did a few quick little fixes to the following two photos. It didn’t take me more than a few minutes to have a product that I was happy with.

I boosted the saturation and increased the contrast and…..

Voila! The flowers petals emerging from the cactus are much more dramatic in this revamped shot. And you know that I am a fan of the dramatic…
Let’s look at another example, using the same basic steps.

This photo is flat, lifeless…but once you boost the saturation and add a little contrast….

The colors leap from the photo, as God intended them to do. Or at least I think He would approve.
I am kind of speaking for the most important Being in the whole world. I don’t know if I have the right to do that. I’d better watch myself.

An Incriminating Past thanks to Photographic Evidence

Several photos have been surfacing lately of my mother’s side of the family that I have never seen. My sweet Aunt has spent hours scanning and emailing them to me.
I love seeing a face that is so bizarrely familiar, that I feel as if I am looking into a mirror.

This photograph has both my mother and my Aunt in it. I love seeing the dynamic of the different personalities in this photo. Most of the people I have never met.
And for some reason, my Grandmother is holding several life vests, although this looks like an obvious ‘Get together for a family photo!’ type of moment.

My mother is clearly feelin’ her oats in this photo.

This disease apparently runs in the family…

…and it runs deep.