Making it to every brides dream
We have been receiving regular enquires throughout the year for Wedding Photography assignments. We are grateful for the trust, affection and support shown and this is something we don’t take for granted. In fact it makes us go even further and gets the best out of us.
We have made memories for some awesome brides and grooms. We find that most of our references usually come from our past couples and their friends. See http://photooneil.com/testimonials
We do accept that we will not be able to be part of the big day of every bride that query about our wedding photography. Sometimes we are unable due to our schedule or sometimes we don’t fit into their budget. In the past we have been blessed to have awesome brides and grooms that have given us their all by being part of our creative process and in turn together we have made memories for them, Their awesomeness makes all the difference in the photographs we create, as we strive to make their day, one to remember and special for them,
For us wedding photography is beyond the camera. While we have the equipment available, we are aware that the best camera can only make a photograph, but not a memory. For us it is a team effort, with us connecting with the bridal couple and in turn being inconspicuous with our presence .This we believe gives us the edge and makes our photography more unique. We continue to strive higher. We continue to make the experience for every bridal couple that much more special.
We want to stay exclusive. We want to continue doing wedding photography like our life depends on it. We want to do other cultural weddings and spread our wings to other geographical locations.
Having done weddings in Canada, UAE and India, (particularly Goa wedding Photography) and with the response we are getting, we are truly very much on our way to take Photooneil Photography to the next level that we are dreaming of.
And for which we are grateful to you.
My love and gratitude
Weddings have been my forte. I love photographing people in love….be it an engagement session, a wedding photography commissioning or a post wedding session. Love is the basic ingredient and it could be anytime and anyplace. The vibrancy of the human spirit moves me and ignites my creativity. And in turn I love to see people happy on being photographed. Their reactions to the photographs are priceless and this inspires me to do more.
At every opportunity I get, I want to do my best, be it at a wedding, a portrait session or an event. I want to be better than me.
That’s the reason as Photooneil Photography (www.photooneil.com), I love covering social events, including those at the church or a social event, for which I seek no remuneration as I do it all myself and don’t have a second shooter, no assistants, no travel, no tickets…so no one to pay for. It is my way of expressing my gratitude to God for giving me an opportunity to make so many happy with the blessings he has bestowed upon me.
With the camera in my hands, Photography for me becomes a prayer. Every commissioning becomes the most important coverage I have ever done in my life. I give it my all. And even if I am able to bring a cheer to just one person – I know that I have fulfilled one of the purposes in my life. Doing it so often means I am living a blessed life.
I am grateful to everyone I have photographed for giving me a part of themselves, to all those that have trusted me and for believing in me and Photooneil Photography.
So till the next time folks…continue smiling.
An extra mile with a smile
It was late last November. Mum was terribly sick. We were desperately praying for her recovery even though deep inside we felt we were asking for another miracle. We were already thankful that she had almost recovered from a hopeless position on the 4th of July 2014.
At the back of my mind were the number of weddings that I was supposed to cover in the months to follow. Mums sickness had already added stress, so coping up with work related stress was a lot of asking. Had to do quite a number of sorties to Goa and Dubai to cover weddings during Mum’s illness, everytime wondering if it was the last time I am going to hear her speak. Had to keep a happy and cheerful face while at the weddings and stay in complete control of the proceedings.
I had a plan B in place should anything happen to Mum. Some things can never be planned for.
Mum was proud of all that I did. She introduced me to the Medical staff and Doctors on duty as her talented Son. He’s got many weddings to cover, she told the Doctors. I seemed more popular as a Photographer than an Architect in the hospital too!
After battling her illness, Mum passed away on the 7th of December 2014 in Abu Dhabi but not without giving a fight. My world was brought down when the doctor said the least wanted words. I lost the one who inspired me to go that extra mile. Her fight till the end continues to inspire me even today and thought me to never to give up whatever the circumstance.
We had to repatriate Mums remains from Abu Dhabi to Goa. Her funeral was held on the 11th of December. I had a shattered heart. I had a choice to do the wedding slated for the next day. Mum had thought me to face life with a smile. I went ahead covering the wedding with a very heavy heart. Even thought it was a matter of a few hours after we laid Mum to rest. I did the wedding for Mum. I kept the smile and looked happy, even though inside I felt the hurt.
But such is the profession as Wedding Photographers. We cannot plan for personal losses. We have to be there on a given day based on our commitment to our client. Once we have the camera in our hand, our personal world ceases to exist; and all we know is making memories for our clients. We keep searching for that elusive shot that will make our clients feel special…and make memories for our clients to relieve another day.
I am sure every wedding photographer goes that extra mile with a smile.
The Joy of Photography
Most of my friends know me as an Architect, though with the presence of my photography page https://www.facebook.com/photooneil and website www.photooneil.com , my work as a Wedding Photographer works seems to have overtaken my architectural work of late. I firmly believe we can be good at more than one field and I aim to take my Photography and Architecture to the next level.
I remember those days, years ago, quite vividly. I was at the weddings with a VHS Camcorder, the size of a modern day mini rocket launcher on my right shoulder and a relatively heavy 5Kg plus camera on my other shoulder. I could not afford to miss any moments at the ceremony and reception and had to tread along whole day with those beasts on either of my shoulders. At the end of the day I felt like a bullock freed off the card, tired from a gruesome day. Looking back it was all fun for I had my heart set in covering weddings.
The photography bug had bit me while I was very young. I watched my uncle shoot with the double reflex camera, got an opportunity to fiddle with a point and shoot Ricoh film camera to dreaming about having a Nikon Film Camera which I eventually did. I have kept my Nikon F401 as a memory to the good old film days.
My dad did his best to put the best equipment he could afford into my hands. Once I got admission into Architecture College, wedding videography did take a break. While in college, the study of light, graphics and details continued to fascinate me. The training I received as an Architect made sure I became a sensitive Architect and in turn helped me get better as a Photographer. The five fun filled successful years in college took me new heights wherein I got to learn more than architecture.
Good friends and social environment thought me more about interpersonal relationship. By the time I finished my architectural education, I realized that those years trained me to see and get set to face the mighty world ahead. I flew to the Middle East as soon as I finished my architectural degree and was exposed to some international practices. In the process I qualified myself as a project management Professional.
Architecture has always been my first love. But it was Photography that helped keep my sanity in the high stressed field. Photography helped me bust those stress levels . I was fortunate to be part of many group exhibitions in photography. I had a solo exhibition in Goa in August of 2013.
I have often been asked, why photography. My affinity to Photography has brought a sense of realization of instant gratification. This has made life more purposeful with bursts of consistent happiness and fulfilment. Every portrait taken has brought joy to the one being photographed and me as a creator of the image. Every environmental photograph has brought a memory.
Photography for me has always been about people, life and love. Over years I have learnt the art of making people look good and beautiful. I am fascinated with people in love and love capturing emotions. I want to tell a story with every picture I shoot. Thus wedding photography was the genre that I chose to live on.
Every smile has made me smile; every pain of the parents giving away their daughter, though hidden in a smile has made me feel the pain. I would not hesitate to say I have cried when I have seen the bride cry. I have also joined in the fun when the couple is in their fun element. I live and unwind my life through my subjects. I consider it a honour when I click a photograph of an individual or a group – cause I believe in doing so they give me a part of themselves.
I aim to bring work that is of International wedding standards. Being Goan myself, being involved in Goa Wedding Photography, as a Goan Wedding Photographer has been the closest to my heart.
What’s more my clients have become good friends. It’s a relationship that goes beyond the camera. Since we deliberately keep a low profile, we depend on our past clients recommendations for our wedding assignments, something that we have succeeded quite well.
We look at weddings as a challenge. Every wedding is different and we do ensure we give it our very all -knowing well that a one gets married just once in her or his lifetime. Ask our past clients. They will tell you more. http://photooneil.com/testimonials
If you haven’t yet, you may want to see some of my work on www.photooneil.com and also follow us on https://www.facebook.com/photooneil