Pure Magic
When it came to deciding on a wedding photographer, we knew that above all, this would be a key decision- it may sound cheesy, but in the end, the photos are truly what would remain when reminiscing about our special days decades from now. We also knew we wanted someone who could understand and function in the whirling chaos that is a desi wedding. We’re so glad we chose Bilal; his skills, professionalism and good humor combined to capture the spirit of all our events perfectly!!
Bilal was so flexible and incredibly easy to work with. We were lucky enough to be able to have an engagement shoot with him, and that really helped my fiancé and I understand each other. Right off the bat, he made us very comfortable and helped make the staged photoshoots, which can be awkward, seem natural. He took the time to understand us, and our stories, and what was important to us, so that he could capture the essence of our relationship. Throughout the planning process, Bilal was responsive, had great ideas, and gave us really good suggestions in terms of the décor lighting/placements/timelines etc, and communicated with all the other vendors to make sure that everything would be perfect. In the stress and haze of the wedding planning, I knew that I would have absolutely no stress from a photography aspect.
During the ceremonies, he knew where he needed to be to get the right shot. Bilal was not fazed by our changing schedules, delays (typical desi wedding style), or that the photo shoot location suggested by our wedding planner didn’t exist on Google Maps. Our first look moments were made enjoyable by his humor, direction and expertise!! When we had to improvise and have our photoshoot at a random park, he didn’t even flinch and dealt with this curveball with utmost professionalism- despite the limited time we had to get that shoot done, with an audience of random kids running around, he got the MOST beautiful shots that I have framed. He is sooooo incredibly creative, and his repertoire isn’t limited to typical wedding shots- he does not hesitate to take photos from all kinds of angles to get the best shots: there is one photo he took of me during the event, which he took through some glass beads on the stage, and honestly it looks like a magazine cover! His focus was on one thing - making sure he got the right photo at the right time. During the event, he did not let people with cellphone cameras bumping into him or getting in his shots affect his craft. Bilal's tolerance and empathetic nature with all our guests was simply impressive. He is truly one of the most patient and genuine people we have ever met, and his photography just speaks for itself.
He was honest in letting us know that processing the photos would take 6-8 weeks and he kept to this timeline. He was patient with us as we went through an iterative process of choosing photos for our album. The album he produced is high-quality, the photos are UNREAL! Most importantly, the wedding photos capture the whole gamut of feelings our guests and us went through in the two days - the anticipatory buildup and blissful happiness of the first look, the solemnity and raw emotion of the Nikah ceremony, the raucous energy of the dance floor, the love and celebratory joy on our families and friends faces throughout the event; you can really feel every single emotion through his pictures!
To all the future brides and grooms out there, here are some ‘words of wisdom’: you’re going to count on your photographer to capture your beautiful day, and you’re going to spend so much time with him the day of the events with all the jitters, stress, chaos.. It’s very valuable and personal time that is spent with your significant other and your photographer during the first look.. You want to spend that time with someone who will understand that, make you comfortable, and most importantly help you ENJOY those moments.. Bilal is that photographer. He helped us live and be ourselves in those moments during the photoshoots, and was this calming center in all the chaos. My husband and I have actually joked about having Bilal fly out to NC (where we are located now), when we have a baby for a baby shoot ;) He is so incredibly talented, artistic and creative; I recommend him with the highest praise and regard!!!!