Kevin Jairaj:
Shooting a Wedding in Style

By Margaret Lane

Cosmopolitan Dallas, TX, has a population of just over 1.2 million people. With yearly average temperatures of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, this Lone Star city hosts the world famous Dallas Cowboys, George Gershwin favorites such as Porgy & Bess, the Texas Stampede and Chile Pepper magazine's annual ZestFest. Could the warmth, cultural draws and magnificent horizons have anything to do with the fact that Dallas hosts up to 250 weddings per weekend? Nuptial ceremonies in this town can be as staggering and grand as those found in other metro meccas such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Here, city brides can easily drop $10,000 on a gown and more than $100,000 in floral costs.

Kevin Jairaj of KJImages Photography has a slice of this bridal action, having lived and photographed a growing jet set for the past four years. Most of his couples are between the ages of 24 and 28 and it's their first marriage. They are hosting glam, fun, exciting wedding events marked by a fashion-forward attitude--think Vera Wang and Jimmy Choo. Thanks to these clients, Kevin's studio averages about 35 weddings per year.

Celebrity Secrets

Since Kevin cannot, for privacy's sake, name some of his celebrity clients, he tosses out a few professions: "Some are pro athletes, some are well regarded business people in the community and I do get calls from noted wedding planners and assistants who are checking my schedule to see if I can shoot a secret little wedding in Hawaii, Anguilla or the Bahamas."

He shoots high-style, high-fashion imagery, a style that is in demand. Taking cues from W, Vogue and top fashion websites, Kevin gives both bride and groom that sophisticated glamorous allure with signature service. "I want photos that are sexy, dramatic and pop with color," he motions. "These are not their mothers' wedding images. Photos are edgy and I love to play with exaggerated poses and expressions. I tell all my clients that I want to create images for them that are straight out of the latest fashion magazines."

To nail the shots, he relies on shooting digital with Canon 5D cameras. He strives to use natural light whenever possible, but knows how to work the drama using video light and off-camera flash. Photoshop is used to an advantage from the editing table in his home studio. "I tell brides that their images should look like they belong in a magazine. Yes I retouch and tweak, but only to a point. They understand I want each to look their best." For more signature image magic, Kevin has developed custom Photoshop actions to ease workflow and streamline adjustments on his outdoor images. According to Kevin, his actions, found at www.kjimages.com, "came about as a result of spending time applying a distinctive look to my images."

Kevin also has a precise process for image file management. "I download all cards to a COLORSPACE HyperDrive and copy over to an external hard drive, then burn to DVD." Kevin's next step is to pick a few favorites, edit and retouch so he can post to a blog for guests' viewing. Kevin generally takes around 2000 photos at a wedding and offers about 800 to 1000 finals to a couple. "After this first pass I'll edit the balance and print out a 4x6 proof of each to give clients right away. It's important for me to present them with products as soon as possible and not have them wait weeks or months," he says. Along the way Kevin and an assistant start building the albums. He uses Photoshop to help design and uses custom templates he has built to aid the process.

Under a Texas Sky

Protected by a 10-gallon hat or not, Kevin enjoys working the ranges for both engagement work and weddings. "I stage outdoor shots for every client because the land, sky, weather and cityscape in this region offer great options," he says. "Most of my couples are young and into an urban look where we use old buildings and rough settings for backdrops to engagement sessions. The location helps shape the direction of the shoot. We do a lot of experimentation and I'm not afraid to push them, but not beyond whom they really are."

Shooting outside allows Kevin to take advantage of that glorious natural light. He routinely photographs couples in various downtown locations to take advantage of Dallas' rich history and environment. "Dallas does not lack for great backdrop spots," he adds.

Kevin recalls a favorite wedding with guests in Renaissance costume à la Scarborough Faire: "The colors and textures and metallic trims in the garments were amazing and helped add dimension to the photos. Of course, guests in costume always provide a photographer with a peek into the creative and dramatic. The colors, the personalities and the setting inspired me to shoot in new ways." At a wedding such as this one, Kevin likes to tune into the details of the venue and the mood of the wedding. He captures the décor, the place settings and the guests, especially when they participate willingly.

Then again, shooting outdoors can have drawbacks--the most obvious being cold weather. "From time to time I have to really coax the couple to come outside with me for a few shots if I think I can get something truly remarkable," says Kevin. "I remind them they will thank me later for braving the cold because more often than not that image will become one of their favorites! They'll chuckle about it years later and share with me the vision I had at that moment."

Photography Mentoring a Love

During WPPI 2008, Kevin will be presenting a MasterClass, "The New Era of Weddings," where he will share thoughts and lessons learned in working with the Internet bride. The Internet bride is one who has grown up using the computer, Internet and technology. This session is sponsored by White House Custom Color, Vision Art Book, photoidentities.com and PhotographyMentoring.com (a subscription site Kevin contributes to that focuses on education and learning).

A WPPI member since 2004, Kevin did not start off life thinking he would be a wedding photographer--he fell into it. The nice thing is that he's able to tap past expertise as a fashion shooter. "Most brides today want to look like the models and actresses they see gracing magazine covers, so the transition was easy for me. The tools, angles and moods easily translate to weddings," he says.

"Even though I consider shooting weddings an absolutely fun and rewarding profession, I came to better appreciate and understand the value of the images I make during a wedding," says Kevin. "Just the other month one of my brides told me that her father had passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack just after the wedding. The photos I created that day were the last images she has of him. This really hit me hard and I truly realize what a significant job I have."