Eastern Bride

Awais Yaqub · September 28, 2009

She is my cousin from a remote village in Pakistan. She got married with my other cousin living in capital of Pakistan. This was very unique wedding for me because both of them belong to totally different backgrounds and hardly speak same languages. They never met or talked to each other. They just agreed to marry and their parents also agreed years ago, when my mom (who died last year) suggested this relationship about 15 years ago. Today after 5 days of wedding they are very happy with each other and believe this relationship was actually made in heaven :wink.

This portrait was shot just before it was time to leave home and she was not happy to leave her parents... things got emotional soon and i had to leave the place, i shot only 3 photos there. The room was very dark small and crowded with her friends and close relatives, saying goodbye to her and praying for happy life. But i was very happy to find almost white wall to reflect external flash

I hope that background tells you something about their lifestyle...

Agnieszka · September 28, 2009

Wow. Beautiful image of a BEAUTIFUL bride!!!!

I kind of wish the photo would have a different background (a plain one, so it doesn't take away from the bride), but then .... I like that you photographed her in her house.

Moogle Pepper · September 28, 2009

Very colorful!! Awais premier wedding photog of Pakistan! (of course I know you don't want to be.. hehe!)

Awais Yaqub · September 28, 2009

Agnieszka wrote:

Wow. Beautiful image of a BEAUTIFUL bride!!!!

I kind of wish the photo would have a different background (a plain one, so it doesn't take away from the bride), but then .... I like that you photographed her in her house.

Thanks Angie i am glad you like it, i agree about the background too bad i could not do anything about that.

Awais Yaqub · September 28, 2009

Moogle Pepper wrote:

Very colorful!! Awais premier wedding photog of Pakistan! (of course I know you don't want to be.. hehe!)

Yelling at people to cooperate is impossible for me !

Mishka · September 28, 2009

Wow...beautiful image. And I kind of like the background as it is...it gives context to the photo...and contrast. Nice!

lizzard_nyc · September 28, 2009

What a shot!
Just stunning--look at the colors, the clothes, her make up, the jewelry, all captured beautifully--

I've been waiting for you to post some of the wedding shots.

Much luck to the bride and groom--sometimes I think arranged marriages have a much better shot then when people pick their own partners:D . Sometimes Mom does know best--No one tell my mother please.

Hope to see more from this wedding.

zoomer · September 28, 2009

She looks amazing. What a treat she must have been to photograph.

leaforte · September 29, 2009

The colors are amazing, and she is a most beautiful woman. You captured a delicateness in her face that tells me that your cousin is a very fortunate man.

Scott_Quier · September 29, 2009

Stunning photo! I love the use of the bounced flash and they way it lit her face. Very, very well done!

And the bride - what a gorgeous lady. And the emotion you captured! That's what it's all about! The groom is a lucky man!

And the colors and and intricate design of the clothing. Very, very special.

You've out-done yourself with this one!

met · September 29, 2009

Wow. Awesome. How long did it take her to get ready?

Awais Yaqub · September 29, 2009

met wrote:

Wow. Awesome. How long did it take her to get ready?

No clue may be 2 or 3 hours..

And thanks everyone for kind words

Lesley Bray · September 29, 2009

Just beautiful, stunning !!!!

damonff · September 29, 2009

Awais: I love this shot; it's beautiful. I also love the background because it speaks to reality, that such beauty can exist in modest surroundings, that everything is not always perfect, even in the face of perfection, like a blade of grass growing out of the concrete - sure, grass is beautiful flowing in the wind among other blades of grass, but that one blade, and this one bride, existing outside of perfection - that's what this shot says to me.

GoofBckt · September 29, 2009

Absolutely gorgeous!! I'm always in awe of Eastern textiles. Just amazing.

Awais Yaqub wrote:

She is my cousin from a remote village in Pakistan. She got married with my other cousin living in capital of Pakistan. This was very unique wedding for me because both of them belong to totally different backgrounds and hardly speak same languages. They never met or talked to each other. They just agreed to marry and their parents also agreed years ago, when my mom (who died last year) suggested this relationship about 15 years ago. Today after 5 days of wedding they are very happy with each other and believe this relationship was actually made in heaven .

This portrait was shot just before it was time to leave home and she was not happy to leave her parents... things got emotional soon and i had to leave the place, i shot only 3 photos there. The room was very dark small and crowded with her friends and close relatives, saying goodbye to her and praying for happy life. But i was very happy to find almost white wall to reflect external flash

I hope that background tells you something about their lifestyle...

Zone99 · September 30, 2009

Awais Yaqub wrote:

No clue may be 2 or 3 hours..

Show of hands from the female audience. How many of you read that and thought: "Sheesh! Typical guy!"

Awais Yaqub wrote:

And thanks everyone for kind words

You deserve them. That is a fantastic shot!

divamum · September 30, 2009

Zone99 wrote:

Show of hands from the female audience. How many of you read that and thought: "Sheesh! Typical guy!"

Seriously, Awais, this is an extraordinary shot of an amazingly beautiful woman. And I think for those in the west this photo and the story behind it are very "foreign" (in a good way) - coming from a culture where arranged marriages are pretty much a thing of the past, it's a wonderful and beautiful glimpse into a very different culture. Bravo to you on so many counts!!

jayegirl · September 30, 2009

I love it!

Awais Yaqub · October 1, 2009

LoL thanks everyone

Eastern Bride

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