I wish I knew you before I got married...

When I was growing up I had no concept of a virtual friend. There were pen pals, but I didn't see the point. A friend was someone I could see, touch and hear, the rest were imaginary.

However times changed and I, being part of the nineties, embraced this change like no ones business. Social networking became second nature to me. It had its pitfalls but luckily I was an adult and thought myself capable of finding my way on this unfamiliar road. But soon the spell of status updates started fading and the urge to write a bit more began to gnaw. Technology proved to be a step ahead and gave me the platform of blogging. It satisfied my writing needs happily with the need of sharing and interacting with like-minded people.

Among the very first bloggers that I read and liked was an IIT pass out. The funky name of his blog and his killer sense of desi humour got me hooked. Slowly, interaction grew beyond commenting on each others posts. A sharp mind, a non-conformist attitude and a marathon runner was how I thought of him in those days.

Days passed and life got in the way. I as is my nature took too many breaks from blogging. The day job plus the children started keeping me busy and the pace of the desktop was overshadowed by the hand held phone. Inspite of all this there were a few blogs that I kept visiting and his was on top of that list. It was during one such visit that I came to know that my friend had found his true calling.

I love photographs. To me they express emotions, they make me go back and be a part of the cherished past. We have all been photographed many times in our lives. Mostly posed, and a few candid where our eyes are shut or one in the group is yawning. Never had I, so far, come across pictures that made me want to reach out to touch the beauty that was captured. Never before had I come across the marriage of precise technique and the warmth of emotions.  My jaws dropped as I got acquainted to my friend's new role, The Shaadigrapher of www.shaadigrapher.com .

Every time I look at one of  Amrit's wedding shots I realise that however fast new technology might grow it can never surpass the mind that uses it. The play of light and shadow, the beauty of colours, the shower of petals, the swirl of a gown or a tear moistened eye have to be felt and only then can it be captured. No wonder that in such a short spell of time Amrit and his team have carved a niche for themselves in our country and abroad. I take immense pride in showing off his website to my friends and family. Alas we are all long married, but what the heck, our kids are growing up and this team here is marathon material :)

So this goes out to all my friends who are getting married or know someone who is. If you want the best, you now have an address.

It takes courage to take the off beaten track, but to excel in it, well maybe it takes Amrit Vatsa!!