Testing the Wedding Waters
Whether he’s seeking out spontaneity or different angles, Omer Khan uses his Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 G2 lens to break the matrimonial mold.
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By Jenn Gidman
Images by Omer Khan
When he’s photographing a wedding, Las Vegas-area photographer Omer Khan is always on the lookout for images that will not only show but also tell. “I consider my style a creative photojournalistic one, with pictures that tell a complete story of the event from start to finish,” he says. “For me, it’s about capturing the emotion, and then being able to evoke that emotion later on, when the bride and groom are looking at their pictures years down the road. When I send the couple their preview gallery and the bride texts me back, ‘OMG, I’m in tears’—that’s the reaction I love getting.”
28-75mm (28mm), F/2.8, 1/640th sec., ISO 500
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28-75mm (30mm), F/2.8, 1/200th sec., ISO 320
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Omer uses the Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 high-speed lens for his wedding work. “It’s such a universal zoom lens,” he says. “I love being able to achieve those wide angles when I need to capture group photos, or when I’m in closer quarters, while still being able to zoom in for tighter shots when I need to. I appreciate that flexibility during what can often be a hectic event.”
28-75mm (28mm), F/2.8, 1/200th sec., ISO 320
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28-75mm (28mm), F/2.8, 1/40th sec., ISO 1250
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To make sure his brides and grooms look their best, Omer will first make sure they fill out a questionnaire before the big day to ask if there’s anything they’re self-conscious about. “If they say, for instance, ‘I hate my double chin,’ on the wedding day, long after they’ve forgotten they told me about that, I’ll simply ask them to lift their head up or move a certain way to deemphasize that feature,” he says. “It’s more subtle that way. Or, if they really don’t want something photographed, I’ll do my best to avoid capturing whatever they don’t like in the image.”
It's important to also test out the mood of the bride, groom, and bridal party. “Some wedding parties are open-minded and very open to any suggestions,” Omer says. “Others are more opinionated. You have to gauge all the players and see what kind of energy you get back. For the photo of the bride surrounded by all her bridesmaids, nobody wanted to do that shot at first, where they were all staring at her. But I wanted to change it up a bit, so I instructed everyone to look at her, and the funny pressure of everyone staring at her made her break out in that huge, genuine grin. That, in turn, got everyone else in a fun mood and laughing, which made subsequent pictures even easier.”
28-75mm (28mm), F/2.8, 1/125th sec., ISO 800
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Finding the best angles while simultaneously working around distracting elements, as well as friends and family who are celebrating, keeps Omer on his toes. “Take the photo of the bride and groom feeding each other the wedding cake,” he says. “I could have positioned myself on the other side of them and still been able to capture their laughter and energy. But I wanted to see more of the party going on in the background, including the guests who are taking their own pictures or videos. There’s enough separation of the bride and groom from that background so they’re still the focal point, but you get more of the full story that way.”
28-75mm (28mm), F/2.8, 1/200th sec., ISO 1250
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Those guests with cameras also represent a more modern-day challenge for today’s wedding photographers. “It’s hard sometimes to capture a photo that doesn’t also have numerous wedding guests in the image taking their own pictures, whether it’s with a camera, a smartphone, or an iPad,” Omer says. “I used to get more bent out of shape about it and be tempted to say, ‘Hey, let the professional photographer do his thing, you don’t have to worry about doing that!’ But they’re still going to do it, so now I simply try to incorporate that element into the images. It just makes it easier for everyone. It’s a part of some of my photos now.”
To see more of Omer Khan’s work, go to www.pixo2.com or check out his Instagram.
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