Anshuman & Komal — Pre-Wedding Shoot at Keoti Waterfall, Dharkundi, Pabhosa & Ram Bagiya

Behind the lens · Our own shoot

This one is ours. Anshuman runs PickYouPic, and when it was his turn in front of the camera we did what we tell every couple to do — pick locations that look nothing like each other, give each one real time, and stop chasing poses. Four days worth of places in one story: a waterfall in Rewa, a forest road in Dharkundi, a hill above the Yamuna at Pabhosa, and a heritage garden in our own city.

Keoti Waterfall

Keoti drops into a gorge wide enough that you cannot fit it in one frame from the edge. We shot at first light, when the far wall of the canyon is still in shadow and the water catches the sun. The picnic setup went right up to the lip of the rock.

The picnic

Close

Golden hour

Off her feet

At the edge

Just the two of them

Dharkundi

A forest road with nothing on it, and a sun that goes from white to orange in about twenty minutes. This is the part of the day worth planning your whole shoot around.

Sunset on the road

Last light

Dancing at dusk

In the wheat

Pabhosa ka pahad

The hill at Pabhosa in Kaushambi gives you height, wind and an uninterrupted view of the plains. Wind is the reason we brought a long yellow dupatta.

The dupatta

Close

On the hill

Lifted

The bouquet

By the Yamuna, below Pabhosa

Down from the hill the river opens into a wide sandbank. Bare feet, tall grass, and a bouquet that survived the whole day.

The laugh

With flowers

Driftwood

Wind

On the rocks

Tall grass

Ram Bagiya, Prayagraj

Our home ground, and the location we gave the most time to. Carved sandstone arcades looking out over the river, a garden full of marigolds and bougainvillea, a peeling blue wall with a yellow door, and a stray puppy who decided to join the shoot.

Between the pillars

The blue wall

The payal

Forehead to forehead

Laughter

A quiet kiss

Under the green arch

Bougainvillea

Marigolds

Behind the lotus

An unplanned guest

Planning a multi-location pre-wedding shoot

Four locations in one story only works if each one looks like a different film. Keoti is drama and scale, Dharkundi is warm and quiet, Pabhosa is wind and height, Ram Bagiya is architecture and colour. Give each place two to three hours, change outfits between them, and shoot the two ends of the day rather than the middle. Keoti and Dharkundi are a comfortable drive from Prayagraj (Allahabad); Pabhosa and Ram Bagiya are close enough to do on the same morning.