I Click Celeb Portraits And Here's What They've Taught Me About Confidence

Weddings are often described as a couple’s red carpet moment—a day when they step into the spotlight, their love story unfolding like a cinematic masterpiece. Over the years, my work as a wedding photographer has been deeply influenced by the world of celebrity portraiture. From capturing Arushi Sharma’s effortless charm to photographing Tiger Shroff’s striking presence and Shriya Pilgaonkar’s timeless elegance, working with celebrities has fine-tuned my approach to wedding photography in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

The Art of Presence: What Celebrities Teach Us About Confidence

One of the biggest takeaways from photographing celebrities is understanding how comfort with the camera translates into compelling imagery. Celebrities, by virtue of their craft, bring a heightened sense of self-awareness and confidence. They know their angles, how light plays on their features, and most importantly, they bring an effortless energy to the frame.

For couples on their wedding day—most of whom don’t have prior experience being professionally photographed—this is a lesson in itself. The key to great wedding portraits isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about making couples feel comfortable in their skin. Watching how actors ease into a pose, how they subtly shift their expressions to convey emotion, has helped me guide couples into looking and feeling more natural in front of the lens.

Balancing Spontaneity and Direction

With celebrities, there’s often a delicate balance between spontaneity and direction. While they bring their own style and persona, my job as a photographer is to create an atmosphere where they can be themselves while also ensuring the visuals align with the creative vision. This is something that directly translates into weddings—especially when working with couples who may feel overwhelmed by the attention.

A wedding day is filled with high emotions, fleeting moments, and unscripted laughter. But within that, there’s also an opportunity to bring a touch of editorial finesse—without making it feel staged. The best wedding portraits, much like the best celebrity shots, are the ones where the subject feels effortlessly at home at the moment.

From Editorial to Emotional Storytelling

One of the biggest differences between a celebrity shoot and a wedding is the emotional depth involved. While celebrity portraits focus on persona, wedding photography is about real, raw emotions—love, nostalgia, and anticipation. However, my experience shooting high-profile personalities has reinforced the importance of intentional storytelling in both.

When photographing a couple, I don’t just see them as two people in love; I look for the deeper layers—how they hold hands absentmindedly, the way their eyes light up when they talk about their journey together. It’s the same approach I take with celebrity portraits—finding that one defining detail that speaks volumes about their personality.

Crafting a Timeless Aesthetic

Celebrity portraits demand a certain polish—attention to composition, lighting, and visual drama that elevates a frame from being just another picture to an iconic image. This editorial precision has naturally seeped into my wedding work, pushing me to create imagery that is classic yet modern, cinematic yet deeply personal.

My goal is always to blend the grandeur of editorial photography with the intimacy of wedding storytelling—where every frame feels like a moment captured from a beautifully shot film. Whether it's a couple sharing an inside joke between ceremonies or a bride stealing a quiet moment before walking down the aisle, I approach each shot with the same dedication to crafting a frame that feels both artistic and real.

The Intersection of Stardom and Love Stories

Working with celebrities has refined my understanding of presence, emotion, and storytelling. But at the end of the day, whether I’m photographing a well-known face or a couple on their wedding day, my intent remains the same: to create images that transcend time.

Weddings are more than just events; they are a celebration of love, identity, and togetherness. And much like a well-crafted portrait, they deserve to be documented in a way that is bold, beautiful, and deeply personal.

This article was written by Manvi Gandotra, founder of 1Plus1 Studio.