Celebrity wedding photographer for the likes of Ranbir-Alia and Kiara-Sidharths on his love for shooting weddings and more

Over the past few years, two celebrity weddings in India have stood out more than the others—the one between Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor followed by Kiara Advani tying the knot with Sidharth Malhotra. The photographs made most of us wish that our big day was as dreamy and glamorous as theirs. The man behind this all is Siddharth Sharma, celebrity wedding photographer and founder and director of House of the Clouds. In addition to those two weddings, he's also been behind the stunning pictures of Alanna Panday's wedding with Ivon McCray and Parineeti Chopra's engagement to Raghav Chadha.

Brides Today catches up with Sharma, who speaks about his introduction to wedding photography, his evolution as one, the most rewarding part of his job, and much more. 

Brides Today: It all started with a wedding in 2014 that made you want to be a wedding photographer. Could you tell us about what happened there? 

Siddharth Sharma: It was my friend’s wedding where it all began. I was never a wedding person and never liked attending one. I’m not a very social person and am one who is reserved and stays away from the crowd. When you have such a nature, a wedding is the last place that you want to be. This specific wedding was interesting because it was for the very first time that I went to a wedding with a task in hand—I had to photograph. It was meaningful for me. It is one of the most interesting weddings I’ve ever shot. My friend is a Catholic who was marrying a Hindu. It wasn’t smooth sailing as no one at the wedding had to know that he was a Christian. His name was Ronald, we changed the name to Rohan on the boards. Our job was to ensure that this remains a secret. It was difficult as people talk at weddings. We’d made sure both sides were far apart from each other. The band ensured that there was a lot of noise and people were occupied. That’s why it was very interesting for me and made me think that I can start. 

BT: Tell us about the very first wedding that you got paid for

SS: The first wedding that I was paid for happened through my website. I used to do other stuff in photography—conceptual Photoshop. It was a guy living in my society who found me through Google. It was a traditional South Indian wedding. It was a 3-4 day wedding, but a very simple one. I felt that I did too much for that wedding since it was my first. I was paid 20,000 for that. Out of that, 15,000 went into making a mirror, the one with bulbs. I wanted all the photos to be on that since it’d look really great. It was so huge and heavy that I was unable to carry it. I also realised that weddings don’t work like this. No matter what you do and how much you prepare, things won’t pan out that way. There will always be chaos. 

BT: How did you come up with the name House of the Clouds

SS: I wanted to open a cafe and had thought of this name a long time back. I thought it was a very good name as opening a rooftop cafe was on my mind. When I started photography, the company name was called Sid Photography. I didn’t want to make the name based on a single person, but one where people feel connected to the company. It took us six months to decide. In the end, out of frustration, we just went ahead with this. 

BT: What does a wedding photographer have to like more, weddings or photography? And which one is it for you? 

SS: I think, as a wedding photographer, you have to like people more. We’re photographing people in their weakest, and most emotional of moments. You have to respect that people are getting married and it’s the most important day of their life and you’re part of that. You have to accept people and be curious about them. You should want to know how they’re feeling, why they’re getting married, what the story is, etc. Why are the family members feeling this way? I feel wedding photographers should like people. 

BT: How has your photography evolved over the years?

SS: We don’t think or plan around what people want. I think that (what people want) can be changed from time to time. Fortunately, we’ve reached a position where we don’t about have to worry about what people want. But in the end, it is a service so we have to respect their requirements. I have a natural tendency to get bored with my work and what I do. This has led to change every 2-3 years. It’s stressful as you have to start from scratch. But the good thing is that you change shape and form. What also happens is that you have the responsibility to define the industry through your work. I take that very seriously. We should do things that inspire the next generation. When we started, HOTC was known for certain things. Now, things are different as the approach is completely new. We’re building a new aesthetic with regard to how a wedding should look and feel. Back in the day, we were young and wild and used everything new that was trending. Now, we’re a company with a very strong aesthetic sense. 

BT: With the place being very important, what should the wedding destination reflect through the photos that you take?

SS: That is true, actually. But I would like to put things differently. As a photographer, the light is more important than the location. You can get married in a jungle if the light is good. If you’re getting married at a place, with bad lighting, the photographs will be affected. We aren’t magicians. Along with the light, the emotions, too, have to be in place. In the end, if you’re having fun and are enjoying it, the photographs will reflect all of that. If the light is beautiful, the images will be great. 

BT: What is the most challenging and the most rewarding part of your job?

SS: I personally feel that there is no profession better than this. I’ve been in the IT field for 12 years before making the jump. I say this because you get to photograph people when they’re going through a lot of emotions. It’s an emotional roller-coaster for them. Secondly, you get to travel a lot. I’ve been to almost 40 countries now. You get to see the world and meet different people. Furthermore, even though it’s a wedding, you can express yourself as there is so much scope. You just need to be passionate about it. 

BT: With these celebrity weddings being so high-profiled, what is it that they do that makes your job simpler?

SS: Most of the celebrity weddings, if you remove the hype around them, it’s a very normal and straightforward event. It’s only considered larger than life because one perceives it to be this way. There is no difference between a normal and a celebrity wedding. The reason why they’re getting married is the same—two people in love who want to enjoy themselves with their friends and family for a couple of days. Surprisingly, at a celebrity wedding, people have more fun and enjoy more. At a normal wedding, there is a lot of pressure in organising it, in the latter, things feel more relaxed. 

BT: Who are the people and places that you find inspiration from? 

SS: I find inspiration from films. It’s a place where you learn about storytelling. Especially when it comes to wedding films, which I believe is the toughest thing to do. A lot of people ask me how I develop aesthetics, but you can be inspired by the places that you visit. The architecture and design can inspire you. When you see and observe things, it translates your overall aesthetic sense and reflects in the work that you do. 

BT: What’s your most favourite part of a wedding?

SS: I can’t pinpoint. But I personally like the wedding ceremony. It’s that day where you get surprised as the entire day is unpredictable. You don’t know how people are feeling. You see the mother dancing in events across earlier days only for her to be emotional on the big day. The spectrum right from the baraat to the pheras is what I really like as we’re on our toes. How the groom will react when he sees the bride is something that no one can predict. I like that excitement. 

BT: How good does it feel to shoot at home? 

SS: I feel that when you go to a destination wedding, a lot of things are lost. On the other hand, you’re comfortable at home. You have to hold back on your emotions when you’re outside. At home, you’ve done all that before so you don’t feel vulnerable and think about what people will say. The emotions flow naturally and you’re not trying to hold your emotions inside. As they say, there’s no place like home.  

BT: What would you like to tell people who plan to get married as far as choosing their wedding photographer is concerned?

SS: A lot of times, people approach a wedding photographer when they’ve seen the work or when someone has recommended the name to them. I feel that you don’t just need to be connected not just to the work, but to the person as well. It is a very personal decision. Also, do not go by hype just because someone has shot for someone. You need to find a photographer who fits into your priorities perfectly, not because they did a great job at another wedding. Do a lot of research as this person is going to be the most important person that you hire at the wedding. Plan in advance, make a list, speak to them, and see if there’s a connection before making a decision.