Raj and Priya’s session covered three places in one day: downtown, the University of Tampa campus, and the Hindu Temple of Florida. I wanted the gallery to read like one long walk through the city.
Downtown Tampa
We started on Franklin Street under the Tampa Theatre marquee. They came in cream and white, and against the old brick and the bulbs of the sign it worked right away.
I had them walk first. It’s the easiest way to loosen up. Within a few minutes they were holding hands and leaning into each other without me saying much.
Right in front of the theatre, on the brick, Raj dipped her. That’s one of my favorite frames of the day.
Some moments look better in black and white. This one, cheek to cheek, with her hand and the ring right at his face, is one of them.
Before we left downtown we stopped at the church’s carved stone arches. They stood close in the doorway, his hand at her back, and the warm wood of the doors filled the space behind them.
University of Tampa
Across the river we walked the brick path along Plant Hall. The white porch columns and red brick run the length of the frame, and they walked it hand in hand at their own pace.
Under the oaks the red LOVE sculpture was hard to miss. I let them walk past it rather than pose next to it.
By the tall white columns and dark windows of a campus building, Raj dipped her. It’s quieter than the one downtown, with more of the architecture in the frame.
We found a bench in front of a wall of bamboo. The green, the brick path and their light clothes gave the shot a calm, quiet feel.
Before we left I walked them out to where the downtown skyline rises over the park, the round tower included. It ties the first two locations together.
Hindu Temple of Florida
For the last stop they changed into black. Priya wore a full black lehenga, and Raj a black patterned shirt. We started wide, the two of them walking along the pale carved facade, small against all that stone.
At the gateway she spun, and the lehenga opened up all the way. I took a few frames and kept this one.
Inside one of the carved stone alcoves they sat side by side. The details around them carry the frame.
To finish, they stood together under a white arch with the trees soft behind them. The temple was quiet, I kept my direction to a minimum, and it felt like the right place to end the day.
Planning a day like this
All three places are close together, so one afternoon is enough. Start downtown, move to campus, and save the temple for the softer light. Two looks go a long way: something light and modern for the city, then traditional clothes for the temple. Check the university calendar first, and for the temple, ask the office before you come and avoid festival days and puja times.
Thank you, Raj and Priya, for the day.
If you’re engaged and looking for a Tampa engagement photographer who knows these places and understands South Asian weddings, I’d love to hear from you. Tell me about your plans here.
Abhik, Gandhi Photography & Films