Abhishek Pandya

Ok, here goes. I am a late twenty thirty something , born and raised in New Jersey. I was introduced to photography at a very early age. My father and uncle were both inspiring enthusiasts and I cannot remember a time when they did not have a camera hanging from their necks. Although they couldn’t help me much with my homework…my father and uncle were both very eager to start teaching me all that they know about photography. It started out with just showing me where the shutter button was, but then as time went on we got into composition, shutter speed, aperture, film speed and fun multiple exposure tricks.

As I got older I began to drift away from photography and got more much involved with illustrations and graphic design. Back in 1996 I got my hands on Adobe Photoshop in school, version 3.0. As primitive as it may look now, version 3.0 was actually quite amazing. I began using the software daily in class, and when I got my first computer, I managed to get a copy of 3.0 through school and began experimenting with layers. It wasn’t until I got access to a scanner that I started getting back into photography. Now I can take a photo, develop it, and make adjustments digitally after scanning the photos into the computer. Being able to do this in school was one thing, but being able to do it at home, at anytime of day or night was another. With my creative outlet broadening, I begin designing advertising layouts for print (magazine, leaflets, signs, etc) and started getting a decent reputation in the local design and commercial printing industry.

Along side my photography and design skill set, I began learning about printing. Different types of printing, different machines, media choices, color spaces and techniques. This involvement in printing made me change the way I look at photography and designing! It was almost a rebirth of my passion for art. The possibilities and control over the final output were amazing. Once I started the transition from film to digital, everything changed.

Throughout college I managed to support myself with my photography/design/printing hobbies. Once I finished college I dabbled in fashion and editorial photography, and although I still enjoy shooting these genres, I balance myself by photographing South Asian Weddings. It is a segment in the industry that I feel is very different. You need to be in tune with what is going on, and then you need to have a creative eye and capture what is unfolding in unique light. The Indian wedding industry on the east coast is huge. I love taking my experience in editorial and fashion photography, blending it with my culture to produce modern style images today’s clients fall in love with. In the studio, you have plenty of time to light a scene, direct your talent and create a beautiful image, while on-site at a wedding you only have the moment and need to find the light within a creative composition without any sort of hesitation. Two opposite extremes!

Although wedding photography is really challenging, exciting and emotionally rewarding….I prefer to remain exclusive to couples that share a similar style and overall vision to mine. I am a full time professional photographer and personally service about 25 weddings a year with a focus on providing a true one on one experience with each of my couples. When I am personally not available for a specific date, I am proud to be able to offer services from our associate team whom over the years went from being colleagues to being family. My methods are a bit different, somewhat unique in the industry, and I feel it is the reason why I am blessed to have so many awesome brides and grooms every year. There is nothing more satisfying than having the honor to witness and document the love between two people on their wedding day, and being able to tell their story visually so it can be relived and cherished for eternity.

Random Facts

Current Favorite Setup

Right my I super love my Sony A9 along with the Sony 135mm f/1.8. They may as well be glued together at this point.
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Car Situation

My last 3 fun cars have all been Orange in color. As soon as I walk into the dealership, I look for the orange one. If it doesn't come in orange, we just have to paint it.
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I adore my pet

I have a pet turtle who is about 22 years old, little green dude is super chill and I'm pretty sure he understands Gujarati
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Get To Know Me

I’d love to hear from you and see if we may be a good fit for one another. Don’t be shy, say Hello!