From Family Legacy to Wedding Stories: Taj of Taj Studios Shares His 12-Year Photography Journey

Photography has always been part of my life because it runs in my family. My grandfather and uncles were photographers, so from childhood I spent a lot of time around studios, cameras, and photo shoots.

Watching them work naturally sparked my interest in photography. Over time, that interest turned into a passion, and eventually I decided to make it my profession.

Before starting my own studio, I worked under experienced photographers to learn the craft and understand how the business operates. After gaining practical experience, I established Taj Studios in 2014. We initially started in Karimnagar and later expanded our operations to Hyderabad.

When I started, social media wasn't as influential as it is today.

My first opportunities came through friends and personal contacts. In fact, I photographed many events completely free of charge. I wasn't focused on earning money—I wanted to build experience and prove my abilities.

As people started appreciating my work, they recommended me to others. Those referrals gradually turned into paid assignments, and that's how my business started growing.

Today our primary focus is wedding photography.

However, over the years I've worked across many different photography genres including:

Wedding Photography Fashion Photography Street Photography Kids Photography Food Photography Product Photography

Exploring different genres helped me understand lighting, creativity, and storytelling from different perspectives before choosing weddings as my specialization.

Our biggest strength isn't just photography—it's how we work with our clients.

From the moment someone books us, we become deeply involved in understanding their event. We discuss everything in advance—from the couple's vision and wedding schedule to decorations, costumes, entrances, and important family moments.

Our team works almost like a family member throughout the event.

This planning allows us to capture every important moment without confusion while giving clients complete confidence throughout the process.

We also believe in delivering our work on time and maintaining clear communication from beginning to end.

Personally, I never felt photography was difficult because I've always been passionate about it.

However, one challenge in today's industry is the growing competition from photographers offering extremely low prices without enough experience.

Many clients initially choose the lowest quote, but later experience issues such as delayed deliveries, incomplete albums, or poor communication.

Interestingly, several clients who couldn't book us initially due to budget eventually returned after having disappointing experiences elsewhere. Those moments reinforced the importance of quality, professionalism, and trust over simply offering the cheapest price.

Today's clients want memories as quickly as possible, especially for sharing on Instagram and other social media platforms.

That's why our workflow focuses on fast delivery without compromising quality.

After every event:

Raw photos and videos are safely organized. Preview photographs are edited quickly for social media. Instagram-ready images and reels are delivered within a short time. Albums, cinematic videos, traditional edits, and complete deliverables are finished within our promised delivery timeline.

We always try to ensure our clients don't have to wait unnecessarily to relive their special moments.

We primarily use Sony mirrorless cameras for photography, including the Sony A7R series.

For cinematic wedding films, we work with professional cinema cameras such as the Sony FX30 and Sony FX3, allowing us to deliver high-quality 4K and 5K videos.

Mirrorless.

Mirrorless cameras allow us to capture continuous moments without missing important expressions during weddings and live events.

Both.

Morning light creates beautiful natural portraits, while night photography has its own cinematic charm. I enjoy both equally.

Although weddings are my profession today, Fashion Photography remains my personal favourite, followed closely by Wedding Photography.

Don't rush into becoming a professional photographer immediately after buying a camera.

Take time to learn properly. Join an academy or work under an experienced photographer for at least six months to a year.

Real-world experience teaches you things that no camera manual can.

Once you've developed confidence, mastered the basics, and built your own style, then start your photography business. That approach benefits both photographers and clients.

Honestly, I would still follow the same path.

I would first work under an experienced photographer because that's where you truly understand client handling, event management, technical skills, and business operations.

During that period, I would continuously practice, shoot every day, and develop my own unique photography style.

Only after gaining confidence in both my skills and my creativity would I launch my own business.

Every photographer should build their own identity instead of simply copying others. That's what creates long-term success.