How Amrit Arora Turned Photographer At 19 And Then Clicked The Coolest Weddings Across The Globe

Inspiration can take just a single second, whether that lies in a smile or in this case, in the blink of a camera lens shutter! The latter is all it took to get Amrit Arora at the young age of 19 to realise he had the knack for photography. A single click or two for a friend's function, led him to realise this was his love. The pictures drew appreciation and little did he know then that it would lead him to his venture, The Wedding Files. A popular wedding photography and videography company based in Delhi today, it sees him having lensed some of the most beautiful weddings in India and across the globe!

While his calling hasn't come from a career carefully mapped out, but revealed along the way, Amrit is every bit glad he took his step into photography. “I’ve always loved taking pictures,” admits the wedding planner and creative storyteller.

From intimate celebrations to fashion, portraits and editorial imagery, he tells Manifest about the unexpected beginning, the lessons along the way and his vision for taking The Wedding Files to a bigger global stage.

It takes a small spark to ignite an inspiration. For you that goes back to Class 10 when you began with a Sony CyberShot you carried everywhere. Tell us more about this.

Honestly, it started very randomly. I’ve always loved taking pictures. When I was in 10th grade, we had a little Sony CyberShot at home, and I would take it with me everywhere. Photography wasn’t on my mind back then and I had no idea it would actually become my career. Looking back, that’s probably where, surprisingly enough, the journey of The Wedding Files began.

Was there a particular photograph or moment from those early years that made you realise you saw the world differently through a camera?

I don’t think there was one particular picture or moment. It happened slowly. I just realised I was noticing things around me differently, like lights, people, expressions, small moments. Even today I think that’s what I enjoy the most. Finding something interesting in very normal situations. 

You were studying something completely different when you discovered your passion for photography. What made you brave enough to walk away from the conventional path?

I think I was too young to even think of it as being brave. I just knew I was enjoying photography much more than what I was studying. I wanted to give it a proper chance rather than always thinking later that I should have tried. So, I just went for it.

I come from a business family, so photography as a full-time career was something very new for everyone. But once they saw how serious I was about it and that I was actually building something out of it, they became very supportive. I think seeing my work grow gave them that confidence as well.

I joined college in 2015, Six months into my course, I realised my heart wasn’t in the course I chose. I found myself spending more time with my photography society and my peers. It made me understand that photography wasn’t just something I enjoyed; it was what I dived into and could dedicate my life to.

I dropped out a few months later; I knew my life story wasn't written on a clean slate, so I decided to pursue photography full-time. I went on to study photography through diploma courses in Delhi and found a home at the London Film Academy (LFA). Along the way, I assisted fashion photographers because I was of the belief that I learned the most by working alongside people I admired; it kept me on my toes.

Your first wedding assignment came through a friend when you were just 19. What do you remember most vividly about that wedding?

Wedding photography came into my life unexpectedly. A friend of mine asked me if I could shoot his brother’s wedding. I remember being super excited and equally nervous. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. I was just happy that somebody trusted me enough to photograph their wedding.

I treated it like the biggest assignment of my life. But after shooting it, I remember feeling that this is something I really want to do more of. That wedding basically opened this whole world for me.

I was 19 back then; out of curiosity, I shared the photographs online. My photos found the hearts I had been searching for. Unknowingly, I was approaching every step as if the rest of my story depended on it. One wedding led to another, and that’s how everything started.

How did The Wedding Files come about, and how has your vision evolved since you started?

The Wedding Files honestly happened very organically. There was never this big plan that I’m going to start a company and make it into something huge. I just kept shooting, learning and taking up more work.

Of course, the vision is very different today. I want The Wedding Files to grow beyond just weddings. Weddings will always be a big part of us, but I also want to explore fashion, editorial work and portraits and take the brand much more international.

How has your experience with fashion photography shaped the way you approach weddings?

Fashion has definitely changed the way I look at weddings. I pay much more attention to light, styling, composition, and how a portrait feels. But at the same time, I never want to overdo it. A wedding is still a wedding. The emotions and real moments are always more important. I just like adding a little editorial touch wherever it naturally fits.

How would you describe your visual language today? Has it changed significantly from the photographer you were at 19?

Oh, completely. At 19 I was still figuring out everything and experimenting a lot. Today I think my work is much simpler and more intentional. I love clean pictures, good light, beautiful portraits, and real emotions. I don’t like forcing too much. I think the picture should still feel like the person in it.

Take us into some of the beautiful weddings you have lensed and some moments you won’t forget.

I’ve been really lucky to shoot some beautiful weddings and travel to some amazing places because of my work such as Mexico, Doha, Seattle, Udaipur, Portugal, Napa Valley. But honestly, the things I remember are usually not the biggest setups or the fanciest locations. It’s always those small moments. Parents seeing their daughter ready, someone unexpectedly getting emotional, friends going crazy on the dance floor, or even the couple getting five quiet minutes together. Those moments stay with you.

Do international weddings come with their own set of challenges and aesthetics?

For sure! Every country feels different. The light, landscapes, architecture, locations, people and cultures are all so different, and naturally, that reflects in the way the photographs turn out. From Napa’s vineyards, the colourful streets of San Miguel in Mexico, the architecture and landscapes of Portugal, or Indian rituals against an international backdrop, each destination brings something completely different to the frame. But across all cultures and countries, one thing remains common: emotions. That is something that transcends borders and is universal across the globe.

There are definitely challenges because you’re working somewhere unfamiliar, but I actually enjoy that part. It keeps things exciting and creatively it pushes you to see things differently every time.

You’ve spoken about the importance of earning people’s trust in the early years. How do you build that trust with couples today?

I think it’s actually very simple. You have to listen to them. Every couple is different and everyone has different priorities. I try to understand them before the wedding and once they know that you understand what matters to them, the trust comes naturally. On the wedding day I actually want them to forget that we’re even there. That’s when you get the most real pictures. 

What are some small things couples can do on their wedding day that make a photographer’s job and ultimately their photographs better?

Just give yourself a little time and enjoy your wedding. Don’t plan every minute only around pictures. Of course, good light and enough time for portraits helps us a lot, but the best thing a couple can do is actually be present. If you’re happy, relaxed and enjoying yourself, trust me, it shows in the pictures.

You’ve said there was no single defining low point, but many small challenges along the way. What was the hardest lesson you had to learn?

I think the biggest lesson has been that everything will not always go according to plan, and that’s okay. Especially with weddings, there are so many things you simply cannot control. Timelines change, weather changes, locations change, and sometimes you just have to adapt and make the most of what you have

For example, other than a couple losing the sunset, which is a very common situation, one that really stands out for me was a wedding we shot in Thailand last year in June.

We were in Hua Hin shooting Raghav and Ishika, and it was raining cats and dogs. It was one of those situations where you could have easily thought the shoot was ruined, but the rain actually made for an incredible view and atmosphere. The only challenge was that our cameras were extremely difficult to handle in that weather, but we adapted and kept shooting. Sometimes, the moments you don’t plan for end up becoming some of the most memorable ones.

After building The Wedding Files from an unexpected first assignment, what does success mean to you today? And where do you see yourself in the next five to ten years?

Success for me keeps changing. Earlier it was about getting more work, shooting bigger weddings and travelling more. Now I think it’s more about doing work that I genuinely feel proud of and building something that has its own identity.

In the next five to ten years, I definitely want The Wedding Files to have even more global recognition as I want to shoot weddings across the world, but at the same time I personally want to explore much more fashion, editorial, and portrait work.