TRADITIONAL MAKEOVER & PHOTOSHOOT

Dress up in a saree and take photos in South Indian attire.

Starting from
₹7,999
Starting from
$99
Exploring traditions and dressing in ethnic attire is an experience in itself. And getting to record that moment, an even better experience. When I got to dress up as a Maiko in Japan, I loved the idea of bringing a similar experience in India. This is when “Ethnic Photography” was born.

At Ethnic Experiences, we dress you up in traditional South Indian attire. For this, we identified various styles and set up our studio for the perfect South Indian experience.

Highlights

What's included

Styles we offer

We offer four distinct styles of traditional South Indian women’s attire, each reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the region—choose the one that resonates most with your personal style and preferences.

Madisar Saree

A timeless 9-yard drape, is traditionally worn for the first time by a woman at her wedding.

Silk Saree
(Tamil Nadu)

Six yards of cultural elegance, proudly draped by women in Tamil Nadu.

Half Saree

Known as Paavadai Davani, this attire is worn by young girls before they embrace the saree.

Kasavu Saree
(Kerala)

The Kasavu saree, in an elegant off-white with a lovely gold border, has a charm that never fades.

Curious about what makes these outfits so special? Learn more about the traditions and meanings woven into every drape and design.

Drape. Pose. Share.

We offer a variety of plans and pricing options based on the number of people, costume style, and photo print preferences—go ahead and explore to find the one that’s just right for you!

Ekam (One person)

  • Choose 1 saree style
  • 5 prints

Dve (One person)

  • Choose 2 saree styles
  • 8 prints

Treeni (One person)

  • Choose 3 saree styles
  • 12 prints

Dvitva (Couple)

  • Choose 1 saree style
  • Dhoti & Shirt for male partner
  • 10 Prints

Kutumba (Family)

  • Choose 1 saree style
  • Dhoti & Shirt for male partner
  • Includes up to 2 children between 0-12 years
  • +₹3,000 for every additional child
  • +₹6,000 for every additional adult
  • 15 Prints

Can't find a plan that suits you?

Ask us and we will custom make a package that is just right for you!

Choose your style and make a reservation.

Arrive at our studio and meet our host.

Get your outfit, hair and makeup done.

Get ready to pose for your pictures!

Our guests' experiences

Maya
MayaShinjuku, Japan
サリーを着てメイクをしてスタジオで撮影するのは、想像以上に楽しい経験でした。スタジオは比較的安心なエリアにあり、オーナー女性もカメラマンもとても良い人です。サリーもいろんな地域、種類のものから選べます。日本のお客さん、各国駐在員ご家族の利用がかなり多いと聞きました。インドの記念にオススメします! This was such a fun experience! I really enjoyed the whole process, choosing a saree, having my hair and makeup done, struggling with different poses and smiling... and conversation! If you are visiting Chennai alone or with a group, I highly recommend it.
Christina
ChristinaDüsseldorf, Germany
Do you want to take some lovely pictures to remember your vacation? Ethnic photography is the place to be. With respect to traditions Sangeetha will wrap you up in gorgeous sarees and make you feel like a queen. She also expands her services to cutural lessons which are so far from anything touristy and fake you might have suspected. A great experience that will make your visit worthwhile and give you a much more personal insight into Tamil practices and traditions. Keep up the good work!
Aine Edwards
Aine EdwardsIreland
This is a unique experience for any visitor to Chennai to be dressed from head to toe in true ethnic Indian wear. I've worn a sari and flowers in my hair many times before, but Sangeetha takes you back in time and helps you understand the.clothing, how they are tied, for which function this may be worn. The accessories, makeup and setting for the shoot are all in synch. Plus the photography team help you to relax and model in a fun way, producing fantastic photos. When i changed my profile photo on facebook, the comments and likes say it all....my most popular photo to date!! Definitely an experience for anyone to step into the ancient world of Indian dress.
Maria
MariaNaestved, Denmark
If you think playing dress-up is for kids only, please reconsider! Treat yourself to a unique souvenir - let Sangeetha & team bring out the best in you!
Sha Patel
Sha PatelSingapore
Excellent customer service from Sangeetha and Karthik. Booked 3 months earlier for the photoshoot session but did not reconfirm until the actual day. They were polite and kind enough to arrange for a session. Everything was very professionally done.
Arati Mali
Arati MaliSingapore
It was amazing experience getting a ethnic dress up and photo shoot done at ethnic photography. I found about this through TripAdvisor. I filled up online form and i received a prompt reply from sangeetha. sangeetha made sure, she had selected clothes before hand, for me and my husband. the make up was not very flashy and indeed it gave a very ethnic look. photographer prakash seems knowledgable, and both of them conducted the session professionally yet, we thoroughly enjoyed it. they sent the link of photos by email and delivered the copies to out hotel. good work, prakash & sangeetha. thank you for plenty of tips on shopping.
Diz
DizBangkok, Thailand
It was a special experience for me.Sangeetha is so kind and make me relax. Saree was really beautiful.Makeup was perfect! I want to do again,if I'll have a chance. Thank you so much!

Got questions? We’ve got answers!

Do I need to bring my own costume, jewellery or makeup kit?

No, that is not mandatory. We have a range of costumes and jewellery for you to choose from. The cosmetics we use are from reputed brands. However, if you have sensitive skin, you’re welcome to bring your own makeup kit.

The costumes are dry cleaned and well maintained to ensure good hygiene.

We carefully select your best photos, enhance them, and print them within a day. You will also receive an email with a link to high resolution images giving you lifetime access to your memories.

Yes, you can. We give you an exclusive 10 minutes time after our photographer finishes the shoot. Request you to refrain from taking pictures at the time of makeup or during the shoot.

If you are interested in outdoor plans, do write to us and we can custom-make a plan for you.

Yes, we have packages for couples (Dvitva) and we also do family portraits (Kutumba).

It takes an average of 1½ hours for the makeup and shoot. However, it totally varies with the plan you choose.

Do I need to make an appointment for the session and how early should it be?

We request you to take an appointment at least a day in advance to ensure our studio is available and avoid any waiting period.

To ensure smooth operation, we would appreciate it if you can avoid cancellations of any kind. However, we will understand if it is an unforeseen situation. Please be sure that we will also be willing to accommodate you at a different time if you choose to do so.

We accept online payments in Indian Rupees (₹ INR) via Razorpay and US Dollars ($ USD) via PayPal

For cash payments, we accept Indian Rupees (₹ INR) only.

Do you have car parking space?

We do not have reserved car parking space however we have enough street parking space available for your car.

Sure, we are very tourist-friendly. Please note that we are located at level 2 with an elevator in the building.

Chennai has various public and private transportation options. Look out for metro, buses, airport cabs, Uber, Ola, as well as the famous Tuk-Tuks (Autorickshaws). If you text us your location, we can help you out with the best option.

Schedule your experience with us

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Take a look at our other experiences and get in contact to start planning your very own adventure.

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Shop Like a Local

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Traditional Makeover & Photoshoot

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