A technique includes modeling a seismic wavefield in a vertical transversely isotropic media as a second order derivative of a first wavefield function with respect to a vertical direction and not with respect to crossline and inline directions and as second order derivatives of a second wave field function with respect to the inline and crossline directions and not with respect to the vertical direction. The method includes processing seismic measurements of the media in accordance with the modeled seismic wavefield to obtain information about the media. In another technique, a seismic wavefield in a tilted transversely isotropic media are modeled based at least in part on orientation of the symmetry axis and a nonzero shear velocity for the media; and seismic measurements of the media are processed in accordance with the modeled seismic wavefield to obtain information associated with the media.