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Today is World Photography Day:
NAPSL on practical photography
The National Association of Photographers - Sri Lanka (NAPSL) is
getting ready to celebrate the World Photography Day (WPD) today for the
third time. The NAPSL owns the credit for creating awareness of the WPD
among the Sri Lankan photographic community. In 2007 the NAPSL
celebrated the WPD in Sri Lanka for the first time.
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Executive Director NAPSL Wimal Amratunge |
August 19 has been designated as WPD, as the first scientific
announcement of the process of making a photographic image was made by
L. J. M. Daguerre on this day in 1839 before the members of the French
Science and Art Academy. This announcement is considered as the birth of
photography we practise today. Daguerre is a close associate of Niepce'
who made the first photographic image on a sensitized plate in 1827.
Photographic Society of America
In 1990 veteran Indian photographer O. P. Sharma proposed to the
India International Photographic Council (IIPC) to nominate this day as
WPD and most of the photographic associations around the world including
the Photographic Society of America (PSA) the largest photo club of the
world, accepted this proposal.
Although the process of photography disclosed in 1839 it was confined
only to a few skilled photographers until George Eastman an American who
pioneered making simple hand held domestic cameras and easy loading
photographic films in the end of 19th century.
He started his own company called Eastman Kodak Company and his
productions were tradenamed 'Kodak' which is still in the forefront of
the photographic field. During the World War II lot of research work
were carried out in this field as in the other fields and various
material and equipment were invented.
Photo enthusiasts
This year the NAPSL has organized two events to mark this special day
of photo enthusiasts.
A commemorative seminar will be held at the Mahaweli Centre
auditorium and the keynote address will be delivered by Prof.
Chandrasiri Rajapaksa, Head of the Dept. Mass Communications of
University of Kelaniya. M. D. Mahindapala, veteran cinematographer and
Dominic Hindle, veteran portrait and wedding photographer, will make
presentations in order to update the knowledge of the participants.
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World’s first photograph recording a human figure by L. J. M.
Daguerre |
NAPSL has also made arrangements to felicitate four veteran
photographers who dedicated their service to uplift the photographic art
in Sri Lanka.
NAPSL 2009 annual photographic exhibition will also be declared open
by veteran film directress Sumitra Peries at the National Art Gallery
today at 3.00 p.m.
The exhibition will be open to public from August 20 to 23 from 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. This exhibition is sponsored by the Sri Lanka liaison
office of the Kodak Singapore (Pte) Ltd.
Young photographers
The NAPSL was founded in 1980 under the patronage of the Ministry of
Cultural Affairs by a group of young photographic lovers and today it is
comprised hundreds of photographers. They organise photographic
instruction classes, workshops, field trips, competitions and
exhibitions for their members as well as others who are interested in
this art. Especially the photographic instruction courses conducted by
the NAPSL under the approval and registration of the Tertiary and
Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) of Sri Lanka is very popular
among the amateurs of this field.
The vocational training centre of the NAPSL is situated at No. 2/1,
Anandadharmaraja Vihara Building, Galle Road, Dehiwala. The NAPSL is a
member club of the Photographic Society of America (PSA) and are
celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2010.
All the details of their activities could be found on their website
www.napsl.com. |
