World stands still

Nishantha Gunawardena uncovers the formula behind frozen beauty:

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

One can't help 'oohing' and 'aahing' over the images, frozen into place and embellished onto the sheets of paper on the books. The pictures come in three topics as coffee table books: 'The Colour of Serendipity: A Journey Through Sri Lanka', 'The Lost Dynasty: Uncovering Sri Lanka's Secret Past' and 'Traces of Eden: The Last Of The American Wilderness'.

Flipping through the pages one gets lost in the history of our ancestors, sees the beauty of the island unfolding before our eyes and embarks on a voyage amidst America's wilderness, tracing the footsteps of the photographer who captured nature's glories in stills.

"Ever since I graduated from Winona State University, USA, in 2000 I had the passion to travel. I ventured to all 50 states in the country to compose 'Traces of Eden'," said gifted photographer Nishantha Gunawardena who taken up the daring task of freezing nature's memorable moments into images and publishing it in the States.

Nishantha Gunawardena's entrance to photography occurred due to his family's influence. Two of his uncles, Ananda Salgado and Anura Salgado, were well known photographers. Their natural flair for the art was taken up by their nephew. Gunawardena began his stint with the camera on a larger scale while engaging in further studies in the US where he absorbed tips from the works of professional photographers.

"Photography is not my profession but I somehow ended up composing books with a collection of my work. If you are a photographer who had published books based on your work you are regarded as a professional in the US. I believe that professionals make big bucks!" he smiled adding that his main goal is to make it to the Medical College, Miami, in 2010.

"I was a member of the Young Zoologist Society during my schooldays. I admired the works of several of the local photographers. Nature inspired me though I have taken a few pictures with people in rural settings," said the old boy of Trinity College, Kandy. His first breakthrough had taken place when a group of amateur photographers had decided to showcase their work. Several experts in the field had visited the exhibition and commented on his work.

"They encouraged me to add more photographs to my collection. I was driven to pick up the camera and plunge into the depths of the glories of nature during the brief breaks in-between my studies," he noted, recalling how as an entrant to the scene he had traced the steps of beasts to capture their moods in natural horizons.

Speaking on 'Colours of Serendipity' he said that the book is basically a photo essay which presents people, places and wilderness areas matched by interesting quotes by various people. 'The Lost Dynasty' centers on history, going back beyond the time of King Vijaya.

His latest addition to the collection of explicit coffee table books, 'Traces of Eden', captures some of the characteristic features of species of fauna endemic to the country. Significantly 'Traces of Eden' topped the list as number two while 'Colours of Serendipity' became one of the top photography books in 2007 in the States.

Queried on what photography means to him Gunawardena stated that it is an art of story-telling.

"You can relate a story by writing or reciting. Similarly an image also includes detailed aspects which can be seen at different angles according to the eye which beholds it. The image you would have written about or described may appear differently to a person when you present it visually. It is one of the methods of presenting to the world what you have seen, especially if they are not capable of venturing to the areas to witness the scene for themselves," he explained also adding that the reward he seeks comes out of a person's motivation to visit the place.

"Personally I find it satisfying as I believe by capturing the scene on lens to the best of my capability; I'll be complimenting the location and its accustomed habitat. I've done mostly coloured photography. Black and white photography is about contrast of shades. Coloured photography also focuses on this aspect as you bring out two or three colours that create the pattern to distinguish the picture."

He says that he does not believe in changing photographs from its original form in different places.

"In digital the rule is if you are going to change something you have to change it throughout or it can be duplicated. You should never change something at a whim like at a certain place.

For graphic designs it is ok as you are going to present something artificial but if you are hoping to present something with a journalistic aspect, it has to be authentic. If your photo is both artistic and journalistic, then it is a creation which spells success." An ardent admirer of Jim Brandon's work Gunawardena said that he noted a certain uniqueness in Brandon's style.

"I like originality in other's work. It is hard to describe his work but it has a certain appeal to me. I did not want to copy him but I was inspired to create my own style by studying his photographs," said the talented photographer who strives to make his mark in the scene.

"It takes years to put together a project and the audience is able to note that a lot of work and time had been set aside for the creation. It shows that the product is placed in a very complimentary fashion and that is what I try to accomplish," he concluded with a smile.

Though printed in Hong Kong and published in USA, Gunawardena's books are available at all the leading book stores in Sri Lanka.

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