Ravindra’s on a roll!

Saturday, 23 November 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Sarah Hannan Meet Ravindra Ranasinghe, a shutterbug who achieved his goal in the field of competitive photography within a span of three years.

Ravindra took to competitive photography in 2010 just after completing a course in photography conducted by the Photographic Society of Sri Lanka (PSSL). During the same year he submitted his award winning entry titled ‘Home Through the Mist Behind Them’ at the National Association of Photographers Sri Lanka’s 30th anniversary amateur photographic competition and exhibition, which was adjudged as the ‘Best Amateur’ entry and also won a merit award. Since then Ravindra has been on a roll, winning accolades for his photo entries. Ravindra has also achieved a PSA and FIAP honourable mention award in 2012 and at the 58th International Competition & Exhibition of Photography 2013 awards ceremony held recently at the Lionel Wendt he won awards for two of his entries: ‘Caught In Between’ – PSA honourable mention award, B. P. Weerawardena Challenge Trophy the Best Member colour and Kalabushana L. E. Samarathne Challenge Trophy for the best Portraiture (Colour or Monochrome; and ‘The Smiling Window’ - FIAP Honourable Mention award, S.R. Kottegoda Challenge trophy for the Best Member Monochrome and D. C. L. Amarasinghe Memorial Challenge Trophy for the Best of Show Local. “I started to take photographs with a Sony Cybershot DSC W170 and then switched to a Canon D500 and the latest camera that I use is a Canon D7,” he told the Weekend FT. Ravindra’s knack for photography was identified by his wife and the first photo ‘Home Through the Mist Behind Them’ was captured during a trip with his friends. “I went to develop the ‘Home Through The Mist Behind Them’ photograph at Fuji next to Salaka. The famous photographer Athuala Ranaraja happened to be there at that time and after seeing the developed picture said, ‘This is a good photograph, why don’t you submit this to competitions?’ That is when I sent my first submission for a competition and won the first award of my photography career. He is also one of my critiques. Panduka De Silva at Photographic Society of Sri Lanka, where I started my photography certificate course, has also been a critique of my work. Ever since then, every time I make a submission to a competition, that submission has won me award titles,” Ravindra said, speaking about the people who encouraged him to take up photography seriously. Ravindra is currently holding an exhibition at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, which opened last evening, and will be on today and tomorrow. It is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is part of the 58th International Competition & Exhibition of Photography 2013.