From tedious banker to passionate photographer

Friday, 23 May 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Chamitha Kuruppu A daily train ride from Ratmala to Fort and back during the crazy office rush would be a dreadful experience to any ordinary commuter. But for Dhanushka Bulathsinghlala this daily routine sparked a lifelong fascination for train journeys and exploration. And most importantly it turned this once tedious banker to a passionate photographer. While other commuters dozed off or got busy with their mobile devices, Dhanushka was amazed with the beauty of blurring landscape, trail tracks and buzzling railway stations. “It’s pretty magical. I always had the desire to snap the shutter of a camera to freeze these amazing things. But I didn’t own a camera so I used my phone instead,” he recalls.

Soon his phone got heavy with thousands of photographs. As his confidence grew Dhanushka realised he was not only fascinated by train journeys but was caught by the photography bug. His weekends got busy with exploring the country through train, hiking and walking. During these excursions Dhanushka discovered his fondness towards nature and street photography. “I borrowed my brother’s camera; a Nikon S 9300. And soon we became inseparable.” Dhanushka’s photographs became popular on social networking sites. “Friends and colleagues admired my work and their encouragement made me get more serious with what I did.” However, Dhanushka doubts whether his photographs deserves such praise and acclaim. “It’s still mostly snapshots. Technically I know nothing about photography and I don’t own a camera,” he chuckles. A product of Prince of Wales College Moratuwa, Dhanushka’s childhood dream was to become a musician. However due to heavy protest from home he opted to continue his higher education in the field of accountancy. At present he works in a leading commercial bank in the country. “This is just not a hobby. This has helped me to be amazingly stress-free and happy. I find this therapeutic.”

Apart from the amazing photographs his excursions has earned him lifetime experiences Dhanushka would never forget. “My next plan is to cover all the railway tunnels. That would be an unforgettable experience.” According to Dhanushka sometimes it takes hours to capture the exact shot he wants. Railway stations are always buzzing with people. “I try to carry my work without drawing much attention from others. Trying to be an invisible photographer is not easy. I often draw suspicious glares from people. In many instances people have come to me and questioned me,” he asserts. If time permits Dhanushka hopes to study photography. “I know I have the talent and drive to work hard and especially inspiration to become a successful photographer. I pick up a lot through experience. It is important to be conscious. I try to invent techniques in various situations of taking pictures. I analyse my photos and look at the photos of others to get ideas and to find the inspiration to go out and be original.”