The masters of old painted drama, life and death and the many nuances associated with it. Yet photography today seeks to capture the human condition, and offers — on a certain level — a much better opinion of a subject than even writing or any other artistic medium of our age. Yet I must confess that photography is a bit like writing; you end up portraying your version of a subject in your own inimitable style. Just like an artist that gives an object an embellished and embroidered style that offers the viewer an experience so too does a photographer.
I’ve met Priyantha on social media many years ago, and I’ve seen his style and passion become something truly unique. In 2016 New York based online lifestyle magazine Top Teny has included Priyantha Bandara in their 10 best travel photographers in the world list, and ROL a Luxury Cruise Agency in UK has named Priyantha as one of the best travel photographers of 2017.
There’s only one reason I can think of when it comes to the fact that he has been highly successful; and that is because he has been very intentional in his desire and need to master an art form that has enthusiasts from around the entire globe.
While he does moonlight as a photographer, he’s well tuned with his corporate job at Dialog. Living a full life, he has also won bodybuilding competitions and takes his health and physique seriously. It has taken him 10 years to hone his skill, and he continues to seamlessly do so.
When it comes to his inimitable experiences with regard to photography, Priyantha Bandara is definitely a force to be reckoned with. Having analysed his style of photography a bit, it’s interesting to note that he has gravitated from Representational to Impressionistic to Abstract. However, I would state that his style is more Representational thereby keeping it real; there are no props or artificial components added. However, special attention is paid to the framing, lighting and composition of the image.
Available for bookings, Priyantha also has a vast array of photography collections for sale. It is interesting to note that Priyantha has conducted indoor and outdoor lectures and workshops on landscape photography in addition to working with many within local photography societies and private organizations. At this particular juncture, it makes sense to actually talk a bit about Priyantha‘s travel escapades. Having widely travelled to many countries, Priyantha has taken pictures of historic and natural structures across Denmark, Iceland and Sri Lanka.
His website priyanthabandara.com gives an insight into his style and offers a microcosm of his work. Moreover, he has recently started a YouTube channel that showcases his photographic adventures around the country. The whole aspect of his art form can be summed up in one word — conscientious.
Armed with a Canon 5D MIII DSLR, Priyantha plans his days carefully to ensure he structures his work and passion accordingly. Not a gadget geek in any sense of the word, Priyantha ensures he manages with the bare minimum.
Focusing on a sense of minimalism, his photographs are draped with a sense of honesty and uniqueness that is highly enviable. Editing is an essential skill for a photographer, and you must be equally as good in editing as you are in capturing the image. Burning the midnight oil and ensuring there is a pixel-level-attention-to-detail with Lightroom and Photoshop is another art form in itself that Priyantha has managed to master.
Photography is a tool that is exact, and it is something that relishes and craves life in all its glory. Yet just like how writing and photography are tools, the greatness of art lies in human insight. Although there seems to be no human interaction per se in his photography, Priyantha has managed to merge and infuse his visual ideas into his photographs, which leaves a sense of awe and the ownership of the photographer for the world to see.
Instagram: @priyantha_bandara
Facebook: @Travelphotographywithpriyantha
YouTube: Travel Photography with Priyantha
Website: www.priyanthabandara.com Written by Rohitha Perera