Shantan is a fine arts photographer who will be featuring his work at Passion this year. As at present he has been putting his skills to good use in Germany through his professional facets as photo journalist and fine arts photographer.

Though Sri Lankan by birth, he has been residing in Germany since his teenage years. On Artist’s Angle today, he shares his perspective on his passion.

Tell us about yourself. When and how did the craft of photography first fascinate you?

My name is Shantan Kumarasamy. I was born and brought up in Sri Lanka living for the last 29 years in Essen, Germany. For a quite long time I was working as a photojournalist and now own my own studio: WITH-LIGHT FOTOSTUDIO here in Essen (www.with-light.com) catering to private and commercial clients with wedding photojournalism, portraiture and providing fine-art prints.

Since a small boy I was interested in visual arts. I used to draw a lot of pencil portraits and actually wanted to be a painter. But as I turned 17, a friend of mine lent me a camera, an old Yashica, with which I made my first photographs in black& white.

There it all started. By the mid 90s I got a job to work in a “dark room” to develop negatives for a newspaper and printing. Since then photography overtook my interest in paintings, although occasionally I fell back to sketching and art classes. But then by 2005, I have once in for all decided to dedicate my time for photography, particularly photojournalism. 

 

Did you have any formal training? Do you think it's necessary?

Yes, I did have formal training and think it is absolutely necessary to have a deep going understanding of the craft, get to know the work of the old masters and also gain inspiration from them. Well, all that mounts to nothing, if you do not attempt to understand the world around you . I mean in the deepest sense, artistically and politically. A combination of these aspects I think are prerequisites to make good photographs.

 

Why photography? Why fine arts photography?

A truthful reflection of daily life, let’s say honest to the subject and in return initiates the audience to be thoughtful, sensitive and be hopeful about life is a work of art for me. And photography is the medium that had enabled me to express my thoughts about the world around me, ideally along the lines I stated above.

In this sense, fine-art images are not created in the process of making simple snap shots. They are the result of a thoughtful process that involves technique, artistic composition, perspective, lighting and not the least its content. Finally skills in editing should be able to round it all up - into a work worth watching.
 

Tell us about your ideal scenarios for photography, the gear you use and which ones are your favourite?

For me there is nothing such as an „ideal Scenario. I come from the school of photojournalism, therefore I take pictures under any condition, as long as it contributes to the story. In terms of lighting perhaps I could say I prefer the soft light of early mornings. 

I use full frame Canon cameras and lenses. I am very comfortable with using a 5D Mark III. In terms of lenses I always opt for prime lenses (fixed focal length). Here my preferences are EF 24mm 1.4L, EF 85mm 1.8 and EF 135mm 2.0 L. 

 

Is inspiration for photography a never drying fount? Where do you turn to renew yours?

Primarily the life around me motivates me to create my work and draw inspiration from many fields. In terms of visual arts it ranges from classical paintings, photojournalism to world cinema. 

What are your thoughts on showcasing your work at Passion in Sri Lanka? Tell us something about the collection you hope to display this December?

I am glad to be part of the Passion team firstly, in terms of having an opportunity to showcase each of our work to an audience that appreciates visual arts. Events such as these are very important in raising the cultural standards and awareness, particularly amongst the youth. Being born and brought up in Sri Lanka, it is the first time I am dispaying my work in the island, and Passion had enabled me that opportunity. 

I am displaying five photographs at the exhibition this December. One of them made in Kandy, another in Galle and three more in Kytes-Jaffna. Except for the image I made in Kandy, others depict daily life. 

Meet Shantan and others at ‘Passion 2013’ presented by the Rotaract Club of Cinnamon Gardens. ‘Passion’ is an annual art exhibition for the daring and will be held on the 15th of December at the Galleries of Sapumal Foundation. With the objective of promoting art among the youth, ‘Passion’ is a platform to showcase the works of both emerging and established artists.

By Nivedha Jeyaseelan

Shantan is a fine arts photographer who will be featuring his work at Passion this year. As at present he has been putting his skills to good use in Germany through his professional facets as photo journalist and fine arts photographer.

Though Sri Lankan by birth, he has been residing in Germany since his teenage years. On Artist’s Angle today, he shares his perspective on his passion.

Tell us about yourself. When and how did the craft of photography first fascinate you?

My name is Shantan Kumarasamy. I was born and brought up in Sri Lanka living for the last 29 years in Essen, Germany. For a quite long time I was working as a photojournalist and now own my own studio: WITH-LIGHT FOTOSTUDIO here in Essen (www.with-light.com) catering to private and commercial clients with wedding photojournalism, portraiture and providing fine-art prints.

Since a small boy I was interested in visual arts. I used to draw a lot of pencil portraits and actually wanted to be a painter. But as I turned 17, a friend of mine lent me a camera, an old Yashica, with which I made my first photographs in black& white.

There it all started. By the mid 90s I got a job to work in a “dark room” to develop negatives for a newspaper and printing. Since then photography overtook my interest in paintings, although occasionally I fell back to sketching and art classes. But then by 2005, I have once in for all decided to dedicate my time for photography, particularly photojournalism. 

 

Did you have any formal training? Do you think it's necessary?

Yes, I did have formal training and think it is absolutely necessary to have a deep going understanding of the craft, get to know the work of the old masters and also gain inspiration from them. Well, all that mounts to nothing, if you do not attempt to understand the world around you . I mean in the deepest sense, artistically and politically. A combination of these aspects I think are prerequisites to make good photographs.

 

Why photography? Why fine arts photography?

A truthful reflection of daily life, let’s say honest to the subject and in return initiates the audience to be thoughtful, sensitive and be hopeful about life is a work of art for me. And photography is the medium that had enabled me to express my thoughts about the world around me, ideally along the lines I stated above.

In this sense, fine-art images are not created in the process of making simple snap shots. They are the result of a thoughtful process that involves technique, artistic composition, perspective, lighting and not the least its content. Finally skills in editing should be able to round it all up - into a work worth watching.
 

Tell us about your ideal scenarios for photography, the gear you use and which ones are your favourite?

For me there is nothing such as an „ideal Scenario. I come from the school of photojournalism, therefore I take pictures under any condition, as long as it contributes to the story. In terms of lighting perhaps I could say I prefer the soft light of early mornings. 

I use full frame Canon cameras and lenses. I am very comfortable with using a 5D Mark III. In terms of lenses I always opt for prime lenses (fixed focal length). Here my preferences are EF 24mm 1.4L, EF 85mm 1.8 and EF 135mm 2.0 L. 

 

Is inspiration for photography a never drying fount? Where do you turn to renew yours?

Primarily the life around me motivates me to create my work and draw inspiration from many fields. In terms of visual arts it ranges from classical paintings, photojournalism to world cinema. 

What are your thoughts on showcasing your work at Passion in Sri Lanka? Tell us something about the collection you hope to display this December?

I am glad to be part of the Passion team firstly, in terms of having an opportunity to showcase each of our work to an audience that appreciates visual arts. Events such as these are very important in raising the cultural standards and awareness, particularly amongst the youth. Being born and brought up in Sri Lanka, it is the first time I am dispaying my work in the island, and Passion had enabled me that opportunity. 

I am displaying five photographs at the exhibition this December. One of them made in Kandy, another in Galle and three more in Kytes-Jaffna. Except for the image I made in Kandy, others depict daily life. 

Meet Shantan and others at ‘Passion 2013’ presented by the Rotaract Club of Cinnamon Gardens. ‘Passion’ is an annual art exhibition for the daring and will be held on the 15th of December at the Galleries of Sapumal Foundation. With the objective of promoting art among the youth, ‘Passion’ is a platform to showcase the works of both emerging and established artists.

By Nivedha Jeyaseelan