Diverse Visions
Every photograph has a story...
The smell of camphor at a temple in the early hours of the morning, the golden rays of the sun setting the high Himalayan peaks on fire, the steam seeping out of a tea pot at a road side chai shop or the graceful stretch of a cheetah’s paw seconds before it strikes a Thompson’s Gazelle. What’s common between these diverse and endearing moments from different parts of the world is the desire of six photographers with distinct professional backgrounds to capture these moments and tell their spellbinding stories visually. These six friends – all members of the Photographic Society of Madras – have come together to showcase their captures at the photography exhibition, “Diverse Visions – 2015”, at Lalit Kala Akademi, Greams Road, Chennai - 600 006. Inauguration – 5.00 pm on Tuesday, 8th September, 2015 by Mr. Shekar Dattatri, Award Winning Wildlife and Conservation Filmmaker. Exhibition Date & Time: Wedesday, 9th September to Sunday, 13th September 2015 (11.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.) They welcome you to be a part of their journeys as they share their stories and memories.
This frozen moment of a dramatic chase was captured by Jayanand Govindaraj at the Ndutu, Southern Serengeti, Tanzania
A mechanic takes a break at T.Nagar, Chennai
Kapaleeshwarar Temple during sunrise
Trekking on the semi frozen Zanskar River during the Chadar trek in Zanskar valley, Jammu and Kashmir
Ramesh Raja is a banker by profession and has pursued his passion for photography right from his school and college days. His theme for this exhibition is “Namma Chennai”.
J. Ramanan, an architect is a trained mountaineer, a passionate photographer and an exhibitor. His theme for this exhibition is “Mountains”.
Currently his interests are in street photography and he has been documenting the daily life of Chennai over the past 3 years and focusing on the street life of Chennai.
His important one-man shows of photographs of the Himalaya and the Western Ghats • In 1978, in Bangalore was inaugurated by Dr. G. Thomas, President Federation of Indian Photography • In 1980, at Chennai by Padmashri Vyjayanthimala Bali • In Delhi, in 1983 was by Tenzing Norgay and Junko Tabei • In 2002, at Chennai by N. Ram of The Hindu • In 2002, at Bangalore by T.N.A. Perumal • In Delhi, in 2003 by Sir Edmund Hillary • In 2012 at Chennai by Col. Chauhan, the President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation and “Renowned Wildlife Filmmaker” Shekar Dattatri
A long exposure reveals the aura of the Milkyway at the foot of Kanchandzonga peak, Green Lake at 16,800 ft., Sikkim, India
• Authored the coffee table book ‘Joy of the Himalaya’ released by N. Ram of The Hindu and Cricketer Krishnamachari Srikanth, in 2005 Currently working on the book ‘The Mountains of Our Destiny’. Work Philosophy: “Photography and mountains, for me, are introspective and meditative and thereby paths to enlightenment.”
His photographs reveal candidness and capture the fleeting moment of irony in human life. He also has his interests in landscape and portrait photography. Ramesh Raja has had solo photography exhibitions in Malaysia as part of the 'Penang International Festival' and 'Festival of India'. He has also participated in group exhibitions in Delhi and Gurgaon. His other interests include amateur radio, travelling and listening to music.
A Polar Bear Cub jumps over water at Olgastretet Pack Ice, Spitsbergen, Norway A lioness surveys the grasslands at Serengeti, Tanzania
Urban Sunset – California, USA
Srirama Raja's photography interest was kindled at a very early age, by his father and many hours of browsing National Geographic Magazines. His theme for this exhibition is “Nature's Bounty”. His interest in landscape and wildlife photography has taken him to remote areas in the Indian and Nepal Himalayas and many National Parks in India, US, Canada and East Africa. This is his first photo exhibition. Sriram currently runs his own software company in Chennai. More of his work can be seen at sraja.smugmug.com
A young giraffe looks straight into the lens at Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Jayanand Govindaraj is best described as a serious amateur photographer. The theme for this exhibition is “Polar Passions”. His interest in photography was kindled as a nine year old when his grandfather gifted him with a Kodak Retinette 1B, which he still proudly owns. After a career in State Bank of India, Citibank and as promoter-director of Anush Shares and Securities, Jayanand now has the time to follow his passion. Over the last decade his subjects of interest have progressively focused on wildlife, nature and street photography. He has travelled widely on wildlife photosafaris, both in India and around the world. Jayanand also prints all the photographs himself to ensure the right colour balance that he has in his mind's eye. He has received the Highly Honoured Certificate in the African Wildlife category of the prestigious Nature's Best Photography Winland Smith Rice Award.
The mobile and the immobile; A quirky moment at T Nagar
Pallas's Fish Eagle at Corbett National Park
Spiritual Design: A Mylapore Mami performing her art on the day of the Arubathu Moovar temple festival
Sridhar Rao Chaganti is a Chennai based businessman with an innate interest in photography. His theme for this exhibition is “Candids & More”. As a keen observer of human behaviour, he is an ardent street photographer. An avid traveller who has visited 23 countries, Sridhar has also done extensive travel photography. He is an active member of the Photographic Society of Madras and has served on several committees and positions in the Society.
His profession is paediatric neurosurgery while his passion is nature photography. Having completed his basic neurosurgery training in Madras, he went abroad for further training and specialization. He has been interested in photography since childhood but started getting involved seriously in the early 1970s. He joined the PSM in the early 70s and soon became a life member and eventually the Vice President of that august organisation. He has been doing nature photography since the early 70s. His theme for this exhibition is “Mammals and Birds”.
Pintails take flight at Chilka Lake, Odisha
Ramesh Raja
Srirama Raja
Jayanand
Srirama Raja
Ramanan
Chidambaram
Sridhar
Jayanand
Chidambaram Sridhar
Ramanan
Chidambaram
Ramesh Raja
J. Ramanan vrindaramanan@hotmail.com www.sact.co.in
Ramesh Raja rameshsar@gmail.com http://www.rameshsa.zenfolio.com www.ickr.com/photos/rameshsa/
Srirama (Shankar) Raja srraja@hotmail.com http://sraja.smugmug.com
Jayanand Govindaraj jayanand@gmail.com http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/
Sridhar Rao Chaganti sridhar@sunrajgroup.com https://www.ickr.com/photos/sridharraochaganti/ www.trekearth.com/members/SridharRao75
Chidambaram bchidu@gmail .com http://chidu.zenfolio.com