Snapshots: Vipula Samarakoon
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Most people get to see only fashion shows (think Victoria Secrets and Sports Illustrated) when in front of their TV screens--yours truly happens to be one of them. Unless you are a well-known celebrity yourself, or get to rub shoulders with them on a frequent basis and be chummy, you probably won't get to attend such shows very often, if at all. This, of course, doesn't apply to the (filthy) rich and famous. But if you excel in fashion photography and have a good network of contacts, things could be different. Before all that happens, you might want to find out more about the craft from Vipula Samarakoon (Vip, for short) and his thoughts on fashion and portrait photography.
The images you see from this feature have been reproduced with permission from Vipula Samarakoon. If you wish to be featured in our interviews or know any photo buffs who may be interested, write to us, and we'll get back to you.
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Name: Vipula Samarakoon
Type of photographer: Professional
Equipment: The majority of my professional work is digital, using a Canon EOS-1D Mark II and a range of lenses. Portable electronic lighting is provided via a Canon 580EX (with external powerpack) and a Canon 430EX, generally used with Gary Fong's Lightsphere PJ II. Studio lighting comprises a pair of Elinchrom D-Lite 4s with stands, umbrellas and soft-boxes. As a backup, I also have a Leica M7 (yes, that's a film camera!) with a Leica Summicron-M 75mm F2.0 ASPH lens.
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What he says:
"I'm a 30-year-old Sri Lankan-born Australian, now living in Singapore. My involvement in photography started at a young age of 12 when I first started to use my father's fully manual Pentax K2. Both my father and uncle were exhibiting photographers in Sri Lanka and most of my learning of this art have been influenced by them. I haven't attended any formal photography classes, instead learning from practicing and studying the works of other photographers.
Fashion and portrait photography is an area I have been recently "focusing" on. The challenge of capturing people in an image has long been considered one of the true art forms of photography. Personally, I enjoy the opportunity to work with some wonderful people and build a professional rapport that gives a subject the confidence in my ability to capture its image.
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Candid shots can be very flattering and create a unique perspective compared with posed images. A telephoto lens will help to create a suitable distance between the model and photographer, yet still allow the frame to be filled by the subject.
