SUNSHINE AND UMBRELLAS

Wellawatte, a suburb of Colombo, has some of the highest temperatures recorded around 40°C (104°F) and humidity levels exceeding 75%. During the civil war (1983-2009), several Tamil families moved to this area and has resulted in the highest population of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. This street photography captures the vibrancy of Wellawatte today, as a busy and densely populated suburb, containing many restaurants, textiles and jewellery shops.

‘Life in Life’ focuses on capturing the unique and imperfect moments of contemporary life. This particular photographic expression provokes  an intimate tone in documentary photography, as it provides a brief glimpse into an individual’s life.

The inspiration for this project was drawn from Martin Parr’s earlier work, in photographing the liveliness of large crowds during summer holidays. Parr’s particular fascination in capturing ordinary people having a good time, laid the foundation for the composition of several photos taken. Moreover, the claustrophobic and chaotic nature of the scenery is heavily demonstrated throughout this book, and like in his work in ‘The Last Resort’.

To counter the humorous observations photographed in this book it also pays homage to the nostalgic feeling felt in the celebratory events such as weddings and parties. This book presents a captivating and fascinating insight into a raw way of looking at the world, that is both anonymous and real.