A keen eye for beauty

09 Jun 2020

With plenty of time on his hands while in lockdown, Year 9 student Rahal Pathirana used it as an opportunity to develop his photography skills.

“I realised how beautiful it is where I live and I wanted to capture that, so started taking photos of lots of different objects and things around the house, in the garden.”

Living on a farm in Rolleston, Rahal largely focused on images of the changing season – some in a natural setting, others curated – a witness to autumn’s progression across the land.

One of his favourite images shows a reflection in a drop of water – a tiny, ephemeral world of its own. Another looks at the transition from life to death. “I could see the leaves were dying and wanted to tell the story, show the transformation from a fresh leaf through to dead.”

Along with drawing and doodling, Rahal says photography could become his perfect hobby.

“I’m really into tech and follow a number of photographers on Instagram, so I’m pleased I decided to try and give it a go. I picked up hints and tips from them, learned how to frame, light and edit a shot, and spent a lot of time finding the right subjects and developing my eye.”

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