Photojournalist Srilal Gomes’ autobiography debuts

The autobiography of veteran photojournalist Srilal Gomes, who passed away recently, was launched yesterday at the Mahaweli Centre Auditorium, Colombo 7. Titled ‘Thitha Rasa’ or ‘Bitter Taste’ it captures his journey as a photographer.

Gomes, who obtained his college education from St. Sylvester College, Kandy, joined the Isura magazine published by then Ministry of Mahaweli Development and there he studied photography and photo printing under two of Sri Lanka’s senior and most talented photographers, ShivapalaBandara and Nihal Fernando.

In 1981 he was appointed as the official photographer of an internationally-famed outstanding Sri Lankan political figure of the era, the late Minister GaminiDissanayake. During this period he acquired a wide range of experience by attending various official tours and functions throughout the country with the Minister. Some of the images captured on his camera during these tours were not only published on front pages of the leading newspapers but also were landmarks of the era.

He obtained experience in areas such as Mahaweli development, the power sector and the country’s development drive as well as in fields like nature, lifestyle and sports including cricket.

He pursued a one-year Diploma course in Journalism at Sri Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India. In 1990 he joined Upali Newspapers Ltd. as a media photographer of the Island and Divaina newspapers and he acquired vast experience in all-round photography while working there until the year 2000.

The vast array of his photographs includes special political events, amazing nature, wildlife, human emotions and many others. He has also attended numerous international events like seminars, sports events representing different newspapers he was attached to. 

In 2000 he was appointed as Pictures Editor of Lakbima newspaper of Sumathi Publications Ltd. and after working there for seven years he joined Upali Newspapers Ltd. as Chief Pictures Editor upon the invitation of the company.

Srilal was talented in wedding photography too and had covered more than 1,000 wedding events.He also specialisedin fashion, advertising and cover pages photography. As a senior media photographer and a photography advisor, he conducted several courses on media photography and photography in general on behalf of amateurs of the field.

Srilal also pioneered in founding the Sri Lanka Media Photographers Association. In 1998 and considering the yeomen service he had rendered on behalf of the fellowship he was awarded the D.R. Wijewardane Media Award in 1999 at the annual media award festival. Commemorating Srilal’s talent in media photography, he was awarded a special Presidential award in 2006.

He has conducted special training courses for more than 100 photographers of the Sri Lanka Army.He served as the Media Secretary to Minister of Public Management Reforms Navin Dissanayake during the period of 2010 to 2014 and from January 2015, he served the same position under the Minister of Tourism and Sports as well as the Minister of Plantation Industries.

Pix By Pradeep Dilrukshana