01 Mar 2024 | By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
Wild Srilanka, a social-media-based group established in 2015, has been playing a central role in strengthening Sri Lanka’s community of wildlife photographers while also using photography as a tool in conservation. With 52,000 members, the group has achieved significant success over the years, and their Wild Srilanka Photographer of the Year competition, first held in 2018, has been garnering attention from those around the island.
The 2024 competition is calling for submissions until 5 March and invites those over the age of 18 to submit their work under the open category and those aged 17 or below to submit their work under the junior category.
With the deadline for submissions just days away, Wild Srilanka Treasurer Banu Mapalagama spoke to The Daily Morning Brunch about how the competition has evolved over the years.
Mapalagama began by shedding light on the newly introduced junior category, saying previous editions only had the open category, but this year, they were introducing a junior category for school students.
“The reason we introduced a junior category is that last year, we received a lot of submissions from school students under the open category. In fact, the winner of Wild Srilanka Photographer of the Year 2022 was a school student, Sudith Rodrigo,” he said.
He went on to say: “The main reason to launch this category is that with Rodrigo’s win and the capacity we have seen among school students, we felt it would motivate more students to participate in the competition as they can be recognised within the category dedicated to their age group.”
Mapalagama explained that having two categories allowed the organisers to charge an entrance fee for the open category as per international norm, but give students more opportunities through the junior category, which has free submission.
Both categories will have three winners, with the open category having 10 merit awards and 27 exhibition acceptances and the junior category having five merit awards and 12 exhibition acceptances.
While the date of the exhibition will be announced in future, Mapalagama said they have received a good response so far, noting that they received more submissions under the junior category than they initially expected to.
When asked how they would ensure the selected photographs are free of manipulation or aren’t generated using artificial intelligence (AI), he explained: “When submitting photographs, there are three formats the photographer is in possession of. One is the format they email the photograph in, the other is a printable, high resolution format, and finally, the original or RAW file. If a photograph is shortlisted, we request the RAW file in order to find out if it is an original photograph or if there has been any manipulation.”
He went on to say that usually, wildlife photography does not allow manipulations, where objects are removed, edited, or selectively coloured. “We also do not accept AI manipulation in photographs. So we look at the raw file, compare the two, and reject any photographs that do not meet these requirements,” Mapalagama added.
Focusing on the newly introduced junior category, Mapalagama spoke about the importance of nurturing the next generation of wildlife photographers. “If a student who takes photographs while schooling is to become a professional wildlife photographer someday, they must have a love for the environment and nature. If they are to become a wildlife photographer, they must know about the environment, animals’ behaviours, and sensitive ecosystems.”
He explained that this was why Wild Srilanka was not just introducing a new competition category, but also holding a workshop especially curated for the age group in addition to the workshop they typically hold for the open category. “It will cover topics like how to enter the field of wildlife photography, its potential, and the responsibilities of a wildlife photographer, while also raising awareness about wildlife photography. This will align with the group’s main vision of using wildlife photography as a tool for conservation. So while motivating school students to explore this field of photography, we also hope to raise awareness on how to use wildlife photography in a positive manner,” Mapalagama said.
In terms of how Wild Srilanka and the photography competition and exhibition has evolved over the years, Mapalagama said: “We are a social-media-based group, dedicated to conversation through wildlife photography. This year, we registered Wild Srilanka under the Department of Culture Affairs. With this, we are taking this event forward in a more official and organised manner.”
He explained that in previous editions, they accepted submissions via email, which is what is usually done in local competitions. However, this year, Wild Srilanka launched a website, where photographers can study the competition rules and regulations and submit their work. “We decided to upgrade the competition tech-wise because our next step is to hold this as an international competition,” Mapalagama said.
When asked what they have planned beyond Wild Sri Lanka Photographer of the Year, Mapalagama said they plan on carrying out a conservation project parallel to the event. “Last year, we brought together wildlife photographers from across the island and held a cricket championship. The funds collected through it were used to design and manufacture three treatment cages for the Wildlife Conservation Department. The cages were designed by us and weren’t what is usually found in the country,” he said, adding that a similar project will be carried out this year as well.
“We also plan on holding awareness workshops on wildlife photography and its usage in issues like the human-elephant conflict as well as its benefits in terms of tourism,” he added.
In closing, Mapalagama said: “There are only a few more days until the submission deadline, so hurry and submit your wildlife photographs. All details can be found on our website.”
The Morning is Sri Lanka’s foremost national news brand, delivering timely insights across politics, current affairs, sport, and entertainment. Stay informed with The Sunday Morning, The Daily Morning, and The Morning Online.
Developed by Derana Macroentertainment (Pvt) Ltd.
Copyright ©2023 Liberty Publishers (Pvt) Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Loading comments…