I first met Dinuk Wijeratne while shooting stills on a film set for my good friends Rafael and Rachel Franco in 2009. About a month later, we met again while I was photographing one of Maria Osende's amazing Flamenco productions at Fred Salon. One of the things I love most about being a photographer, is connecting with and collaborating with some of the most amazing creative talent we have here in Halifax. Getting a peek behind the scenes and a chance to photograph the performances on stage, is a unique experience I enjoy much more than simply sitting in the audience!
Dinuk is one of most friendly and sincere people I have ever met and I always enjoy doing photography sessions with him. When he asked to do a portrait session with me a couple of years ago, I was thrilled. He holds back his enormous smile in my images, but in person this smile is contagious and instantly puts me at ease. I love photo shoots that feel more like friends catching up as I snap a few photos here and there.
Last week we met up again for yet another photo shoot. I love the colour in these last images, in all of these images actually... It matches Dinuk's bright and creative personality. I'm looking forward to the next chance we have to work together!
I'll include Dinuk's bio here in his own words as he describes best his amazing accomplishments:
Recently hailed by John Terauds of the Toronto Star as 'an artist who reflects a positive vision of our cultural future', Sri Lankan-born Dinuk Wijeratne is internationally active as a composer, pianist and conductor. A graduate of the Royal Northern College (UK), Mannes College (NYC), and from the Juilliard School where he studied with Oscar-winner John Corigliano, Dinuk made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2004 as a conductor, composer and pianist, performing with Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. A second Carnegie appearance followed in 2009, this time alongside tabla legend Zakir Hussain.Dinuk has also performed in Sri Lanka, Japan, across England and the Middle East, and at such venues as the Kennedy Center, Opera Bastille (Paris), and the Berlin Philharmonie. Highlights of his past season have included an artist residency with the St. Cecelia Series; appearances at the Prismatic Festival; and new commissions for orchestra, piano, film, theatre, voice and dance ensemble (a large-scale multidisciplinary work especially for Scotia Festival 2011 and the Elizabeth Bishop Centenary Celebrations).
A passionate educator, lectures at Dalhousie University and looks forward to his sixth season as Music Director of the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra. He has conducted the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa) and appeared many times with Symphony Nova Scotia as former Conductor-in-Residence. He is the recipient of the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award for Orchestral Conducting, double Merritt Award nominations (2009), as well as numerous other prizes. His music and collaborative work embrace the great diversity of his international background and influences.
