‘Photography basics remain the same despite technology’
The first edition of T S Satyan Memorial awards for photojournalism was presented to six distinguished photographers from the field with Governor H R Bhardwaj doing the honours at Raj Bhavan on Sunday.
The different categories were Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Newspaper Photography, Best Professional Photography, Best Magazine Photography, Best Freelance Photography and Best Online Photography.
The award is named after Satyan, considered the country’s foremost and one of the first photojournalists. Speaking on Satyan, Editor of Prajavani, K N Shanth Kumar said that the legendary photographer still holds a great deal of influence on the works of present day photographers.
“Satyan’s works were a mixture of art and journalism and I feel photojournalism is the combination of the art in photography and discipline of journalism,” said Shanth kumar.
Technology has made it near impossible for any photographer to capture what can be called a ‘bad’ photograph but the basics of photography remain unchanged despite technological advancements, he added.
Bhardwaj who presented the awards reminded them that journalists must never give into any kind of pressure.
The Governor joked that even though he knew the fathers of some of the new age journalists and editors of newspapers, they did not give him any kind of respect or positive news.
“I may not be the right person to say this but journalism and journalists have to always ensure they do not bow to pressures,” said Bharadwaj.
Columnist and renowned journalist T J S George remembered Satyan for his professional, clean and direct journalism, qualities which are lacking today.
Awardees: Lifetime Achievement award: Yagneshwara Acharya ‘Yagna’ (Mangalore), Best Newspaper Photography: K Gopinathan (Bangalore), Best Professional Photography: Netra Raju (Mysore), Best Magazine Photography: Bhanu Prakash Chandra (Bangalore), Best Freelance Photography: Regret Iyer (Bangalore) and Best Online Photography: M S Gopal.
