Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Mettasena's brides
F-stops 2003 - Brides All, an exhibition of photographs by Mettasena will be held at the Lionel Wendt from March 13 to 17.

Some seven years ago, the man who'd put so many young models on the map with his stylish, defining edge photography on the pages of the Mirror Magazine was invited to cover a wedding. Not some huge, elaborate affair but a quiet family gathering for just 12 guests.

And that's how a new chapter in this man's life began. Intrigued by the challenge of capturing for posterity that precious moment in time when two people join as one, Mettasena began doing weddings. Not surprisingly, he soon became much sought after and today has a portfolio of brides, radiant and romantic as anyone might wish.

So, when it came to 2003 and time for another exhibition (earlier ones have focused on fashion and a journey to Rajasthan) the subject was easy. 'f-stops 2003 - Brides All' is his tribute to all the brides he's had the privilege of photographing.

The pictures are many and lest one were to think there would be a sameness in so many bridal shots, he's included many a different aspect. Certain candid moments, a shared glance, a secret smile, a shower of confetti, those shots that a bride would remember even when she's old and grey, perhaps show them to some eager granddaughter to say, 'yes, that was indeed me'.

But his keen photo-journalist's eye never quite leaves Mettasena and while there are the soft-focus dreamy bridals there is also a sense of capturing the moment as indeed one would a news story. So the details in a ceremony stand out and the mood, the ambience is recorded.
Many who have worked with Mettasena over the years have had their altercations with him over his sometimes exacting streak. So how does he handle the tremulous bride? With kid gloves? He laughs. Tact and care, he says, after all, it's her big day.

Church weddings, he confesses, are quite difficult, for the ceremony is long and the couple sometimes a little tired afterwards. So that radiant glow is often a little shiny and he now advises couples to take the church portraits ahead of the ceremony to make sure they're looking their best. And yes, many agree.

For one whose photographed many top models and visiting celebrities including Miss Worlds such as Aishwarya Rai and Jacqueline Aguilera, Mettasena doesn't overemphasise the importance of looks. Sure, it helps if the bride's good looking but personality too always shines through, he says.

On the subject of personality, it took the young Padmakumara Mettasena, who quit school at 15, huge reserves of determination to make it to the big league. He came to Colombo from his hometown Galle and tried his luck at film magazines before working with a few models and boldly marching into The Sunday Times office in the late '80s, to show his portfolio to the then Editor Vijitha Yapa who liked his work enough to give him his first big break. The rest, as they say, is history.

Along the way, he credits designers like Purnima Abeyratne and hair expert Ramani Fernando with helping shape his thinking and style. "They have a vision, so it's easy working with them," he says.

So what lies ahead? He's nearing 40 and interestingly, for one who's been at so many weddings,is yet to tie the knot himself. No comment there, though.

He'd like to get into film-directing and expand on his musical career (he already has written the lyrics to over 60 songs and released his own CD).
But for now, it's all brides.

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