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Freezing the falls
By Anushika Gunawardana
Have you ever stood in front of a gushing waterfall, its roaring sound in your ears, its majestic beauty filling your vision and its fine spray tickling your skin? And wanting to carry that memory with you for always, reached for your camera? Sunil de Costa is someone who does so regularly, for photographing waterfalls and freezing those moments for everyone to enjoy is his hobby.

Today, this hobby has turned into a fully-fledged exhibition, the second one for Mr. Costa, who is a magistrate, the Chairman of the Regional Development Board as well as a photographer. The exhibition features photographs of waterfalls, captured within a time span of four years. “There are many waterfalls in this island, with most hidden in remote corners. I want to highlight the beauty of these little known falls through my exhibition. Sometimes, certain waterfalls disappear during the dry season and re-appear with the rains. So, people are not aware of them,” he says.

Photographing waterfalls may seem straightforward, but in most instances it is not. Mr. Costa maintains that in Sri Lanka one can find only a few wayside waterfalls. “Sometimes you have to climb or walk long distances to get to one. In the rainy season, when the waterfalls are at their peak with huge rushes of water, the leeches are at their peak too,” he smiles. “I have endured a few minor fractures, because the rocks become dangerously slippery. But, if you need to see the real shape of a waterfall, the rainy season is the best time to go.”

He goes on to offer a few tips on photographing waterfalls; “Gloomy climates make images look dull. The colour of the sky always affects the colour scheme of the photograph. Most importantly, if it’s right after a rainfall, wait for a few hours until the muddy waters clear.”

Mr. Costa is also well versed in the folk lore that surround waterfalls. He remembers the story of Asupinielle in Aranayake, which became Asupaniella with time. “The area was under the rule of a provincial king, who also commanded 30 princes. When a rival king declared war, the king and the princes set out to do battle, but only after making an arrangement with the princesses. If they won they would fly a red flag, whereas a white flag would mean victory.

The king and the princes won, but accidentally a red flag was raised on the journey home. Seeing this, the princesses jumped into the waterfall and committed suicide. When the princes saw this, they too followed suit.” Interestingly, there are people in the area who carry the surname ‘Thiskumara’, which Mr. Costa believes adds substance to the tale.
“No matter how difficult the process is I simply love what I’m doing,” maintains Mr. Costa, adding, “You have to concentrate much on movements, angles, positions and have a lot of patience to wait for the right moment. For me, it’s almost like a form of meditation.”

Having studied at Carey College and Trinity College, it was on a school trip that Mr. Costa first developed an interest in photography. “I was in Grade four at Carey College and we went to Anuradhapura. I saw one of my teachers taking photographs and became very interested,” he explains, going back in time. “The first thing I did was to ask for a camera as a birthday present,” he smiles, adding that until his A/levels, he was snapping away to his heart’s content. “Then I had to concentrate on my studies.”

After completing his studies and achieving various professional goals, which took the best part of nearly 20 years, it was almost by accident that Mr. Costa returned to his hobby. “There were two film rolls nearing their expiry dates. I thought of taking a few photographs without wasting them. After that there was no stopping.” Indeed, it is often the least expected and the smallest detail, which nudges you in a different direction. Some of the most beautiful photographs in his collection were taken during the time he served as a magistrate in Kandy. “I had to travel a lot, and during these trips I came across a large number of waterfalls, which I couldn’t resist photographing,” he enthuses.

As a photographer with over 12 years of experience, Mr. Costa has seen the damage caused by humans to waterfalls and their environs. “People build mini hydro-electricity plants, divert water for purposes of cultivation, or simply pollute the area. They don’t realize how easy it is to destroy the natural beauty of a waterfall,” laments this nature lover. One of his ultimate goals is to publish a book of photographs with 101 photographs of waterfalls with related stories. “My wife, Udula, has encouraged me much in this venture.

I hope to make this dream a reality,” he maintains with quiet determination.
‘Cascading Beauty: A Journey through the Dancing Waters’ will be held at the Lionel Wendt from July 9-11, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The opening ceremony will be on July 9 at 9 a.m. The exhibition is sponsored by JF Tours and Travels. For more information log on to www.lionelwendt.com

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