Andrew Paranavitana is an independent photographer and artist. His driving passion for photography began in the early 1990’s. Andrew has gone on to exhibit works both internationally and within Australia, complete a Diploma of Photo Imaging at RMIT in Melbourne, and establish himself as a successful architectural photographer. Andrew’s vision today is to capture the world as we know it, and present it in a way that we may not.
I have always been the photographer, long before it became a career. Family trips, birthday parties or any event made to remember, the camera was handed to me time and time again. Apparently, I just knew what to do. Later in life when I embarked on my own travels, I realised I was missing one thing – the camera! Before I knew it, I was globe-hopping with a film loaded Canon SLR and rolls upon rolls of film. I captured everything I saw and visual documentation became a way of life. This was when I first realised my true sense of creativity and passion. I never needed souvenirs or memoirs of my trips; my photos vividly captured the true essence of my experiences and kept them alive.
Time travelling a decade or two later and that Canon film loader had morphed into a Canon digital SLR. I had travelled to every continent, been awe stuck by the wonders of the world and developed folios of work which were exhibited and sold across the globe. It was around this time I was approached by an American company that was expanding into Australia. They were looking for photographers to shoot properties and work alongside them during their expansion. That company was Airbnb and that moment was the beginning of my journey into architectural photography.
I went on to complete a Diploma of Photo Imaging at RMIT Melbourne and slowly but surely began to grow my business, client by client. Which brings us to present day and this website. I’m still working with Airbnb and still travelling whenever possible. This has been a great adventure so far and I’m excited to see where it takes me next. I’m one of the lucky few who can say I love what I do.
I am inspired by the world every day. Its people, places, landscapes and cultures are a visual feast and sensory overload at times. Simple things that often get taken for granted or go unnoticed can be a virtual playground to a person with a camera in hand.
Memories should last a lifetime. Unfortunately, they often don’t, but that’s what drives me to photograph and recreate what I see. I love reminiscing over previous shoots and revisiting places long since forgotten, over time. It keeps me connected to the past, without having to leave the present.
Travel became a necessity to my existence; my source point of inspiration and my life goal. I am constantly sketching out the next adventure in my head, well before the current one ends. The only thing that helps soothe my post-holiday blues is allowing my creative energy to flow and transforming my travel photos into artworks I can share with others.
My editing process allows me to infuse the mood or atmosphere that a location uniquely possesses. There’s an air of nostalgia that develops with holiday memories; these can at times become visually embedded within my photography. More often than not, the images take on a direction and tone all their own, creating themselves before me. The titles chosen for each piece are often a reflection of this developmental journey. It’s this process that grants me the chance to relive and recreate these memories for myself so they don’t fade entirely. I hope they do the same for you.
