OMAN-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURING CULTURE
Cultural photography has been a passion for Mavuri Ramesh, an Oman-based photographer from India, and when he came to the Sultanate he soon realised that there wasn’t any dearth of opportunities here to pursue his passion. Such was the richness of Oman’s culture and heritage.
From something as simple as face portraits or street scenes to the ones that required the perfect sense of timing, for Ramesh the art of taking pictures is about how to capture the world around more realistically. Reminiscing how he started his photography journey in Oman Ramesh said that in the year 2011 he had gone to Bidiyah in Al Sharqiyah on a trip. There he witnessed Oman’s culture and heritage from close quarters and was completely wooed by it. He soon decided to learn photography as he wanted to capture those timeless scenes in his camera.
“I joined one of Muscat’s leading photography groups in town called FSO Muscat. There I started learning photography techniques and all the tips and tricks on how to stand out from a crowd,” said Ramesh while remembering his initial days of learning all the behind-thelens tricks. He honed his skills by mastering the technicalities of photography and also joined a team of photographers from Bidiyah and Jalan Bani Bu Ali, where he captured the beauty of Arabian camels and horses. The talented photographer also visited various other parts of Oman to capture the best shot. Some of the places he visited include Sur, where he got to know all about fishermen and their industry. He also enjoyed shooting bullfights in Mussanah and Barka.
One of the most challenging aspects of his craft is missing the perfect moment. “We have to shoot in a single take; if we miss that, we will have to wait till next year,” said Ramesh. Today, Ramesh’s photography has become widely known in Oman.
He has become the go-to photographer for cultural events in and around Bidiyah, as well as other parts of the country. His most memorable moment is when his photo was selected for
magazine’s Daily Dozen. His work has also been recognised by the Ministry of Tourism for best photography. –salim@timesofoman.com