Press photographs can prompt government action, says photojournalist

Press photographs play a vital role in highlighting ground realities and pressing the government to address public issues, senior photojournalist B.M. Kedarnath said.

He was delivering a special lecture on press photography organised by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Karnatak University in Dharwad on Friday.

Mr. Kedarnath said news photography demanded the ability to make quick decisions according to the situation. An effective photograph could convey an incident more powerfully than hundreds of words, he said, urging students to develop technical skills in photography while remaining conscious of their social responsibility.

Explaining various photographic techniques and approaches to capturing images, he highlighted the importance of selecting the subject, using light effectively, camera settings, focus, framing, composition, camera angles, background, and timing in producing compelling photographs.

Drawing on his 27 years of professional experience, Mr. Kedarnath displayed several rare photographs he had captured during his career. He showed images depicting drought, the arrival of a gaur and an elephant in Dharwad, and the devastation caused by accidents on bypass roads, illustrating the power of photojournalism. He also shared the background to these incidents and explained the impact of the photographs on public awareness and the administration.

Presiding over the programme, department head J.M. Chandunavar lauded Mr. Kedarnath, and described his photographs as a visual record of significant events in Dharwad’s history.

Professor S.M. Malagatti also spoke. Sapna Bhatia introduced the speaker, while Anuradha welcomed the gathering and compered the programme.