Colours of Unity showcases Trinidad and Tobago's beauty, splendour and magnificence in picture form. Edison Boodoosingh, Guardian freelance photographer, is the mastermind behind that composition of photographs featuring beaches, festivals, beauty, architecture, nature and much more.
Speaking in a recent interview about his first published pictorial, Boodoosingh said, "I wanted to show the different aspects of Trini culture; not only Carnival, but Divali and Phagwa, which reflect the various cultures that make up T&T." The cover of the pictorial depicts several colours of "abeer" in powder form used in the Hindu festival called Holi
or Phagwa. But Boodoosingh said besides the festival of Phagwa, the cover reflected the multi-cultural and ethnic races in the country. Speaking about the colours on the cover, Boodoosingh said each brought forward its own beauty, just like each ethnicity.
Boodoosingh began photography about 12 years ago, after he said he became bored as a clerk in the Ministry of Legal Affairs. Wanting to fulfil a desire, he travelled abroad and pursued a course in commercial photography. "I am always one to fantasise over images," he said. "I chose photography because I was always interested in images, graphics and art, and since I couldn't paint, the next logical step was photography, where you can still use ideas of composition and light to create something artistic like a painting, but without the paint." Boodoosingh joined the Guardian in 1998, and recalled his first assignment by then photo editor, Robert Saunders. "I just walked in and asked to speak to the photo editor, Robert Saunders. It was impromptu. He gave me a roll of film and sent me to shoot Vie la Cou. It was around Carnival."
Saunders liked what he saw when Boodoosingh returned, and used a photo in the newspaper. "It was from there I started," Boodoosingh said. "This book [Colours of Unity] was compiled over a three-year period, using a digital camera," ?Boodoosingh said pointing to the pictorial. He took photos of his personal places of interest and said he was keen to display his images to people who might not be aware that such places exist in T&T. The pictorial features 50 photos of beaches, waterfalls, religious statues, places of worship, major festivals like Carnival, Divali, Phagwa, blue devils, the endangered leatherback turtle, the Port-of-Spain Waterfront and the beautiful face of Gabriel Walcott, Miss T&T World.
"A photographer tries to make the ordinary look extraordinary, or different. He tries to capture a moment in time, expressions, movement and colour," said Boodoosingh, who lives in Tunapuna. He has travelled to Italy, Spain, Thailand, Cambodia, Egypt, Peru, Venezuela,and the Caribbean islands. But his favourite places to take photographs are Italy and Spain. "I love the ancient history and their architecture."
Behind camera
Boodoosingh said when he was younger, he wanted to become a guitarist. These days, he just enjoys being behind the camera, always on the lookout for something unique about T&T. "Photography is more of a passion for me; money is not important." So what's his advice to aspiring photographers?
"Pick up the camera and begin shooting." He said for people who had an artistic inclination, but didn't have the ability to draw or paint, photography was a good way to develop those abilities.