‘Got to know what you do, got to enjoy it too!’ - Jehan
![]( "Upeksha Wijayaratne")
There is a superstition that a business will not survive after the third generation. However, for Jehan Wijayaratne, Chairman/Managing Director Jonathans, a good run in business has helped this studio stand the tests of time.
Jonathans, a studio renowned for wedding photography, was established in 1924 by a hardworking entrepreneur by the name of Jonathan Wijayaratne (Jehan’s grandfather). The business was then passed on to Mervyn (Jehan’s father) who learned the craft of capturing photographs and built a business empire.
Jehan has fond memories of his father teaching him the fine art of photography. “My father believed in taking pictures under natural light. He used to depend on the light meter and check the light when photographing. But since the day the light meter failed him he observed how the light fell onto his hand and from what he saw adjusted his camera settings,” is how Jehan began describing the journey of Jonathans which began 89 years ago.
Jehan recalled something that his father underscored all the time and that was, ‘The customer was right even though he might be wrong in our eyes’. “More than anything else he taught us to be humble and simple human beings because what you build can be lost overnight,” said Jehan whose studio now stands at Havelock Town after having had offices in Maradana and Hulftdorph.
Jehan was just out of school when he joined his father in business. He has seen the photography industry being transformed from daylight photography to the use of tungsten light and now digital photography. “I don’t load myself with photography assignments and this business has survived the tests of time because we believe in quality work and providing customer satisfaction. I make it a point to be at the wedding from start to finish and don’t undertake more than two weddings on a given day,” said Jehan.
![Jehan Wijayaratne]( "Jehan Wijayaratne")
Jehan believes that the digital era in photography has made its contributions to the industry, but warns that the advent of technology has made photographers lose some of their brains as well. He advised budding photographers not be slaves to technology. “I used reel when I learnt the fundamentals of photography so when digital cameras arrived I didn’t go in blindly,” he emphasized.
He considers himself lucky because he has the luxury of engaging in a profession which provides him with immense satisfaction. “Just consider the day of a wedding. This is the most important day in a woman’s life and I get to capture the moments where everyone is happy,” said Jehan who added that he avoids covering funerals. Such assignments are handed over to other members in the team of photographers at Jonathans.
He is supported in his business venture by his sons and wife Upeksha, who is also very knowledgeable in photography. “We study the couple from the time they walk into our studio and this helps us position them so they are at ease during the photo shoot. Some guys are very shy, but the photos we take don’t leave even a trace of such features in the individual,” said Upeksha who is a Director at Jonathans.
Upeksha accompanies her husband to photo shoots and undertakes the coverage of weddings herself. She said that Jonathans had introduced a new feature to their business which is to do the layout in the form of a temporary album which helps customers in the grueling task of picking 100 pictures for the album out of about 5000. Upeksha said that customers very rarely change their layout. She said she loves photography because the profession affords plenty of opportunities to study the human being.
Jehan encourages newcomers into photography, but cautions them that learning the trade must go hand in hand with learning ethics and etiquette.
His advice to newcomers to the industry is ‘know what you do and enjoy what you do’.
There is a superstition that a business will not survive after the third generation. However, for Jehan Wijayaratne, Chairman/Managing Director Jonathans, a good run in business has helped this studio stand the tests of time. Jonathans, a studio renowned for wedding photography, was established in 1924 by a hardworking entrepreneur by the name of Jonathan Wijayaratne (Jehan’s grandfather). The business was then passed on to Mervyn (Jehan’s father) who learned the craft of capturing photographs and built a business empire.
Jehan has fond memories of his father teaching him the fine art of photography. “My father believed in taking pictures under natural light. He used to depend on the light meter and check the light when photographing. But since the day the light meter failed him he observed how the light fell onto his hand and from what he saw adjusted his camera settings,” is how Jehan began describing the journey of Jonathans which began 89 years ago.
Jehan recalled something that his father underscored all the time and that was, ‘The customer was right even though he might be wrong in our eyes’. “More than anything else he taught us to be humble and simple human beings because what you build can be lost overnight,” said Jehan whose studio now stands at Havelock Town after having had offices in Maradana and Hulftdorph.
Jehan was just out of school when he joined his father in business. He has seen the photography industry being transformed from daylight photography to the use of tungsten light and now digital photography. “I don’t load myself with photography assignments and this business has survived the tests of time because we believe in quality work and providing customer satisfaction. I make it a point to be at the wedding from start to finish and don’t undertake more than two weddings on a given day,” said Jehan.
Jehan believes that the digital era in photography has made its contributions to the industry, but warns that the advent of technology has made photographers lose some of their brains as well. He advised budding photographers not be slaves to technology. “I used reel when I learnt the fundamentals of photography so when digital cameras arrived I didn’t go in blindly,” he emphasized.He considers himself lucky because he has the luxury of engaging in a profession which provides him with immense satisfaction. “Just consider the day of a wedding. This is the most important day in a woman’s life and I get to capture the moments where everyone is happy,” said Jehan who added that he avoids covering funerals. Such assignments are handed over to other members in the team of photographers at Jonathans.
He is supported in his business venture by his sons and wife Upeksha, who is also very knowledgeable in photography. “We study the couple from the time they walk into our studio and this helps us position them so they are at ease during the photo shoot. Some guys are very shy, but the photos we take don’t leave even a trace of such features in the individual,” said Upeksha who is a Director at Jonathans.
Upeksha accompanies her husband to photo shoots and undertakes the coverage of weddings herself. She said that Jonathans had introduced a new feature to their business which is to do the layout in the form of a temporary album which helps customers in the grueling task of picking 100 pictures for the album out of about 5000. Upeksha said that customers very rarely change their layout. She said she loves photography because the profession affords plenty of opportunities to study the human being.
Jehan encourages newcomers into photography, but cautions them that learning the trade must go hand in hand with learning ethics and etiquette.
His advice to newcomers to the industry is ‘know what you do and enjoy what you do’.