Introduction
When most people think of Indonesian waterfalls, the image that comes to mind is very green and lush. Taking a much more minimalistic tack, Jakarta-based photographer Tirta Winata creates high-contrast black-and-white photographs in which time stands completely still.
Winata whole-heartedly embraces the entire creative process involved in realizing his vision. He takes pleasure in each and every step: the initial concept, the planning, the journey to the location, the technical execution, the post-processing, and the printing. In the artist’s own video blogs, he shares a peek behind the curtain, showing elements of the process that add up to the finished artwork. Seeing him in action, it is evident his work is born from the perfect marriage of artistic vision and technical mastery.
Often called away from home for commissioned work, Winata usually arranges to stay longer in order to capture the local nature. On assignment in Bali, he set aside extra time to create his Waterfalls series. These enchanting chiaroscuro landscape photographs were inspired by the intrinsic beauty of the cascading water and dense foliage. In "Jungle Fall", the vegetation is only scarcely recognizable as such. Using a longer shutter speed, Winata solidifies the water, giving it the appearance of a luminous, semi-transparent cloth. Winata reduces the landscape to its very essence.
Bio
Tirta Winata lives and works in Jakarta, Indonesia. After earning a degree in Economics from Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, he turns his focus to photography. Working on commission across a wide range of themes, his true passion is for landscape photography. Winata is a member of the International Association of Panoramic Photographers. In 2016, his work earned him an Epson International Pano Award in the Nature / Landscape category.
