Mysore/Mysuru: A coffee-table book titled ‘In True Colours’ by city-based entrepreneur and author Ashvini Ranjan, containing photographs he had taken with related explanations, was released this morning by Actor Ramesh Aravind at the Mysuru Literature Fest being held at Hotel Southern Star in city.

Ashvini Ranjan has become an acknowledged creative photographer endowed with a rare writing skill to weave a story around some of his pictures. Looking at some of his photographs in this book, it is clear he was looking at the object of his photograph through the camera lens not only with his normal eyes but also with the eyes of his mind and heart.

For example, the picture of Mysore Palace on page-68 and of the Khaki Shah Mosque across the road to the North of the Palace on page-71 and the related text. Here one is left wondering at the courage Ashvini Ranjan musters to face the challenge of a situation to get what he wants to as a photographer. Similarly, another picture and text on page-100 and 101 must be a Town Planner’s delight to read and find a lesson to learn.

Thus, the book is more than a mere coffee-table book. It has not only photographs that stand alone making the viewer wow at them as feast to the mortal eyes, but also those that have a story to tell. Photographs that make the viewers think of our life and times. Photographs that touch our hearts and make us sentimental. Each picture seems like the fusion of eyes, heart and mind of the photographer.

Pictures are par-excellence with their exceptional composition and tonal values with the perfect blending of light and shade, technically speaking. Ashvini Ranjan has handled his camera with great creative skill, identified and treated the subjects with immense creative imagination.

With all humility, he has acknowledged the advice and guidance he received from T.S. Satyan, the legendary photographer of India, who had settled in Mysuru during his sunset days. His advice to Ashvini Ranjan was “… keep trying and you will get there.” Indeed, Ashvini Ranjan has got there as a creative photographer.

And more importantly, it is unlike many coffee-table books. This one truly reflects its contents eloquently — photographs sans captions that speak for themselves, anecdotes, situations and reminiscences.

Note: A panel discussion on the topic ‘In True Colours,’ a compilation of Black and White photographs and Ashvin’s life’s favourite memories and stories, will be held between Ashvini Ranjan and Deepthi Navaratna at the Lit Festival this evening between 5.15 pm and 5.45 pm.