🌕 Radha in the Moonlight – A Photographic Tribute to Ravi Varma
🌕 Radha in the Moonlight – A Photographic Tribute to Ravi Varma
As a photographer, I often find myself drawn to timeless expressions of beauty, light, and emotion. One such enduring inspiration has been the legendary painter Raja Ravi Varma, whose works are rich in narrative, tradition, and visual elegance.
Among his masterpieces, Radha in the Moonlight stands out as a serene and soulful composition — a portrait of grace, longing, and divine love. Inspired by this iconic painting, I set out to create a photographic tribute that captures not only the visual aesthetic but also the emotion and spirit of the original.
📸 The Creative Process
The portrait was shot near Chottanikkara, a location that provided the perfect natural backdrop to recreate a moonlit ambiance. Using golden-hour sunlight as fill light and carefully directed catch-light, we mirrored the painting's soft, poetic glow.
The composition features deliberate negative space, a serene water body, lush greens, and symbolic elements like flowers and offerings — just as Ravi Varma had envisioned. But this version was crafted entirely through the lens, light, and lens-based storytelling.
🎭 The Portrait Team
- Producer: Satheesh Kumar K. R.
- Photography & Post-production: Shaji Maheswaran
- Styling (Make-up & Hair): Prakruthi Ananth
- Model (Radha): Keerthana K. R.
- Art Direction: Anil Venus
- Costume Support: Blessi, Reeji Rakesh, Dhanya, Manju, Aiswarya
- Location Hunt: Akhil
- Transportation: Rakesh
- Associates: Anil Venus, Shaiju PS, Kiran, Kannan, Reeji, Rakesh Kumar, Teeji Shaji, Gopi, Dhannya
- Special Thanks: RadhaKrishnan Chakyat, Dr. Alice Mani Jacob, Santha Kumari
Their collaboration helped transform a painter’s vision into a living, breathing photograph that still carries the aura of the original — but now through the lens of time and camera.
🎨 Why I Chose This Portrait
This project was not just an image — it was a dialogue between the past and present. My goal was to show how photography, like painting, can also be used to compose — not merely capture. The harmony of foreground elements, the serenity of the model, and the interplay of natural light were all carefully orchestrated to bring out the “uttama nayika” within Radha.
📍 Final Thoughts
I believe that concept portraits like this don’t just serve as art — they become emotional time capsules. They connect us to our cultural heritage while using modern tools to interpret timeless stories.
If you’re someone who values storytelling, tradition, and personalized portraiture, I would love to create a concept shoot that reflects your own narrative.
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📞 Contact: +91 98477 81880
📧 Email: shajimaheswaran@gmail.com
🔗 Facebook: facebook.com/shaji.maheswaran
Stay tuned for more fine art and storytelling through portraits — where light meets legacy.
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