About ManButur Suantara
ManButur Suantara is a Fine Art Photographer and a key pillar of Sawidji Gallery. A practising professional, artist and mentor in the industry for over a decade his contributions to the many genres of photography are vast. His love for Nature does not only inspire his art but also his environmental and wildlife documentation projects. His work and dedication a consistent way of him giving back to Mother Nature.
For the love of art and photography..
I have always liked photography.. I often think to myself, ‘how do these people capture these really good images,.how do they make an image so beautiful?
I never really knew that much about particular photographers, there was no particular name that was my inspiration. It has always been simply the image… ‘
ManButur Suantara
Biography
Born in Amlapura, a small town in the east part of Bali Island. ManButur Suantara is a professional photographer with a strong passion for art and landscape photography. For years now he has explored natures capes through extensive travel.
Besides landscape photography, ManButur has been for many years active in different areas of commercial photography as well. A veteran of several genres including architectural, food, documentary as well as macro photography.
Bali is Nyoman’s home base. With its rich natural beauty and culture. Providing Nyoman with ample themes in which his Landscape and Cultural Photography can truly be seen for its artistic depth.
Sawidji Studio
Sawidji and ManButur have come together in a wonderful initiative within Sawidji Studio. This project is exciting.
- Collaborative Fine Art Photography Projects and Exhibitions together with Dewi Dian.
- Custom workshops and mentorship programs.
- With a focus on Nature, Art and Culture and inclusivity within the education system.
Environmental topics and wildlife combine ManButurs’ Macro Bird with Sawidji reference articles ‘Tale Feathers’. ManButur is dedicated to the documentation of bird species in Bali. Whether they are endemic or migrating birds, Nyoman is contributing significant time to explore and capture images of them in their habitat as a record for their species.
Related Sawidji Collaborations
Manus, a Conscious Journey
A Sawidji Collaboration. A multi-disciplinary art exhibition from 15th December 2023 to 3rd February 2024. In partnership with Sudekara Art Space. Featuring artists Dibal Ranuh, Made Kaek, ManButur Suantara, Tjandra Hutama and Dian Dewi.
ManButur Suantara actively travels to many parts of Indonesia as well as customised programs through Sawidji Studio. Providing training and mentoring for clients who wish to learn photography with a more personal program tailored to their needs.
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Photography, a Conversation
How did it all start, this life as a photographer?
I have been a photographer from the time photography was still analog. Actually, for a time I stopped because I had no camera… and started again by helping out a neighbour document a few things with a film camera. Eventually, I bought my DSLR camera in 2009 and that’s when it began.
What kind of photography do you truly enjoy?
Landscape but the first time I had a camera I tried for many weeks,.. I had some difficulty with technical issues/exposures etc. A landscape on the wide screen is beautiful..
On Macro Photography
Sometimes you just see only what you’re familiar with and you don’t recognise anything special in it. In Bali there are rice terraces everywhere, you might not see the beauty in them anymore…
Until you cut it and get it into a frame… almost the same as the macro. you don’t pay attention to the small things until it is in the framed image. When you take a good photograph with really good technical precision. It may be as close to a perfect image of what you see. Then you see the beauty of it…
ManButur Suantara
Photography Leading to Nature
As time goes by, I experience different things through the journey of photography. Gathering with friends and there are also flows and trends. You join your friends, for a time I did portrait photography. but looking back, I didn’t see where I was going at that time. I worked with people and portrait photography. But I did not see the point of people photography, so I returned to the landscape. Nature and Landscape Photography. ~ ManButur Suantara
on Black and White Photography..
The more I explored, the deeper I got into photography…I don’t know how to describe it. It was my thoughts, my questions when I looked at many black and white images ‘which one is good and which one is not in black and white?’
What makes a particular photograph ART? You can say that a good photograph is good for the client and then there is good for yourself. You can not say that it’s good for everyone, that is not always possible. When it’s good for the client, this is when you meet and fill their needs and expectations. A job well done. But in this case, you might not be meeting or filling your own creative needs.
How do you feel about the effects of technology and the fast pace at which it is changing and impacting the art of photography?
I simply see that your tools are expanding. Which allows you to expand your art. In the question of ‘art’ in photography, every individual will have a different conclusion of what that is. If you want to create art just create. Your medium, your process is what can expand wider and wider.
If you’re talking about pure photography… you just have to let time do its job, pure photography is simply about taking a picture of a moment. You take the photograph of the moment because time just flies, immediately after capture, that moment is gone.
ManButur Suantara
Explore other features of ManButur Suantara’s art.
I Hear You Tree
Featuring the Art of ManButur Suantara
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- https://agencyfish.com/Garuda_Colours_Magazine/2015/June/#p=28