Behind the lens: Theshan Alwis of Humans of Sri Lanka
Our newsfeeds have seen a recent influx of images of everyday Sri Lankans sharing their stories. Some make us laugh, some make us think and others break our hearts... But one thing is assured; the stories seldom disappear from our minds in a hurry. Such is the impact of the page “Humans of Sri Lanka”, also known as HOSL. We caught up with the man behind the lens, Theshan Alwis, who has been instrumental in bringing out these stories. Theshan talks about his page and shares 10 images that struck a chord with him.
Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.
I was a student at Mahanama College Colombo and a graduate of London South Bank University. I started writing quotes on Twitter back in 2009 and then I fell love with writing. When it comes to my family I have one elder brother.
Why did you decide to start HOSL. Were you inspired by Brandon of HONY?
Yes, it’s pretty obvious. HONY made me wanted to see the ideologies of people who are living in Sri Lanka. It was hard getting the concept absorbed into the community but now with 14,000 plus followers we have a decent audience and most of the time people know HOSL. It is comforting to know that we all are in this together and we all fight our own battles. We have become so routine in life we have forgotten what is happening around us. Words are a powerful weapon the way I see it and there is huge potential to influence people through stories. Listening to another person’s story can be a real eye opener for many. Different stories may have different ideas to grasp. It is a matter of the viewer to understand these captions. It solely depends on their personal experiences of the viewer. Trying to approach random people in the streets of Sri Lanka might sound a little crazy compared to New York but I wanted to see if it could be done, and I’m happy to say it is a success. I believe our people have been through a lot and it would be amazing to get these stories on to a stage where people can read them. By giving a voice to the people, a stage for them, everyone can share their story.
How do you get people to share stories with you? Are people not very forthcoming, or do they give you the stories without a second thought?
It was very difficult at the beginning but however now more people know about it and most of the time I even find fans when I talk to strangers. However still there are enough times where people would not like to be part of it as it goes on the social media. I believe if we use social media in a proper way there needs to be no fear about your photograph being on the internet. Usually within the very first few seconds you will know if it is going to work out or not. Then it is a matter of breaking their personal glass to get deeper stories. I always target a person who looks calm and ready to talk. Sometimes I even have to show the website on my phone and explain the entire process to make them feel comfortable. Before I get into the interview process I always make sure they are fully aware of the entire process and that also a picture needs to be taken.
What are the challenges you encounter?
People giving generic answers is the biggest. It always takes some time for people to open up and I believe it’s the natural process of capturing a story. It is one of the reasons I carry a compact camera in my pocket rather than a DSLR which makes people more comfortable. Making people comfortable and explaining what I do is the challenge which needs to be tackled wisely. The opinions given on HOSL are solely of an individual who has a freedom to think and speak like any other free born citizen. Any bias on gender, race or deductions made would be based solely on the reader’s own interpretation of facts. HOSL does not promote any gender discrimination, nor racism or religious division, but only wishes to highlight various issues/aspects in relation to Sri Lanka anthropology. There were instances where I had to take down the photos because the person who was featured on the photograph was not comfortable about it after posting. We all change our minds and I’m totally fine with it.
What’s next for you? What do you envision for HOSL?
I would love to put all these photographs into a book as HONY did so I might work on it in the future. I hope to unveil celebrity stories in the future as well. I believe there is no better time to remind people that we all are human no matter how society has judged us. I’m also planning on covering more animal stories to bring a new look to the page. I hope this will bring a new look to the page. I’m also hoping to expand my team and deploy groups in several provinces to bring a more diverse combination of photos/stories to the viewer.
The man was more than just another person doing his daily job to survive. He was just more than surviving. Today’s busy lifestyles have made us forget what actually life is. We have become so routine. This man enjoys looking at flowers and it makes him feel like a child again. How amazing would it be if everyone could think like this man and do something that they love?
Yes, this was more of an eye opener. This man had great insight about life. There might be a person who travelled all over the world, and there might be this guy who just walks down the street every day. It made me clear that it is how you see life and not how many experiences you have in life that counts. It is just a state of mind and some people always surprise me with the way they think.
This bunch was full of energy. It was great to see young energy. We all have these crazy friends during our teenage years and then life happens. Hopefully these guys will be able to continue a long lasting friendship. It was refreshing to talk.
He does this job part-time which shows how determined this person is. He was very humble and was even willing to hand us some ice cream. People like them are definitely rare to find.
This is truly a motivation factor. When someone says you cannot do something, its time you do it and show the world what you can do. No one said he would ever get a proper job and however he did get a job to surprise all. You should have seen the happiness on his face while talking with me.
Being the elder sister is a truly a big duty with these two. It was really natural how the younger sister got comfortable opening up and talking while the elder one wanted to be on the safe side. Just like a mother taking care of her children. A truly natural moment.
This security guard was sleeping when we approached him. He woke up once he heard us. He was so comfortable while talking and wasn’t surprised at all even though he just woke up. This makes him unique. He rolled down his life story in style!
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Family is everything. We are a country with more bond with family members and the way he spoke showed true happiness of his success and the power of unity.
This man is so determined he would never give up. I’m sure of that. Starting work at 3 AM is no joke. He means business and he was really friendly with us.
Freedom is all we need. This man says life is too short to not to have it the way you like. He now goes home wherever he needs. His life his rules. Wish everyone had the courage to do their own.
Interviewed by Rihaab Mowlana
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