Ved Chirayath - Photographer and Founder
Dr. Ved Chirayath, founder of vedphoto, uses cutting-edge photography to channel people’s scientific curiosity, produce scientifically relevant exhibitions and support student internships. Ved’s unconventional approach and experience as a fashion photographer and physicist has funded both photography exhibitions and scientific discoveries since he was in high-school, including the discovery of an extra-solar planet, documenting four new animal species in Madagascar, archival imaging of Mayan ruins and providing one of the highest-resolution images of the 2012 Venus transit and Super-moon.
Ved works in the Bay Area with clients both locally and internationally on large-format installations, editorial projects, exhibitions, gigapixel imagery, fashion shoots, weddings and portraiture.
His work has been featured in Stanford University exhibitions, conferences, television and publications including Vanity Fair, The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily, The Moscow Times, Elle, Vogue and Portfolio among others.
Vedphoto operates a little differently than most photography studios. I see every photo shoot as a chance to document a new experience, make it my own and perfect my skills. I do not charge for a photo shoot unless my client is satisfied with my work. If something was just not right that day, we schedule a reshoot. For my clients, this means you benefit from my perfectionist tendencies and strong work ethic whether it be for a framed print installation or capturing fleeting moments at your wedding. You can read my clients' testimonials here and in the guestbook.
Mission
What I really love about doing photography and physics is that I get to be a full-time geek and engage people in science without having them do any integrals! Take the logo, for example. Its two primary colors were taken from the Hydrogen-alpha and Hydrogen-gamma emission lines. I use a special Hydrogen-alpha filter to image our Sun's complex structure replete with solar prominences, flares, filaments, spouts and sunspots. The d and p in vedphoto assume the shape of a contour integral which has amazing mathematical properties and is commonly used in optics. As you browse the photos on this site, I hope you not only enjoy the pieces, but also learn about the nifty science and interesting stories behind them in the captions and the blog. I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section of each photo or through the guestbook and Facebook page.
Hydrogen emission spectrum with H-alpha to the right (visible lines in the Balmer series)
Non-profit clients
If you are a not-for-profit organization interested in working with me, I often provide discounted rates and can work with you to help promote your mission through photography and videography to make a positive impact. Over the past three years, I have donated more than $35,000 in professional photography and videography services to Samasource, an innovative non-profit social business that connects women and youth living in poverty to dignified work via the Internet.
Founded in 2008, Samasource has provided life-changing employment opportunities for thousands of people. Traveling on assignment to Kenya in 2011 with the Samasource team, I got to see firsthand the impact of their work as I interviewed the young men and women who help support their families and send their siblings to school. In 2005, I worked for a women's empowerment non-profit in New Delhi, The Center for Social Research, documenting their work in reducing domestic violence, female feticide and engendering governance.
Sponsors
My photography exhibition, Physics In Vogue, is supported by the 2011 Stanford University Angel Grant and the 2011 SiCa Spark! Grant.
Print and Canvas Products
Please see the products page to learn about all the fine-art products I make in the studio including prints, canvas wraps, aluminum prints and framed photographs.
Contact
If you are interested in discussing a possible photo-shoot or order, please contact me using the web form here.