Ace photojournalist Rattan Jadoo passed away in Dow Village, California today after a month of severe illness. Several photographers and media colleagues offered remembrances of his career and impact on local photojournalism.

I worked with Rattan for over 20 years. He was a consummate professional and one of the best news and sports photographers in TT ‘s media history.

Though a stern photo editor, operator, all he ever wanted for his photographers were the best pictures of the day for the newspaper pages.

Rattan learned the profession from the best photographers at the time in the 1980s working at the Guardian led by Rudy Arthur Taylor, Noel Saldenha, Max Lai Leung and Maurice Brown. First in the darkroom, he slowly graduated to working the beat and excelled at both news and sports.

He also distinguished himself bringing back memorable images from the Soca Warriors campaign in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He also was a regular at football, cricket and other sports.

This was in addition to Parliament coverage, and breaking news. He is best remembered for his iconic photo of Archibishop Anthony Pantin chatting with a homeless person outside the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception,
His life’s work stands as a standard for journalism in Trinidad and Tobago.

Azlan Mohammed, Photo Editor, AZPNews.com

Rattan Jadoo was a committed Canon user for his entire professional life. Photos courtesy Newsday.

I’ve known Rattan for at least 29 years and a few more before that as well- as he often reminded me of visiting Trinidad Guardian as a school boy.

I recall how intimidated I felt when, attending my first Intercol match as a photographer – walking along the track at the Hasely Crawford Stadium- noticing two men who I had the utmost respect for – Sally (Noel Saldenha) and Rattan, then and still, icons of Sports Photography.

The photo that stuck in my mind, when I became seriously interested in the profession, was Rattan’s winning photo of Gus Logie taking a catch from the forward short-leg position. Here I am seated between him and Noel Saldenah.

Like Sally, Rattan had a knack for being relaxed and jovial while still capturing the most important image on assignments. I will always remember his willingness to give advice, his selflessness and the consistent quality of his work.

Robert Taylor, Photo Editor, Trinidad Express.

Rattan was truly an exemplary photographer. During my days at the Newsday, I particularly remember looking at his photos and looking at others and seeing the stark difference in quality.

Even though he already had several years of journalism under his belt, he was always excited about getting that exclusive photo, always a passion for the job. Then there was the serious side, as Azlan mentioned, looking for the best in those who worked under him and not accepting anything less.

I remember when a photographer came back from shooting a ship and the photo was 90% sea and 10% ship, Rattan asked him if he knew what the zoom on the camera was for and sent him back to get it. He quarreled the whole day too, even after the poor fella got a better shot. He was all about high quality and he practised what he preached. May he rest in peace.

Sampson Nanton, Executive Producer, CNC3.

Rattan Jadoo and I got off to a bad start and pretty much stayed there. I was his boss, as Picture Editor between 1990 and 1992 at the Trinidad Guardian, but he didn’t see it that way but we managed to get the work done, despite coming from different photographic worlds.

He didn’t need any managing, to be honest. He knew the work, some aspects of it better than I did, and I was happy to let him have his rein at the aspect of photography he loved the most, working the sports beat.

If I had to do anything, it was to broker the occasional flare-ups between him and the late Noel Saldenha over assignments and equipment allocations. There were never enough fast, long lenses available.

It came as no surprise to me that he joined Therese Mills right from the start of Newsday. They had strong rapport and mutual admiration and he built a robust photographic team in short order at the new paper.

I never doubted that his approach was always in the service of the best possible picture and that always made it much easier to work with him.

Mark Lyndersay, writer and photographer.