Ireland | Lidija Ivanek SiLa

Blog

Minimalist colourful photography

January 16, 2021January 16, 2021
by sila

Fujifilm XT3 and lens Minolta MD 100-300

I love merging old and new. The effect of using an old lens with modern digital camera has certain unpredictability and special softness in colours.

At dawn when night gives way to daylight, when colours burst in layers, at dawn I love to stand at the edge of the land facing ocean. My mind is empty, my feelings calm and for a moment everything makes sense. Birds are chirping, air is salty and fresh. My cheeks are frozen, fingers are stiff and painful. Cold breeze is penetrating my hiking pants, leggings underneath and skin, piercing it all the way to the bones. All senses are heighten.

– to be present in the moment –

As usual, todays photograph is available as a print here

If you prefer signed original, please do not hesitate to contact me through my contact page

Analog photography

Panoramic analog photography 17×6

January 12, 2021January 12, 2021
by sila

It’s a wide world out there!

Sometime ago I bought this beautiful 3d printed panoramic camera (Sheel from K6x14Vx) and only recently I had opportunity to test it. It was made for my lens, Fujinon SW90mm and I bought Gaoersi viewfinder to help me compose the image. After first shots on Kodak Ektar 100 I am pretty pleased. Few minor adjustments with focus and I can’t wait for a decent weather and easing of lockdown here in Ireland to go out and about again 😉

Happy New Year!

I need to give this beauty nice name, any suggestions? 🙂

Just a stroll around neighbourhood #Kinsale

Disappearing car 🚘 😆

This corner is inspiration for numerous painters living in Kinsale. It is actually Bruno’s pizzeria.

It was so long ago when I used to photograph with my pinhole camera that I couldn’t find more then one blog post on this site with it – pinhole . Pinhole is also in panorama format and that is something that was attractive for me for so long. Panorama obviously is carrying a lot of problems with it. You can’t fit every scene in panorama, problems with vignette, soft edges, problems with “not standard frame size” etc. Just to name a few. Still, when it works, this format for me is the best for having on walls.

Blog

Happy Christmas!

December 24, 2020December 24, 2020
by sila

The exact date when my grandmother was born is unknown. Turbulent times in Balkan region were not uncommon. So, when she needed some official documents, she had two different dates. To clarify situation, one official decided to put a date that will from now on be her official date of birth.

That story reminded me of Christmas. Somewhere along the way someone decided that 25^{th of December} is the day of Jesus Christ’s birth. If you are a historian and know much more than I do, you can calculate exact date of Jesus’s birth by the facts from the Bible and other historical documents. But you know what, in realty it doesn’t change a thing.

He was born, lived and died for us, so we can live free from sin.

Christmas can be so over saturated with commercialism, traditions, and all kinds of burdens.

It can be a vary sad period for someone who is stuck far away from family and friends in this crazy year of COVID. It is cold outside and dark and wet. Wintertime in our part of the world.

The Bible in Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8 says:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

So whether you are far away or with your family and friends, whether it is cold and miserable outside or nice and sunny, this is a day to remember – Jesus that you celebrate through his birthday reminds us that He is still God and He is still the same every single day.

If you are forgiven, every day is a day to celebrate.

Rejoice wherever you are.

You will meet with the once you miss.

Happy Christmas everyone!

Blog

Season Sale!

November 28, 2020
by sila

Discounted prices on all Wall Art Prints, Photographs, Illustrations

Blog

Moody Ireland

August 7, 2020August 7, 2020
by sila

My friend always says – You’d not come to Ireland for weather – but he is wrong.

Most tourists actually do want to experience “true” Ireland and they are never surprised when it rains. It is still summer in Kinsale and we have all-weather-all-the time. I found great combination in my waterproof Fuji XT3 and ability to shoot with film simulations. It just fits moody weather.

So here it is, todays, fresh from camera. Summer in Kinsale.

Analog photography

Summer Days

July 21, 2020July 21, 2020
by sila

I love summer! I love sunshine, blue sky and sparkles ✨ on sea surface.

Wherever I am, I carry in me memories of past happy summers on the Adriatic. Even Atlantic Ocean in Ireland looks and feels like Mediterranean on my photographs. It really doesn’t matter if it’s black and white, or colour. Feel it.

PS. New photographs are uploaded to silaart.picfair.com … Don’t forget to check it there from time to time.

Blog

Amazing Morning

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020
by sila

My morning encounter with wild dolphins caused a lot of joy for people who saw my photos.

It was a calm morning, with light swiftly changing from morning blue, over colourful sunrise rainbow, with finish in stormy purples. My plan was to go out to Garrettstown beach and shoot some long exposures. When I spotted a pod of dolphins strolling parallel with the beach and playful jumping out of the water, I started snapping with my camera and caught some nice shots. Cork Beo published an article with my shots. https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/pictures-capture-dolphins-playing-just-18606865

I also managed to get a nice long exposure with purple clouds.

Blog

Panoramic World

July 14, 2020
by sila

Yesterday, we visited West Cork. It is not far from our place, practically at our doorstep. When we started our trip it was raining. Nothing new for Ireland. We also new, in a nick of time the weather will change. So it was. The clouds and mist started lifting and the mood was just right for my kind of photography.

Analog photography

Belonging and displacment

July 11, 2020July 11, 2020
by sila

This weekend is the yearly art event in Kinsale – Kinsale Artists Weekend (very imaginative name lol) and my photograph is exhibited in one of the windows.

Theme is HOPE and there is a text with it:

“During lockdown we were very limited in our movements. One of the first days when we were allowed to travel a bit further away, I traveled early in the morning to the beach, Garrylucas. There was this ordinary plant on the car park, growing from sand and asphalt and for me that was the utmost visual scene of hope. It was even shaped like a heart.
Even in the toughest circumstances, there is life”

Recently, I was drawn back to the black and white photography. Bnw’s are made with my phone.

Alternative process

Alternative Photography – Infrared

July 3, 2020July 3, 2020
by sila

I’ve always been alternative photographer. That statement means that I’ve always explored and pushed medium in different directions. I have an inquisitive mind.

Infrareds are so beautiful. Look at them.

Landscape on a completely different level.

Recognisable, but different. Familiar but …

Ireland in red, white and blue.

I guess my Croatian heritage jumps and merges with Irish landscape.

🇭🇷 🇭🇷 🇮🇪 🇮🇪