Ireland | Lidija Ivanek SiLa

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Cork City Streets at Night

November 25, 2021
by sila

Lights, lots of it

It was a crisp evening, not more than 5.30 pm. Sunset is now days at 4.30pm. Short winter days and long, long nights. Cork City was dressed in shadows with mellow yellow street lamps. Only bright white beams streaming through streets from all kinds of vehicles. Stars in the sky and on the streets.

It was hard to pick just one photograph from this location, South Gate Bridge, as they all have something that is worthy of keeping. This one intrigued me as all the lights were greenish. I think the colour represents cold winter night well. Everything was in movement, except two deliver guys on bikes. Kinda ironic.

Bridges are so Cork. River Lee meanders among houses, occasionally flooding them. This creates wonderful play of light on the surface of water.

If you want to see rural mornings around Cork, click here

T-shirts for photographers, original design here

Blog

Colours of Winter Mornings

November 23, 2021November 23, 2021
by sila

Frostbites on my fingers, red cheeks and a smile on my face. The morning light enticed me to go outside even though it was -1C.

Less postproduction the better

As I am ageing my preferences are changing. Is it a general rule I can’t tell, but youngsters seem to prefer more saturated, more processed images, while age is bringing subdued colours and more nuances. Fuji XT3 that I was using for todays shots, has a wonderful way to bring those frosty morning colours in a mellow, subdued way even though, sunrise was bringing warmth overall.

It looks like ice, but it was a morning mist rising from a warm water surface. Milky layer of gorgeousness.

Well, there are more and more people in Kinsale that swim the whole year. I wouldn’t go for a swim in the middle of summer, in these cold ocean waters, but this morning the water was significantly warmer than air.

As you already know, morning is my fav time, here is one more post featuring morning

Photographers T-shirts here

Blog

Nature First

October 15, 2021October 15, 2021
by sila

I recently joined Nature First – The Alliance for Responsible Nature Photography

Reason being that I believe all photographers should approach photographing nature/landscapes/animals, with care and reverence.

What are your thoughts on the subject? I would love to hear your comments.

Early mornings, my favourite, are the time when I am in search of my images. Birds are wearing up, animals start feeding and I do feel as quiet is necessary while just observing the surroundings. Any bird watcher will know, any true lover of wildlife will understand the feeling.

For a long time, naming my photographs, giving locations was something that I was not incline to do. But, explosion of Instagram images and all the duck-faced people who were tagging with pride locations that they were standing on, well it just went out of control.

Colours of morning sunrise over heavy, overcast sky and reflection of it in the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean.

New Illustrations.

THE NATURE FIRST PRINCIPLES:

Prioritise the well-being of nature over photography.

Educate yourself about the places you photograph.

Reflect on the possible impact of your actions.

Use discretion if sharing locations.

Know and follow rules and regulations.

Always follow Leave No Trace principles and strive to leave places better than you found them.

Actively promote and educate others about these principles.

Blog

Stillness – A Single Photo Day

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021
by sila

Oversaturated world.

In need of a break from to much informations, my comfort and peace comes in looking in only one image today.

I love mornings and that is pretty obvious. I love mornings as the world is still, there is only a sound of nature. I love mornings as they are fresh, new, like a brand new canvas. I love mornings as colours are there, but before sun breaks out, they are pastel and soft.

So if you are like me in a position that you feel overwhelmed with everyday stuff, come, immerse yourselves in todays photograph and be transferred in my mornings of stillness and sounds of waves that caress the sand

More: https://silaart.picfair.com

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The Planet We Live On

June 30, 2021
by sila

What if someone said to you, beyond this point you can’t go? Every path you new, every sight you saw, it’s no longer available.

This morning sign prompt me to write about something that is on my mind for quite a while. If you are faint-hearted, please leave as I am about to start a rant.

As an artist I always try to find beauty in whatever is taking my interested in that particular moment. I am getting up really early, to explore beauty in landscape without people in it. Usually that means that if you follow my work, you will get this distorted vision of the world, where everything is beautiful – aesthetically clean. It is just my way to point out how world can be, and in some small scale still is. Then once and a while ugliness creeps upon me, overwhelming me with reality.

This world is full of sinful people, greedy, selfish and all sorts, but also stupid beyond belief.

Today, I read the news where it is the third day in a row where records in temperature for Canada is broken. In town Lytton it was 49.6C yesterday!!! This last few weeks Europe is boiling in a very dangerous temperatures for everyone. Incredibly powerful thunderstorms are producing tornadoes and delivering hail storms. Floods and earthquakes. It is like “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains”. And after all these extreme weather events, warnings from scientists, even seeing with their own eyes, there are still naysayers to global climate change. Isn’t that stupidity or what?

I do not understand people who would go to nature and leave rubbish behind them?! It puzzles me that you can be so lazy or stupid not understanding that it will come back to you, all the filth will go back to rivers, air, ocean and end up in your water. How many diseases are caused with micro plastic that can’t be filtered and it is now in human guts? You don’t have to believe me, just read scientific journals lately.

Selfish, selfish people. Selfish thinking says – I don’t care, it is not mine to clean after somebody? It is the same selfishness that is at work saying I will not get COVID-19, I am strong, that is all a lie. The same selfish person will not take vaccine and will not prevent spreading of the disease. The reasoning behind will say – I am not to blame that my neighbour dies of COVID-19. It is the same selfishness on a grand scale who will not help poor countries get vaccine, and would pile up stock in their on country.

To end with this morning rant and come back to the sign from above. It was erected on my favourite path. I don’t blame the farmer who tries to protect people who are walking with dogs, small children and the path is very close to the cliffs. It is not fenced. It is nature, untouched, but people do not behave appropriately when coming into a wild nature. Now, nature is getting more and more fenced because of stupidity of irresponsible people.

It is a great sadness in my heart and probably in hearts of other true lovers and protectors of nature that we have to live in times like this.

At least we still have a voice and we still continue to speak, make art, educate in hope that majority will stop with bad habits.

I can’t imagine world where blue sky is no longer available, where fresh, clean water is no longer available, where my beautiful animals are just a tale of the old times.

Today is a very hazy, humid and quite warm day in Ireland.

And I still manage to find beauty even today on a day like this.

My beautiful photographs can be purchased here

Analog photography

Ireland with Kodak Colour

May 27, 2021May 27, 2021
by sila

Exa 1a soft bokeh

Wedged. This image is already available here

In my wanderings around Ireland, I seem to be more keen to go back to soft, unsharp images. As in the whirlwinds of the Instagram all sharp, saturated, applied filters etc. images start to merge into one endless stream of sunsets, smiles, sandy beaches until all just disappear unnoticed.

At least in analog imperfections is a soul-filled goodness.

I intentionally leave scanned black edge of film.

We (as we in Ireland) hope for the summer.

Hope that starts in January and never stops. Hope that rain and greyness will disappear till the end of the day, or maybe tomorrow.

Living in trailers is not just for the sunshine and holidays.

A white cat curiously watched my every move from the window.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated.

I started new series of paintings, prints available here

Alternative process

Analog Lens and Mirrorless Camera

March 13, 2021March 13, 2021
by sila

Oreston Görlitz 50mm F/1.8 with Fuji Xt3

Made in East Germany from approx 1960 to 1971 this lens is my all favourite for close ups. It was a bit neglected by me, waiting in my bag, till yesterday. On Face group someone asked me which are the analog lenses that I use with my Fuji. I remembered my all-fav Oreston. So today, though forecast said snow-blizzard in one word miserable 😩 , I walked with Oreston/Fuji combination and it was Spring warm and sunny. The window of opportunity lasted one hour.

My morning photos, no filter, no editing (maybe occasionally brightness correction), no fuss.

To photograph a cat that’s not something you would do with manual analog lens, right?

Especially if it is a cat that you don’t know, on the street, yes, you would think there’s no chance to get anything? 😝

This lens may not be for taking landscape shots (vignetting, softness at the edges) still like this two shots show, it has a pleasing look.

As always follow me on Instagram

Check my prints here

Analog photography

Expired Superia film and Konica C35 ef3

February 5, 2021February 5, 2021
by sila

What I love about analog photography

– mystery, surprise and excitement of developing a roll long forgotten –

I forgot that I have a film in my camera which was already expired when the roll was put in the camera… so a couple of years later, I shot the rest of the frames and developed it. These are the first images from it. Film is Superia 200 (expired at least 3 y.) camera Konica C35ef3 which used to be a choice for tourist/family photography back in the day. Developed in C41 Tetenal. Scan just flatbed Epson V850Pro.

Slightly opening window to experience misty morning in the new neighbourhood

As I didn’t know if expired film will be any good, I picked images around my neighbourhood, new and old. Above picture is in a new neighbourhood, though even that was a year ago lol.

And this is from our old neighbourhood.

I just can’t post all of them and I love them almost all. Let’s say, at least 30 of them. So, I do urge you if you like what I do, follow me on other social media, like Instagram or Facebook

Blog

A year of COVID

February 1, 2021February 1, 2021
by sila

A full and complete year of living with pandemic and lockdowns

It is hard to believe that we are still in Level 5 lockdown. It was a year ago when we started our first lockdown in Ireland. As an artist, photographer it was hard going as creative juices don’t always flow. ‘Keep it positive, hopeful and continue” was the main motto of so many, not only artists.

As time is passing by it is more difficult to continue with everyday tasks. Art now became a source of comfort, a rope of hope. People who never thought of doing anything artlike, these days are experimenting with paints and cameras… snapping pictures or whipping brush strokes on canvas. For me it is my life whether there is a pandemic or “living is easy”… but struggles are real as I am confined in my 5km radius by government restrictions. 5km for months without end. No wonder that I find comfort and most inspiration in soft Irish days.

This is a tree by the road that I am finding very inspirational and I always like to come back to, especially on a soft day.

High tides, soft days and waves.

Brushed by winds, washed by salty waters

Sleeping with a smile

Don’t forget, I always have something new for sale in store so check back often.

My prints available here

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

Cork City Streets at Night

Lights, lots of it

Colours of Winter Mornings

Less postproduction the better

Nature First

THE NATURE FIRST PRINCIPLES:

Stillness – A Single Photo Day

The Planet We Live On

Ireland with Kodak Colour

Exa 1a soft bokeh

Analog Lens and Mirrorless Camera

Oreston Görlitz 50mm F/1.8 with Fuji Xt3

Expired Superia film and Konica C35 ef3

What I love about analog photography

– mystery, surprise and excitement of developing a roll long forgotten –

A year of COVID

A full and complete year of living with pandemic and lockdowns

Minimalist colourful photography

Fujifilm XT3 and lens Minolta MD 100-300

– to be present in the moment –

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