Our Editor, Michael Barker, had the great pleasure of discussing with Lidia a selection of her photographs, at an appropriate social distance, and learned so much in the process.
Listen to Lidia talk photography, how she got into it, how she progressed, and the pics she chose for this spread. The pics and audio interview follow below.
You will discover Lidia had a passion for snapping when young. Then eventually she got a good camera. Then a mentor. Then got serious. Street photography. Then photographs more editorial in nature – telling stories. Then travel photography in a big way, which are so often from the street and editorial.
Lidia is a master of a subtle approach to her work, which some, who are used to seeing a ‘photographer’ dominating a scene with large cameras and lenses all about them, may consider unusual.
Nor does she ‘overshoot’. She works with very quiet cameras. No noisy motor-drives for her. One or two frames is generally enough for her to record a passing moment.
If you go to Lidia’s webpage you will see the amazing range of countries she has visited and the travel books she has produced.
Lidia D’Opera
Not surprisingly Lidia’s work has been recognised by awards and inclusion in books of note.
For example –
*2012 Awarded Travel Book of the Year – Winner in travel category at HeadOn Festival Sydney
Book title : Lidia D’Opera’s New York (a preview can be seen here).
*2013 Ballarat Photo Festival 3 x finalist – Blurb’s ‘One for the Books’ competition.
Book titles:
1. Istanbul & Eastern Turkey (preview here).
2. Lead Astray (preview here).
3. Lidia D’Opera’s New York (preview here).
* 2020 Loud and Luminous Exhibition & Book
100 Female Photographers on Equality
The images contained in the book are presented in a YouTube video here.
Her photographs of dogs and cats, mostly with ‘their people’ are very entertaining.
Like all photographers her work is influenced by the classic masters such as Elliot Erwitt and Henri Cartier-Bresson.
And as you will see, Lidia is also comfortable working in both monochrome and colour.
If you’d like to see her recent posts follow Lidia on instagram.
