Eithne creates a world of fantasy

‘Fantasty is my reality’, says photographer and illustrator Eithne Ni Anluain. Working in north Louth, Eithne draws from the myths and legends of fairies, wizards and dragons to create images which have featured on book and magazine covers. Although she was always interested in art and all things creative, she came to photo art by a long route. ‘I did the ‘sensible’ thing of studying geology and then environmental science as I thought it would lead to secure career progression,’ she says. She worked for just over a year when the recession hit and she found herself out of work. ‘I began teaching myself Photoshop and creating fantasy images using photos from other photographers and stock libraries and then thought I should be shooting my own photos so I began to learn now to take photos,’ she says. ‘I was able to make better and better images and someone said to be that I should be producing book covers, so I made some mock-ups, set up a website, and it snowballed from there.’ Eithne soon found that her work was in demand for use as book covers and has featured on best selling author Morgan Llywelyn’s novel ‘Only The Stones’ which is published by MacMillen as well as young adult fantasy and sceience fiction titles. As demand for her work grew, Eithne began making the elaborate headdresses and costumes worn by the models in her shots. ‘I love all things vintage and source the dresses and props myself,’ she says. ‘I then create a fantasy character around the headdress and find a model to suit the image I have in mind.’ Unsurprisingly, she is intrigued by the world of cosplay and fantasy. ‘Fantasy is my reality and I spend a lot of time in my own wee world. I like to create beautiful pictures which may bring people peace and take them out of their own reality, worry and stress for the time they are looking at it.’ Her work has featured in Digital Photography and Gilded magazines, and also ‘Horse and Hound’ and ‘ The Irish Field,’ as she also specialises in equine sports photography. It is, she admits, quite different from her creative work but the skills required to get the right image are the same. ‘It’s all about fast shooting and getting the image right.’ When doing her fantasy shoots, Eithne also does the make up and hair design for the models, using the expertise she has gained from working on the second series of the tv show ‘Into The Bandlands’ which was filmed in Ireland last summer. ‘I spent four months working on the show, doing 12 to 17 hour days in north Wicklow. It was good fun but hard work,’ she recalls. Eithne has given workshops to camera clubs around the country, as well as acting as a judge for photographic societies. She is now offering a half day workshop for photographers wishing to work with mod- els using natural light on Saturday April 8. ‘I will be working with local model Lia and will have lots of props and costume changes,’ she says. For further information about Eithne’s work and pop-up workshops log on to her facebook page, Ni Anluain or phone 087 2902568.