Elaine’s letting her light shine through
A Drogheda woman has taken the world of photography by storm, and one of her images is set to grace the cover of a major UK literary magazine next month.
Dublin-based Elaine Butler’s photograph “Let your Light Shine”, a photograph of the Voyager Statue by Linda Brunker in Laytown, will be on the front cover of poetry and prose publication “Prole” in December, and an exhibition of her work will be held in the RDS from next week.
“It is a very exciting time, and I’m really looking forward to the forthcoming RDS Gifted Fair from Wednesday December 5th to Sunday 9th,” says Elaine (right), who grew up in Drogheda where her family owned the Marsh House bar on the Marsh Road.
“I only got into photography about six or seven years ago, when I joined the Palmerstown Camera Club near to where I moved to, with my mum Nina and sister Michelle, and it really took off from there.”
Elaine left Drogheda when she finished in the Sacred Heart in 1987, and studied Psychology in UCD, before spending 12 years working with HIV support, drug support and homeless services in Dublin.
“Photography started as a hobby and I got some great feedback on my shots and thought maybe there is something in this,” she says with a laugh. “I always loved art in school, and my favourite subjects now are landscapes and seascapes, and fine art portraiture. I was so delighted when my photo I took in Laytown was chosen by the magazine in Britain, which will bring my work to an international audience.”
Elaine has received a number of national and international awards for her work, including the Photographic Society of America, Irish Photographic Federation, Expressions Fine Art Portrait International Competition, Envisionography International Fine Art Photography Competition, among others. She has held a number of solo exhibitions of her images in Dublin, and also Solas Fine Art Gallery, Leitrim and currently has an exhibition of my images on display in The Bridge Gallery, Chapelizod, Dublin 20. Elaine’s work is being praised all over the world, but her biggest fan is right there with her, in her Chapelizod home.
“My eight-year-old son Dylan loves to come out with me and take photos with his own camera,” she says.“He loves photographing the great outdoors like me and we go on photographic nature trails together.” Gifted is open in the RDS from 10am-10pm Wed, Thurs, Fri and 10am - 7pm on Sat and Sun. Elaine’s website is www.ElaineButlerPhotography.com