Hello and a big thank you for visiting. My name is Paul Divers and I own and develop Irish Light and Colour. I am a Photographer and Technology enthusiast who loves experimenting with technology for creative reasons and out of curiosity. Irish Light and Colour is my personal project which allows me to get visually creative through Photography and technical owing to my fascination with web technologies and ways in which things are built, integrated and used
My interest in Photography began in 1992 while I was working as a college technician in Glasgow. I was asked to photograph final year physics student projects for which each student was required to create a large wall poster illustrating their project work. This happened by accident because my then boss, who normally did the Photography, had to go out on that particular day and assigned the task to myself. I am glad he did because Photography later became chosen medium of creative expression
The pictures turned out fine and I enjoyed the assignment so much that I borrowed a 35mm Olympus OM1 from the equipment store so that I could practice taking pictures. I tried architecture and street Photography but began regularly visiting the countryside as nature was what really motivated me to want to create pictures. This made sense because as father had instilled in me an interest in nature and I held an appreciation of traditional scenic art since childhood
Being a self teacher I read Photography books and magazines, bought a camera, yes it was an Olympus OM1, and then began turning Photography into a vocation. I learned how to use black and white film, develop it and make silver gelatin prints in a traditional darkroom. The difference between then and now amazes me still and sometimes I need to pinch myself when I think of all the advantages Photographers have gained in just a few years
When I moved to Dublin in 1999 I began visiting the west coast on weekends and these experiences changed me. I developed an almost spiritual love of the natural world and realised if I went to live there permanently I would find, what is for me, normality and a sense of contentment
The city life was no good for me so I left to ramble around Ireland, to quieter places where you can breathe fresh air, fish and learn about the geography of this island and it's people. I became drawn to County Donegal where my family originated from and my Grandmother was originally from nearby County Sligo. The pull of those counties was too strong for me to ignore and I believe in following my instincts
There was a sense of connectedness in this because Glasgow was always mecca for Donegal people who had historically close ties with the city which is virtually around the corner and up the River Clyde. Growing up near Clydebank in the 1970s I was part of a community which had strong Irish roots and who celebrated Irish culture in song, folklore and in political outlook. This made me feel already familiar with Ireland but I know my future is destined to be that of the outsider always looking in. Ireland is not a simple place to understand I gave up trying to long ago
The Celtic Tiger thing turned me into a refusenik so I quietly slipped out the back door and went in search of a different meaning to life and I found on the West Coast of Ireland. I am thankful for having the nerve to chase this dream because my choices have taken me to places I would otherwise not have found. The path led to discovery what made me tick and instilled in me the belief that a person really can be what they want to be
I attended Sligo Institute of Technology in my late 30s and studied Computing because I knew it was an enabler for people living in remote areas. We have to make the most of what we have and be practical so I took the only way out that was open to me at the time. It was 4 years of hard work but it taught me a lot about myself, my strengths and weaknesses. Being a mature student gave me time to balance the left brained person I had been in my electronics career with the right brained person I knew was hiding within. I graduated with a big sense of achievement that would help motivate me for the rest of my life
It is now the age of the freelancer and I predicted this back in 2002 when I was applying for college. It was apparent to that we were entering a truly electronic age where there would be countless opportunities out there for individuals trying to break from the herd and do what motivated them the most. By doing something you enjoy you think of it more as a calling rather than hard work. It also keeps you feeling young and happier again
Technology, if used intelligently and creatively, can free people from drudgery and boredom and opens up whole new worlds of possibility. With computers I find it is possible to find things to do that are rewarding and which give me great pleasure both creatively and intellectually. Computers are not only fun and educational but they can also be used to earn a living if you are prepared to educate yourself and think of them as tools and not something that is the sole preserve of geeks and technical gurus. Hopefully this site will help convince you that you don't need to be a geek to get creative with modern technology
I write about what I know and believe that by sharing my knowledge freely with the world that it will one day send some good karma my way. God knows I am surely due some by now ;-) In this life you get back some of what you are prepared to put in and the key to finding some kind of success is by playing to our strengths and learning to live with our weaknesses. We can't find wisdom if we don't make mistakes along the way
If you have any questions then simply contact me
Have a grand day
Paul Divers
Knocknahur
County Sligo
Republic of Ireland
