Tilla Wolf ~ “I Don’t Look for Pics…they Come to Me.”

Tilla Wolf ~ “I don’t look for pics…they come to me.” What do I love about street photography? The candid nature, a moment, frozen in time, a peek into the lives of people I will never meet. This week I’m featuring @tilla_wolf from Instagram who says, “I don’t look for pics…they come to me.” I’m so happy when they come to her, she shoots them, because through her lens I get to see her corner of the world.

Photo captions taken from @tilla_wolf’s Instagram gallery.

Have a good day

A special thank you to @italianbrother who provided the translation from Italian to English for this interview! I could not have done this without you dear brother!

Geri: How would you like me to list your name? Where do you live?

Silvia: First of all I would like to thank you very much for this feature on your blog, which I truly appreciate and I would like to also thank you for having given me the opportunity to come across many talented photographers on Instagram. I would love to be listed with both names Silvia Lombardo is my real name and my nickname Tilla Wolf is part of my personal life, Tilla is part of my past and Wolf to the present... "I have lived many lives". I am 47 years old, married and I have a beautiful baby girl. You did a marvelous edit of her photo (which I would love to have!). I live in Genoa, Italy (which I love) and unfortunately I haven't had the chance to travel much, although I would love the contrary. This is exactly why in my Instagram profile I have written that "the images come to me". I don't go out with the intention to photograph, but I photograph wherever I am.

Geri: How long have you been on Instagram?

Silvia: I have been on Instagram since Spring of 2012. I got my Samsung in December 2011. I started for fun, it was a game, without having a real understanding, but with time I kept discovering better and better photographers and if I am not mistaken one of the first was @bws_woodava, who I followed straight away and never unfollowed, and then many others and finally you. I felt truly honored when you asked me if you could edit the photograph of my daughter ~ I couldn't believe it.

Collaboration using Silvia’s photo and my painterly edit (above)

Corpse Bride (above)

Geri: Do you do all your editing on your Samsung Galaxy?

Silvia: I shoot and I edit only with my Galaxy, I don't have a tablet. And I edit all myself.

Early employee (above)

Geri: Do you have a photography or art background?

Silvia: I have been photographing for many years now. I started with the traditional cameras (not digital). I have been to some short workshops held by professional photographers, but I have never managed to be coherent with it. I started to develop and print my photos when the digital era began. I own many cameras. Some vintage (from the 20's and the the 30's), these belonged to my father's uncle. From my father's side they all are artists, painters and architects (my father is an architect, now retired) I don’t know how to draw or paint, although I love both. I have, however, taken from my mother’s side her passion for writing. From her side of the family they all were journalists. I do love art in all it's form: painting (quite different periods and styles... Illuminism, Dalí... Caravaggio) and sculptors too!

Good Morning Oldness (above)

Good Morning Youth (above)

Geri: What are your favorite apps?

Silvia: I take my photographs only with the Samsung, without the use of any app. The smartphone's camera allows me to control the ISO, the colors and the black and white. However it doesn’t allow me to adjust shutter speed or aperture. My favorite app is Photo Editor, which I always use. Through Instagram I have discovered Pixlr Express and as I learn more about it I am using it more often. Sometime I end up using Photo Art, and not that often Pics Art (the latter is not that good and doesn't have much editing tools within). I've had Pics Art for only a few days and I don't really know much about it. All the apps that I use are the free versions and I use these only for the postproduction of my photos. I am going to purchase PhotoViva, which you have kindly suggested to me, but at this point in time I have a some problems with my digital bank.

Everywhere Autumn (above)

Geri: Is this a hobby, or would you like to exhibit your work?

Silvia: I would like to exhibit, but I don’t think I would be organized enough to do that.

Colors (above)

Geri: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Silvia: Yes, I'd like to talk about the spirit (soul) of my photography. I'm glad that I came across Instagram and its photographers, because through IG I learn a lot, but mainly because I consider Instagram a "community of souls and skills." Photography - like all forms of art - is communication and IG allows everyone freedom of expression, without social superstructure that influence relationships. Instagram allows everyone to express himself as they truly are, without conditions and freedom so that they can meet with others. It is a place where free spirits meet. I feel deeply democratic and have suffered discrimination and humiliation. For this reason I am very careful to protect the human dignity of those I photograph and am inspired to condemn inequality, injustice and false reality. I think that all this is reflected in my continuous research for high-contrast, regardless of both color photos and the ones in black and white. As if I was looking for a "melancholy " a search of a possible better life for every person, in every situation. When I try to symbolize to represent my own suffering as a citizen, as a woman, as a wife, as a worker ... I do not think only of my personal condition, but I think also about those who have lived (in the past) or are living and going through similar situations or worse. My portrait (below), which I sent as an attachment is an attempt to express the pain of the serious situation in my country (and not just mine!) of recent years, particularly due to the social and economic crisis, which is even more severe than before, especially because it is over and above everything else a serious ethical crisis which arises first in all of our homes and in our places of work. On the other hand there are those simple gestures, fine detail of man and nature that are wonderful and from which we could enjoy more often. These really means a lot to me to capture and share it through the medium of photography. Going back to IG, were I can find many great and talented photographers, who are able to share their skills without fear of losing something of themselves ... to me this seems a gift that is not a part of our general society today.