About Zrno

ZRNO is an international festival of alternative photography. By alternative photography we understand all the beautiful and often forgotten processes of the old days of photography yet we do not look away from any modern experimental approach. We feel that our local photographic environment is stuck in some limbo, so we decided to stir things a little by promoting the idea of diversity in the photographic approach and to offer photography students, professionals, enthusiasts and photo lovers with or without experience, the beautiful countless faces of photography. We believe that we can plant the GRAIN, and we are open to everybody for cooperation, learning and GROWing TOGHETHER.

Zrno ( Зрно ) in Macedonian language means grain ( hence the web page ). Grain, like photo grain that is so beautiful in all the alternative photo processes, and grain like a seed, since we want to plant the seed of alternative view on photography, on the world around us… to offer one joyful alternative view on the world, view that enjoys the sun, which we all are so dependent on. To capture the grain of his surface, into our memories, reflecting our thoughts and emotions… To praise the SUN.


What follows is short info about the team who made this possible, with a lot of enthusiasm and many hours full of doubts and genuine insecure feeling. We don’t want to mask that. We believe that all good things that happen are embroidered with doubts and second thoughts, thinking and rethinking…hesitating.
We are many different faces but we merged our energies and sent our egos to a unpaid vacation, to make our passion – to experiment with photography – possible. Here we stand before the world, almost naked. Join us, if you are of our kind.

Zrno was founded by: 

 



Keti Talevska – Bakrevska Co-founder of cyanogifts brand. Videographer and photographer. First Macedonian author that presented herself with lumen prints. She likes playing in classic darkroom, with pinholes and solarography.




Martina Peneva, 24 years old, currently a master’s student at the Faculty of Architecture in Skopje. She is also a photographer since 2016.

 



Sasho Alushevski is a life skill teacher who takes pictures. Teaches photography and creativity. First Macedonian wet plate photographer. He is in love with the black art-the wet plate collodion, yet he has experience with many other analog/alternative processes. He makes cyanotypes, classic black and whites, pinholes, salt and albumen prints. Part of the MakeDox documentary film festival co-founding crew. Co-founder of cyanogifts brand. He enjoys sharing skill environments.


Martina Pavloska is the first Macedonian model that walked on the runways of fashion shows around the world. She worked with famous photographers in front of the camera and now is enjoying being behind the camera herself. Her passion is polaroid and anime. Currently living and working in Milan. Our social media ninja!



Vlado Dimoski – the best support for Macedonian artists for decades. When you have a problem with mounting, framing, conceptualizing, transport or packing, any doubt, you go to him. He was member of the support team for the first Macedonian presentation at the Venice biennale. And he is too modest to say this, yet, since he does not know how to edit web pages, we wrote this in his name.

Soon, this guys joined:

Emilija Sandić – born in Belgrade, 2003. She graduated the School of Design in Serbia with excellent grades. Her interest in photography turned into a serious hobby through 2018, when she attended a few digital and analogue photography courses. All throughout middle school and high school Emilija participated in various workshops and competitions, from which she received rewards, and group exhibitions. Currently Emilija’s attending Academy Of Art in Novi Sad – photography department.

 

 

Ena Alushevska – our organization force (thank God) that helped us a lot. Currently studying forestry in Ljubljana. Loves nature and music. Occasionally dabbles in photography, as an amateur. Still exploring the world of photography.

 

Petar Stojanoski has been with us since the beginning.
He believes that every photography festival should have a non-photographer with a good eye for detail. He has been a great almost invisible
supporting pillar all the time.
The last photo of him before Zrno, was taken about 10 years ago

 

Tezan Hayrettin-Currently studying jazz guitar at the faculty of music – Štip. She says she always had an admiration and interest for photography, as one of her hobbies for years. chronic volunteer, she loves being part of festivals, helping in anyway she can since it makes her as she says: I feel like im a part of something bigger that aims to make peoples lives a tad bit better even if it’s just for a couple of days. She has been a great pillar of Zrno from it’s first day!

 

So far…

Digital & Media Impact (2025)

  • 127 Media publications/appearances.
  • 24,000 Unique website visitors.
  • 56,457 Instagram video reel views (from May 2025 to March 3, 2026).

Global Reach & Infrastructure (Cumulative to 2026)

  • Exhibited Artists from 35 countries.
  • Exhibition Applicants from over 70 countries across all continents.
  • Workshop Participants from over 30 countries.
  • 34 Exhibitions organized in Macedonia.
  • 15 International activities outside Macedonia.

Festival Evolution & Workshops

  • 2022 – Matka, Skopje: Workshops on 5 noble photographic processes; ~40 participants (predominantly from the Balkan region).
  • 2023 – Capari, Bitola: Workshops on 7 noble photographic processes; ~40 participants (majority international, from across Europe).
  • 2024 – Smilevo: Workshops on 8 noble photographic processes; nearly 50 participants (mostly from Western Europe and the region).
  • May 28, 2025 – Skopje: Cyanotype Workshop as part of “Manifestation – Creative Europe – CreArt” at KIC-Skopje.
  • 2025 – Smilevo: Workshops on 8 noble photographic processes; 52 participants (mostly from Western Europe and the region, with volunteers from Macedonia and Slovenia).

Exhibitions & Public Events

  1. Growing Together – Alternative photography exhibition, KIC, Skopje.
  2. Zrno 2022 Group Exhibition – Works created during the first festival, KIC, Skopje.
  3. Boooo, it blew my mind! – Group exhibition under the patronage of Europe House Macedonia, May 6, 2023, Magaza, Bitola.
  4. ZRNO Group Exhibition – June 10, 2023, Capari, Bitola.
  5. Towards the Sun! – Selected works from the International Open Call, Mala Stanica Multimedia Center, Skopje, June 16, 2023.
  6. Silent Dialogue – Two masters of the analog approach: Josep Maria Ribas Prous and Damian Diaconescu, June 20, 2023, KIC-Skopje.
  7. Towards the Sun! (Touring) – International Open Call selection, July 8, 2023, Officer’s House, Bitola.
  8. Iris Photo Club Exhibition (Timișoara, Romania), July 8, 2023, Officer’s House, Bitola.
  9. Transhumanist – Documentary film screening by Damian Diaconescu, July 12, 2023, Capari, Bitola.
  10. Lectures on Old Macedonian Photography – Robert Jankuloski, and Manaki: A Greek Perspective – Tasos Papadopoulos (Athens).
  11. Manaki: A Story in Photographs – Documentary film screening by Robert Jankuloski, July 14, 2023, Manaki Cinema, Bitola.
  12. Capari Workshop Retrospective – Selected works from the 2023 workshops, Nov 8, 2023, KIC-Skopje.
  13. International Analog Open Call – Works selected by a 9-member international jury, June 28, 2024, Mala Stanica, Skopje.
  14. Babak Haghi Solo Exhibition (Tehran, Iran), July 10, 2024, FLU Gallery, Skopje.
  15. Figura – Solo exhibition by Natalia Kopkina (Helsinki, Finland), July 10, 2024, FLU Gallery, Skopje.
  16. Beehive Gates – Solo outdoor exhibition by Miša Keskenović (Sežana, Slovenia), July 20, 2024, Smilevo.
  17. Manaki: A Story in Pictures – Film screening in collaboration with MakeDox, July 20, 2024, Smilevo.
  18. Sioto Jazz Concert – In collaboration with NI Smilevo Congress, July 20, 2024, Smilevo.
  19. Iris Photo Club (Timișoara) – Selected works exhibition, July 20, 2024, Smilevo.
  20. Smilevo 2024 Workshop Retrospective – Part of “White Night” (Bela Nok), Oct 5, 2024, KIC-Skopje.
  21. Eye Exam (Checking the Diopter) – Featuring 60 analog authors from Europe, Aug 4, 2025, KSC Jadro, Skopje.
  22. Disappearance in the Landscape – Solo exhibition by Sara Sasani (Iran), June 7, 2025, KIC-Skopje.
  23. International Review of Alternative Photographic Techniques – CreArt Manifestation, May 28, 2025, KIC-Skopje.
  24. International Open Call Selection – June 27, 2027 (Scheduled), Mala Stanica, Skopje.
  25. Cultural Amalgam – Iris Photo Club (Timișoara) touring exhibition in collaboration with KIC-Skopje, covering Skopje, Kriva Palanka, and Kumanovo, July/August 2025.
  26. Work in Progress – Polaroid exhibition by Florian Kopr (Vienna), July 19, 2025, Smilevo.
  27. Filis Sinanoska Acoustic Concert – In collaboration with NI Smilevo Congress, July 19, 2025, Smilevo.
  28. Open Iris / Analogmania – Zrno 2025 Workshop production, Oct 14, 2025, Student House, Timișoara, Romania.
  29. Polaroid Exhibition – Martina Pavloska, Oct 14, 2025, Student House, Timișoara, Romania.
  30. Disappearance in the Landscape – Sara Sasani (Iran), Oct 13 – Nov 10, 2025, Youth Center, Timișoara, Romania (Zrno production in collaboration with Analogmania).
  31. Manaki in a New Suit – Sašo Aluševski (Cyanotypes and Van Dyke prints from Manaki Brothers negatives), Oct 13 – Nov 10, 2025, Timișoara, Romania.
  32. Sheva Risić & Tea Time – Emilija Sandić (Serbia), Oct 13 – Nov 10, 2025, Timișoara, Romania.
  33. Noble Processes Workshop Retrospective – Oct 27, 2025, KIC-Skopje.
  34. Mordançage Workshop – In collaboration with DSULUD “Lazar Ličenoski”, organized by Zrno, mentors Emilija Sandić and Sašo Aluševski, Nov 10-11, 2025, Skopje.

International Activities (Outside Macedonia)

  • Creativity Workshop (Sašo Aluševski) – Rotlicht Festival, Vienna, Austria, Nov 2022.
  • Lumen Prints (Keti Talevska Bakrevska) – Rotlicht Festival, Vienna, Austria, Nov 2022.
  • Polaroid (Martina Pavloska) – Rotlicht Festival, Vienna, Austria, Nov 2023.
  • Capari 2023 Workshop Retrospective – Open Iris Festival, Timișoara, Romania.
  • Portfolio Reviews (Sašo Aluševski) – Berlin Photo Weekend, Germany, June 2023.
  • Annual Zrno Retrospective (2023/24/25) – Analogmania Festival, Timișoara, Romania.
  • Mordançage Workshop – Analogmania Festival, Timișoara, Oct 13, 2025.
  • Polaroid Lift Workshop – Iris Photo Club / Analogmania, Timișoara, Oct 14, 2025.

Detailed Workshop History

Zrno 2022 (Matka, Skopje)

  • Wet Plate Collodion: Predrag Uzelac (SRB) / Miloš Zvicer (MNE) – 6 participants.
  • Lumen Print: Keti Talevska-Bakrevska (MKD) – 3 participants.
  • Cyanotype: Viktorija Mačkovska (MKD) – 5 participants.
  • Analog Photography: Ivana Brezovac (SRB) – 6 participants.
  • Camera Obscura: Dejan Kalezić (MNE) – 3 participants.

Zrno 2023 (Capari, Bitola)

  • Wet Plate Collodion: Predrag Uzelac (SRB) – 4 participants (USA, SRB, MKD).
  • Lumen Print: Jelena Belić (MKD) – 1 participant.
  • Cyanotype: Damian Diaconescu (ROU) – 5 participants (MKD, ROU, SRB).
  • Analog Photography: Ivana Brezovac (SRB) / Emilija Sandić (SRB) – 4 participants.
  • Mordançage: Sašo Aluševski (MKD) – 2 participants (NOR, AUT/GER).
  • Polaroid: Martina Pavloska (ITA/MKD) – 5 participants (MKD, SRB, GRC).
  • Sandwich Print: Stefan Stefanovski (SRB) – 4 participants.

Zrno 2024 (Smilevo)

  • Wet Plate Collodion: Predrag Uzelac – 3 participants.
  • Eco Lumen Print: Stig Marlon Weston (NOR) – 3 participants.
  • Van Dyke & Gum Bichromate: Damian Diaconescu – 3 participants.
  • Liquid Emulsion: Michael Laubsch (AUT/GER) – 3 participants.
  • Analog Experiment: Emilija Sandić / Stefan Stefanovski – 5 participants.
  • Analog Photography: Ivana Brezovac – 3 participants.
  • New Cyanotype: Miša Keskenović (SLO) – 4 participants.

Zrno 2025 (Smilevo)

  • Wet Plate Collodion: Predrag Uzelac – 3 participants.
  • Fojo/Chemigram: Vjeran Hrpka (CRO) – 6 participants.
  • Cyanotype/Lumen: Sašo Aluševski – 5 participants.
  • Advanced Analog: Ivana Brezovac / Michael Laubsch – 4 participants.
  • Idea to Realization: Florian Kopr (AUT) – 2 participants.
  • Polaroid: Martina Pavloska – 5 participants.
  • Gum Bichromate: Damian Diaconescu / András Szögör (HUN) – 1 participant.
  • Mordançage: Emilija Sandić – 2 participants.

Participating Countries (Accepted Open Call Artists)

Macedonia, UK, Finland, Croatia, Ireland, Turkey, Italy, Iran, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine, Norway, Greece, Scotland, Czech Republic, Canada, Austria, Portugal, Australia, France, Luxembourg, Hungary, Spain, Serbia, El Salvador, Slovakia, Switzerland, Mexico, New Zealand, Latvia, Russia, Peru, USA.

(Applicants represented over 70 countries from all continents).