Saturday, November 12, 2011

Beata Synkiewicz | Fashion + Art





Beata Synkiewicz was born in Krakow in 1986 under the shadow of Chernobyl. She began writing as a child and was inspired by fashion even then when she started drawing. 

Despite her obvious interest in art, Beata’s parents decided to send her to music school since it was discovered she had perfect pitch. Beata loved the violin but the school only had a cello available… she didn’t like the school to begin and that was the last straw. She rebelled. She transferred to a new school and focused on athletics since a child she was always a little bit chubby. With her art ability, she got involved designing posters and such for school activities. When she turned 14, she discovered graphic design and computers and was hooked for life.

During high school, Beata got her first computer and scanner. Her creativity blossomed… Creating digital collages using trial versions of design software. When they expired she would then reformat her whole PC to use them again. Playing piano and singing along with designing filled her life with inspiration. Songwriting also became another huge form of self-expression. The piano became another of her best friends.



In her own words

It all started when I had the chance to go to medical school but fell in love instead and soon became a single mother. My daughter, Kinga, changed my life completely. She motivated me to become a better person and strive to be someone she could look up to.

So I decided to follow my father’s footsteps in agriculture and studied animal husbandry in college. As my child grew so did my ideas despite some financial difficulty. A scholarship enabled me to buy my first camera and I never went anywhere without it. It became my passion. Shooting anything that captured my imagination; photography empowered me even if I didn’t know exactly what I was doing. I could use my camera and computer to create a world of my very own. My interest in shooting people began when I realized I need actors to populate this world and began seeking out the players to inhabit my creations.

The owner of M&M Studios in Staszow then discovered my work online. He wanted me to photograph evening gowns with the freedom to do it any way I saw fit. The location was Wawel castle. It was exciting. Working with professional models, makeup artists and directing them was a wonderful experience.

After that shoot, my career truly began. Fashion shoots of anything from a line of blouses to bikinis, I discovered others appreciated my work and soon was doing wedding photography as well. I felt became a true photographer. Enamored with old black and white photography, the glamour and mood they had spoke to me. Vintage clothes along with distressed textures also worked its way into my own work.

My music still helps keep me balanced and compliments my photography and continues to help me express myself.

Interview

R&J: We are pleased to introduce you to photographer and artist, Beata Sienkiewicz. While we are here to talk a little photography, just couldn’t help share some of her art work and the scene at her first art show.



R&J: First we want to thank you for joining us today, Beata, could you tells us a little about living in Krakow as an artistic, creative person.

Beata: No, no… Thank you for taking an interview with me. Your blog seem to be one of the most interesting I’ve ever visited. About the question… Krakow is very unique city. A place where art is created at the speed of light, it is in the air, where you can meet professional artists playing guitar, singing or painting on the streets at night. We all feel the freedom in creating. It is our reality. It’s wonderful. I don’t really feel like an artist at all… I have passion… a love for imagery, for light … I also love drawing (especially old humpbacked men with birdcages ;) but not on the streets - I draw whenever I can find the time, usually on buses, during my way home/work.



R&J: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your work, it has a wonderful edginess, intensity and the occasional a dash of mystery, especially your black and white shoots, do you prepare differently for a black and white shoot compared to color? What does fashion mean to you?

Beata: My understanding of word “fashion” differs from most. I feel it’s like a picture, which is created by each person and placed into her environment. A composition of colours and form, a kind of a collage representing a piece of your style, yourself, even your soul. Fashion is kind of language I have only just begun to learn. In my work, I try to make a dialogue with the people expressing it. Fashion inspires, but I still feel more inspired by fashion photographers (like Richard Avedon, Paolo Roversi, Annie Liebovitz) than designers. Of course, the world of fashion does influence my life, but not as much as the photography itself, catching the moment, light and beauty.

When taking a photo, I already know if it’s going to be in black and white or color. It depends mostly on nature of the shapes sculpted by light. I prefer black and white because I always felt, that colour is only illusion but the sharpness, contrast and structure are always constant, and that’s what black and white shows – truth.







R&J: What is your favorite camera? What advice would you recommend for someone starting out in photography?

Beata: I love all of the cameras I’ve ever had. I began with Nokia 3220, then I went with a Panasonic FZ7, I think my favourite one was and still is the PENTAX K100D because of the M42, and the sound of shutter, its also quite heavy – you feel the iron and glass in it. It was my first reflex camera and I still use it sometimes. For beginners, I have only one piece of advice. Don’t pay a lot of money for the camera until you understand your own needs as a photographer. Buy something affordable, learn how to use it, find out what your needs are then invest in the next one – make this choice wisely and try to rely on your own experience.


R&J: You are a parent, a student, an artist and photographer, how on earth do you manage to do all that and still sleep?

Beata: Sleep? What does that strange word mean? ;) No… I was juggling. ;) It’s gets easier when you doing all the stuff you love, that you’re really interested in. I relax while taking the photos, I feel wonderful while creating some graphics – it’s similar to a moment with good book or listening to your favourite music (my favourites are Bjork and old swing bands) and I love being a parent – so this is perfect situation for me. I don’t feel I just do all these things. I’d even take a risk in saying, that without these all these things I’d be uncomfortable, sad and I’d miss each one of them.









R&J: Beata, what advice would you give to a single mother out there, who also has a dream, but maybe not sure where to start?

Beata: Hmmm… would it be unkind if I told them just to make their dreams come true and that’s all? It has to be something like determination. Every day should bring to us something new and special. Don’t go asleep if you can’t say, that today you learned something new, you did something special… And try to do everything to make your loved ones proud of you.

My biggest inspiration is my daughter, I love her with all my heart – and all I do – I do for her as well, so she will be proud of me.



You can see more of Beata’s work HERE. If you are interested in working with Beata you can reach via phone @ +48791860509 or email her at b.synkiewicz@gmail.com. Thank you all for joining us. xoxo




2 comments:

Ashley Alan said...

Wow, her work is beautiful! Definitely has that element of fantasy that is so necessary in fashion.

Renata and Jonathan said...

Thanks so much, Ashley, she definitely does, a lot of imagination :)

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