Photography | FOCUS | Pawel Wodnicki

Model: Agnieszka Knap

Pawel Wodnicki was born in 1977 in Krakow. His first contact with photography as a kid in the late 80s when he stumbled upon an old camera called the "Smeyena" made in the Soviet Union. Though not the greatest camera in the world, he was hooked, fascinated with it. With a little help of his uncle, a photographer and filmmaker, Pawel produced his first images, Together they spent many hours working in a makeshift darkroom formerly known as the bathroom. For 9-year old boy, it was pure magic... just put a piece of white paper into some liquids and… viola! A few minutes later… a real photo and made all by him! Unfortunately after a few months, he lost his beloved first camera – it got smashed during a bicycle trip... And sadly, he suffered first divorce with his new love… photography.

The "Smeyena"

A new love quickly took her place… computers. At first, it was a simple Atari, then his first PC in high school. Soon he was immersed in computer graphics, photo retouching and collage. Self taught, he began designing his own web sites and started landing real client for real money.  By the end of high school, Pawel handed landed a gig with a youth magazine and found a copy of the book "Photography" by famed British Photographer John Hedgecoe, which became a huge influence and inspiration. His first love was back and a new camera, too… the Canon 500N.

Pawel continued his work with the magazine through the end of high school and during his studies at university. Teamed with a journalist friend, they began covering movie premieres shooting celebrities interviews. He began working with models on his own and soon had an exhibition of his work an art gallery. Freelance work in advertising soon followed.

At the end of his studies, he started working for a dotcom as a marketing specialist and soon rose to marketing director. The demands of his job left little time for photography.  His Canon was left collecting dust on a shelf and rather than go to waste, it was sold. So most unfortunately, there was his 2nd divorce with his love… photography.

Model: Kaja Sonik

As the next few years came and went, his ambition grew and Pawel started his own small advertising agency.  He missed photography. From a distance, Pawel observed as the digital revolution in photography swept in. He knew this was the future but at the time the costs were too high and the level of quality not quite there. He bided his time, he married and soon after the wedding he decided to by his first digital camera. His love of photography could no longer be denied. It was advanced compact camera by Fuji - yes, it was betrayal of his beloved Canon, but thank fully, the romance was very short.

The rapid advancements in the new digital world soon made the Fuji obsolete. Pawel bought his first DSLR – made, of course, by Canon. The inspiration was back. He started buying every book he could find. Learning everything he could, along with many discussions with photographer friends, his passion grew. Still, it was only a hobby. His main source of income was computer graphics and especially web design. Then it came, the first real gig as a photographer, then a second, a third. He began investing everything he could into new photo and studio equipment. At the beginning, his wife could only raise her eyebrows but with every step, every job and every picture, she saw it was this that made her husband happiest and even sometimes… money. She became his biggest source of support and encouragement – some of his best lenses were gifts from his wife. 

Model: Miriam, Make up & Stylist: Daria Bielicka

In 2009, he opened his own photography studio and started working more as a photographer than a web designer. With the arrival of a baby boy to his family, Pawel started experimenting with movies as well - using his trusty DSLR to the fullest degree of its capabilities. Pure magic.

Nowadays Pawel spends his days on a variety of photo shoots - portrait, artistic nude, glamour, fashion and, of course, advertising. He’s a member of the Royal Photographic Society and takes part in many photographic contests. He was won an International Portrait and Nude Contest Aphrodite award in 2010, and was featured in FIAP International Salon of Digital Photography - Exposed 2011. His work can be seen in many magazines, newspapers, websites and gallery exhibitions.

Pawel is currently setting up shop in a new studio located in the heart of Krakow, a district popular among other artists, students and tourists. He shoots with two cameras depending on need, the Canon 5D MK II and 50D. And this time, the love affair looks to last a lifetime.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Image: Alexander Frank

In His Own Words

“My philosophy of photography is simple. First craft then art. I think that before you start experimenting and developing your ideas, you should become a very good craftsman. Know your equipment in and out. Controlling light, depth of field and focus is the foundation for everything.”

“My heroes are classic photographers like Newton or Leibovitz but I also appreciate the works of David LaChapelle. They all inspire me.”

"Photography is for me above all… passion, an attempt of creating better world. Being 35 years old I'm experienced enough to look at life with a little wisdom and practicality but I'm still young enough to have a lot of enthusiasm and energy seeking new experiences. I love to shoot people and I always try to capture them at their best. Always looking to find the best light setup, the best camera position, etc. for every photograph, searching for that beauty in each subject, for each has its own unique way.”

Model: Monika Gebala, Make up & Stylist: Daria Bielicka

Renata & Jonathan: First off, Pawel, thank you very much for sharing your time with us. I was wondering with your experience in graphic design, do you think that helps you as a photographer? If so, how?

Pawel: It's a pleasure for me to be your guest. And of course the previous experience in graphic design is very helpful. First of all you don't need to pay for retouching ;-))) Digital photography without graphic programs is not so exciting. If you want to make creative pictures you need to do some changes on your file. Comparing it to the analog photography - if you don't use any postproduction it is like making a film and giving it to the nearest photolab. They make prints using typical, default settings and as the effect You get borring pictures. But if you take the film to your own darkroom, spend a lot of time experimenting with masks, chemistry etc the efect is much more interesting and sometimes spectacular. Today, graphic programs have the same functions like darkrooms in analog age. And some kinds of pictures (beauty, fashion etc) must be edited and retouched - it is the requirement of the style.

Model: Amanda

Model: Amanda

Model: Karolina

Model: Pamela

Renata & Jonathan: It is clear you love your Canon. What is it about them that make them your camera of choice? With the Canon 5D MARK II, what is your favorite feature?

Pawel: I think the situation with choosing your photo system is similar to choosing your favourite football or basketball team :) If you started to support Clippers there is a small chance that you might become a Lakers fan. But if you are a FC Barcelona fan you will never be a fan of Real Madrid :) The same is with your photo system. In the moment when you buy your first DSLR you choose which company gives you the best solution to meet your needs. And then you buy flashes, lenses and other accessories. Everything works usually only within your system. So, of course, I know people who changed their system but it is very uncomfortable and uneconomical.

When I bought my first camera, Canon had the widest range of lenses, that's why I decided to choose that system. I have always been satisfied with the performance of all my Canons, I use them everyday and will always recommend them. I love my 5D MK II especially for it's vivid, picturesque quality.

Renata & Jonathan: The revolution is over and we are now part of the digital age, the darkroom has been replaced by a desktop. What tools do you use once a shoot is over? What tools would you recommend to someone just starting out?

Pawel: To say it in one sentence we should say that darkroom has been replaced by Lightroom :) So it is much, much brighter situation. Of course, there is a big difference between professional and amatour photographers. If you want to edit a lot of pictures in a short time and in the highest quality you need powerful tools like Lightroom or Photoshop. But there is a lot of other, cheaper or even free software. I.e. You can replace Photoshop by Gimp and you can use the software added to your camera to process RAW files. For managing pictures you can use i.e. Picassa by Google or Flickr.

Actor Michal Lewandowski, Stylists: Anna Seligowska and Ella Gajewska, Make up: Daria Bielicka

Actor Michal Lewandowski, Model: Monika Gebala, Stylists: Anna Seligowska and Ella Gajewska, Make up: Daria Bielicka

Actor Bogdan Kudlek

Movie Director Kazimierz Bihun

Renata & Jonathan: Pawel, what is the biggest challenge for you when work on a project? 

Pawel: The most important thing is the satisfaction of the customer so the biggest challenge is always to get to know your clients expectations. This challange is universal for all kinds of pictures. And every type of photo-job has it's own challenges and difficulties. Making a portrait you have to try to catch your model expression and emotions. Making nudes you must gain the trust with the model - without it the pictures have artificial and spiritless look. Nude model must be sure that the aim of photographer is only the great picture of her/his body and not the nudity in itself.

Fashion photoshoot is also always very big challenge because of the responsibility of every team member. There is a lot of work of make-up artist, hairdresser, stylist, model and photographer is at the end of the long journey. The risk of spoiling the work made by so many people is really big and You have to be fully focused from the beginnig to the end of the photoshoot.

Model:Monika Gebala, MUA: Daria Bielicka, Hat: Ella Gajewska, Dress: Imunzi

Model: Magdalena Gaj, MUA: Daria Bielicka, Hat: Ella Gajewska, Dress: Imunzi

Renata & Jonathan: Okay, if you could shoot anything, anyone, what would be your dream photo shoot?

Pawel: It depends on what kind of photoshoot. So let’s start from the models... Fashion photoshoot: Elle Macpherson, Claudia Schiffer (they aren’t now on the top but still very interesting) or Anna Jagodzinska – great face!
Portrait photoshoot: Robin Williams – absolutely fantastic facial expression or Scarlett Johanson – pure beauty  
Location: at the top of very high skyscrapper or on a desert. 
Styling: by Jean Paul Gaultier

Renata & Jonathan: Just want to thank you again, Pawel, for sharing your work and thoughts with us. I hope everyone reading will enjoy this and welcome any thoughts or comments. Bye for now!

Model: Magdalena Gaj, MUA: Daria Bielicka, Hat: Ella Gajewska, Dress: Imunzi

To contact Pawel about a future project, please visit him at his web site:

www.pawelwodnicki.pl

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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

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