‘No, not really, but I possibly should do. What I tend to do with that is just give yourself freedom to do whatever, I try to not think about it too much as I don’t want it to look like what I normally shoot’

 

‘Although it’s not a good thing my personal work is so different, as it should probably look like it could be adapted to be made into something. I want clients to look at my personal work more for them to think I’d like to put my perfume in that scenario, and that how personal should work. You should be creating something that you really want to do, and people come to you for that. I haven’t spent enough time on personal stuff.’

 

‘I’d say it’s more important long term, not short term, longevity, take a hit of jobs and money now, make your personal work so strong that people want to use you and have to use you and they want their product in your environment and that will give you more and more work. It will then bounce onto working better and onto better teams and your work will look even better.’

If it's live, I don't so much research information about them but look for live videos on YouTube so I know what to expect from their stage presence. If I'm doing press shots for a band and the photos are to accompany a release, I get them to send me over the music they're planning to put out. I also look at their previous press shots and ask if they want something completely different or if my photos need to fit into their existing visual world. I always get them to send over some inspiration and let them know it can be as loose or specific as they like. It's really important to understand what a band want to communicate visually as often photos are a big factor in drawing someone in to listen to an artist. 

This is hard. Someone, somewhere, has probably done something similar, but you need to put your own spin onto it, making it tailored to you. Almost every time I opened TikTok, Instagram etc, there’s something creative there which will inspire me. I won’t lie - sometimes I screenshot or save these things because sometimes I come back to them, whether it’s for general inspo or for making a moodboard. I think moodboards are important because you can include numerous images and take some aspect from them but add your own personal touch. Then again, I can be inspired by random things which don’t include a screen like a walk, shopping etc. 

Burnout is most definitely real. I think the only way to avoid is not pushing yourself to create when you aren’t feeling it. It will put you in a downer and sometimes it’s obvious you weren’t in the right mindset as the work won’t be as strong. Take time away, try not force yourself and do something else you enjoy.

In college, together with my friend Wojtek, I started making the first covers <for the MAG publishing house>, for those times it was really good money and great experience <especially that we immediately got the opportunity to do a big project, which was a series of books by Charlaine Harris about the adventures of Sookie Stackhouse < heroines of the later hit HBO "True Blood">. Wojtek already had experience in cooperation with publishing houses, but also with foreign publishers/authors of books, it was a period when we were both building our portfolios, we were trying to get publications wherever possible <a bit of pushing each other through doors and windows>. He proposed to me that we create these covers for MAG together, so I came a bit ready, because he was already done solo projects for them. I am very grateful to him because I learned a lot of helpful things later. Cooperation with MAG lasted for a good 2-3 years, but when the project came to an end, we did not get any more orders.

I really wanted to go in this direction (to make photos for the covers), but the road to it was bumpy and required a lot of self-denial. I have been trying to establish cooperation with Polish publishing houses for more than a year, I wrote hundreds of e-mails, the response was rather weak, 3 publishers, in addition niche ones, responded. The stakes were tiny <which, compared to how much I was getting for a cover photo in MAG, was downright ridiculously funny> which pretty quickly put me upright. Imagining what this industry looks like and what it actually looks like are two different issues and it was a bucket of cold water. I knew that I wanted to go further in the photos, but there was a lot of tossing and ignorance, looking for a way a little blindly. Until a complete accident, I got from a friend an English-language book to read about the stock photography market, where I found information/addresses/names of places where you can try your luck. So far, my knowledge of stocks has been limited to photolias and the imagination that these are product photos from a shadowless tent. And it turned out that there are a number of stock agencies dealing with a more conceptual/creative approach to photography and I figured I'd give it a try. I applied for 2, I got in right away <which still astounds me, because looking back at my work I see a lot of technical shortcomings in them, although probably not big enough to not give me a chance :) >. And so it began and continues to this day. What a surprise it turned out to be later, when I started selling covers for the Polish market, to all those publishing houses where I was trying to make ends meet ;) It turned out that most of them, if not all of them, use such stock agencies instead of working exclusively with the artist. So a little bit around but finally we managed to have publications in Proszynski or in Świat Książki :)

 

1. my original photos, which I provide to agencies for the publishing market <mainly book covers>

2. individual projects to order <such as orders from customers to create a specific photos, e.g. for a CD cover>

3. My main daily job is retouching and at the moment I would rather call myself a retoucher than a photographer, because it takes 90% of my time.

The funniest thing is that I have been retouching photos of newborns and children for several years, which is very different thematically from what I do in my photography, but I manage to combine it all together. First of all, it provides me with stable income and I have had regular clients for years for retouching, which is extremely important, because in my opinion the greatest amount of stress for freelancers is the unknown each month and whether these orders will be. Also, such comfort is extremely valuable if it is constant.

I don't deal with commissioned sessions anymore, mainly due to lack of time, so I leave all creative stories to myself when I'm making material for book covers :).

I mainly design the photo for the cover. When it comes to typography/work in InDesign and playing with typesetting/font, no, although I often made a preview of the cover photo with the selected font for the client (so that he could see the whole thing, not just the naked photo) and the projects went through, so it's very nice.

It depends on whether photography is to remain in the sphere of a hobby or is to be a future profession.

If it's the first - nothing limits you :) absorb, be perceptive, inspire yourself - watch as many photographs of each as possible, classics. Go to artist exhibitions, have contact with art. Buy a photo album from time to time. Make a mood board on Pinterest with inspiration - it helps a lot to find your way. First, it's great to choose your path, what turns you on the most in photography, whether creation or reportage, e.g., no (I've done weddings myself, totally not my thing).

Take as many pictures as possible, make mistakes, that's where you learn the most. Don't invest in an unknown amount of equipment, you don't need it. The simplest reflex camera and 50mm f.1/8 lens will be your friend :) learn the photoshop, it will be useful :) Now it's easier with everything, YouTube has countless tutorials, it's worth spending time on it :) but most of all have fun with it, let it be it will be fun :)

If the latter - iron 🤬, determination and fighting for your place among the competition and of course everything above, only on different terms ;).

Pushing myself outside my comfort zone, which this class was really about and got me to do

 

Idea of speaking to professional photographers was intimidating, but it has provided me with valuable knowledge and an insight into the industry. The opportunity to speak to photographers that I have followed for years, like Matthew Beedle (commercial/advertising) and Annabelle Breakey (food photographer) has been quite inspirational and gives me motivation keep to working towards my goal of working in the industry. Even after we complete the Industry & Enterprise class I still intend to reach out and contact other photographers

- sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you have wavering moments but I always say persistence is key. If you have a passion for the art of it, the sheer joy of the creative, you’ll keep going. All the other ***** like budgets come and go and come and go. If you get to the end of a shoot and you’re excited by what you e created that day. You’ll owe at it.