It was one of those slow days at the office when we discovered Michalina’s work. A giddy colleague who sent me a link of Michalina’s Lookbook page discovered that not only Michalina stylish, she’s also a talented photographer. We had the pleasure of interviewing Michalina. She shared her inspiration and how she marries her love for fashion and photography.
Patrick: Hello, Michalina! Can you tell us something about yourself?
Michalina: Hello, I’m Michalina Zietkiewicz and I simply love photography. I was born in Poland, but have been living and studying in the UK for the last four years.
P: Can you describe to us your shooting style?
M: It’s quite hard for me to describe it, really, because it is constantly evolving. It can be gloomy and dark, but it can also be a bit softer and cheerful depending on the aim of my project, model’s look, influences etc.
P: Did you take up formal schooling or were you self-taught?
M: I discovered photography about 8 years ago when I was a teenager and I didn’t know much about the technical stuff back then. Learning how to use my first DSLR camera and a basic photo editing software seemed enough. Although I always knew I wanted to take up formal education at some point, so I decided to start an Editorial and Advertising Photography course at the university and got accepted. I gained a lot of technical skills and knowledge, mostly about the industry and working as a professional photographer.
P: To be honest, we found your works first through Lookbook.nu and were amazed. Not only are you an awesome photographer, you’re also great at styling. Now our question is: What comes first? Your love of fashion or your love of photography?
M: I love fashion, but photography always comes first. Fortunately, I can easily embrace my love to both, since—when it comes to fashion or even portrait photography—good styling is the key to good photographs. I always style my own shoots and it doubles the fun.
P: We saw your Stories album on your Facebook page and we are intrigued by it. Is it a series narrative or is each photograph a story of its own?
M: Thanks for reminding me about that album, haven’t updated it for a while.
They’re just a group of individual photographs. All of them, though, have been influenced by something personal, perhaps an event or just a thought. Maybe, if you think about it as a series it’ll become some sort of diary.
P: In your opinion, what makes a fashion photograph great?
M: In my opinion, great fashion photographs are the ones, which don’t only depict clothes, but also something about the person who’s wearing them.
P: Where do you get your inspiration for your photos from? Do you have any favorite photographers?
M: Mostly from my models, the way they look or act usually gives me an inspiration for a shoot or portrait. Also from photography books, some unique pieces of clothing or conversations with my artistic (and very talented) friends.
There are a lot of photographers who I truly admire: Sally Mann, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Diane Arbus, Philip Jones Griffiths, Peter Lindbergh’s work from the 90s and many more.
P: Please share with us your future plans.
M: My future plans are to travel. And photograph, of course. Maybe even do both.
See more of Michalina’s work, visit her website or follow her on Facebook you can also check out her Vimeo!