Interview: Photographer Joanna Stołowicz (Poland)
Can you tell us a little about you?
My name is Joanna Stołowicz and I am photographer from Poland. I take pictures of people and food, but I am so inspired by nature that you can see me with my camera (or a phone and taking pics with it) at every ocasion and place.
How and when did you get into photography?
Not long ago I was working in bank and living corporate life. It all started about three years ago with my cooking channel on You tube and then blog – I had to take pictures of what I cooked. I had Nikon D5300 with kit lens and I tried to somehow portrait my dishes on auto mode. Sooner than later I saw that I am terrible at that and I need help. Because in my hometown (Szczecin) there was nothing food photography related I went for a portrait photography class. And that was the beginning of my journey because I fell in love with it.
What does photography mean to you?
It means that I am free, I can create, I can show the world how I see things.
Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.
I don't know if that's possible to describe it briefly. ;) There are some things that connect my food and portrait photography – I look at frames as a entirety, I notice everything that is in my camera. The most important thing is light and I always look for perfect light or I create one. I also think that you don't have to travel to some distant location to make great pictures, as long as I have light and good mood I will be happy with result.
When I photograph people I need to connect with them, I need them to feel good and relaxed and to trust me. The rest of magic happens in Photoshop. ;)
When I photograph food in my studio or at a restaurant I am very focused and attention to detail is so important. I am more and more minimalistic in my food and product pictures. I want my pictures to look great in raw files and I don't do much with them in postproduction– small boosting in Lightroom.
Where do you get inspiration from?
I see beauty all around and I appreciate it. Nature is my never ending inspiration. I also love cinema and movies and I look at them through the eyes of a photographer.
Do you think in advance what you want in the picture ?
Sometimes but I am trying not to build expectations and then be dissapointed. I just go with my gut and what I see – many times I looked at someone or something at the right angle and was struck with inspiration and overwhelmed with result. I have goosbumps even when thinking about that. ;)
Studio, on location or both?
Both
Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?
Hobbyist who turned into paid professional.
What has been your most memorable session and why?
There were many of those momorable ones, but the latest one was with my favourite model and dancer Patrycja Puszkarek at location with Wheel of Szczecin. I knew exactly what I wanted and how the photoshoot will look, I imagined light, colors, motion and I it was like this – as I dreamed and saw in my mind.
Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?
Nikon. I use Nikkor and Sigma lens, my favourite ones changes – I love my Sigma 135mm, Nikkor 24-120mm and 60mm Macro lens.
What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?
You have to practice a lot, learn all the time and never give up.
What do you think of our new magazine?
I like it a lot because I can discover photographers and models and most of all I can look at great pictures.
Mod – Weronika Borysiewicz, Mua Marta Bieskiewicz
Mod – Weronika Borysiewicz
Mod – Paulina Eggert, Mua Marta Bieskiewicz
Mod – Paulina Florczak
Mod – Patrycja Puszkarek
Mod – Vilmarouge
Mod – Eva and Szymon
Mod – Amelia
Mod – Amelia, styling by me
Mod - Konrad Mucha
Mod – Melania
Mod – Monika Haracewiat, Mua – Agnieszka Matera, Styling and flowers – Małgorzata Pawłowska
Mod – Aleks Białkowski
