Interviews / Stories
Photographer Karolina Szyderska
Tell us something about yourself
I’m a 22 year old student of finance. I live in Warsaw, the capital of Poland.
How and when did you get into photography?
My adventure with photography began in high school. I took classes during which I was learning about technical specification, composition and strong point. I was watching a lot of photos of the biggest photographers of all times. Then I realized that this is the world I want to be a part of.
What does photography mean to you?
Photography is a part of a second which can last for eternity. It is a way to stop the moment, show others what I can see and share the beauty of my world.
Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.
The best way to describe my photography style is simplicity. I try to capture clear and plain pictures that look very natural. This is also, why I don’t use Photoshop much. I prefer real beauty, because it shows more emotions and it makes my pictures look more natural.
Mod. Aleksandra Woźniak MUA Agata Pustoła
Mod. Aleksandra Woźniak MUA Kaja Dobroń HAIR Jakub Szczepański
Where do you get inspiration from?
Everywhere! Wherever I look I can find something that gives me an idea, a scene or a shot. Every single day I get inspiration from many different things, starting from a sunrise, through the fashion collections and interesting people, ending with the evening strolls towards the unknown.
Think you in advance what you want in the picture?
I always have a specific plan on every single detail at the session. I spend a lot of time on thinking the whole idea over, and then I have certain frames and shots in my mind. What I care about the most is showing emotions, because they are the most important. I’m looking for unusual and eye-catching places that give me the opportunity to play with the colours and form. I really want my pictures to make people pause and think for a while.
Studio, on location or both?
On location – definitely! I love working surrounded by the nature, architecture and so on. It gives me so many possibilities, and certain impression that there is almost nothing I cannot do. My imagination is the limit. Also, taking photos outside the studio makes them more natural, which has some good and bad aspects. At the studio you are able to create good conditions to work, without bothering that something would instantly change. But, if you decide to leave the studio you would step into the world where everything matters: sun, wind, rain, clouds, other people, nature, places. And you can’t simply tell them what to do or how they should behave. You just need to immerse yourself in it, and then you’ll get emotions enchanted in the photo.
Mod. Marta Jaoko MUA Kaja Dobroń
Mod. Katarzyna Olczak MUA Dominika Modzelewska
Mod. Marta Jaoko&Arkadiusz Rogoziński MUA Magdalena Jurczyszyn SYLIST Anna Ładyżyńska
zelfportret
Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?
Hobbyist for sure. I’m an amateur who doesn’t have a photographic education, excluding those few courses I took over the years. When I realized that other people seem to like my style and my work I've decided to reveal the photos to the world via the Internet. That's how my idea to establish a fanpage on Facebook was born. I believe this is just the beginning of my future carrier as a professional photographer. Every day I get new experiences and learn how to take better photos.
What has been your most memorable session and why?
That would be the session at a waterfall. It was my dream from the very first moment I’ve seen it. What made my desire even stronger was that only few people realized there is a waterfall in Warsaw. I've created an entire plan for the session (time, weather, clothes and poses) but I couldn't find the proper model who would fit the composition. And then I met Aleksandra. After our first cooperation I knew that she was a perfect match for the waterfall session. It wasn’t simple, because water temperature in September is not very comfortable and pictures took couple of hours. Then I've spent a lot of time choosing the best one, but in the end I got exactly what I wanted. Working with people gives me the opportunity to meet many interesting personalities and form new bonds. After the session Aleksandra became my very good friend and that is one more little detail which I love about the photography.
What has been the biggest source of inspiration in your work?
I derive my inspiration from day-to-day life. Every walk across a park or a stroll through the city gives me a lot of new ideas. The best thing is that I never know what I can find around the corner. One look at the old house, hidden by the fancy shaped trees and I have whole session on my mind. It’s not only about the places, sometimes I simply bump into interesting situations or scenes. Being a photographer is about being able to catch those moments. So, we have to be extremely observant, because the greatest director is actually life, although it never tells us who plays the roles and when.
What do you think of our new magazine?
I think it is absolutely great! There are a lot of inspiring and breath-taking photos. Everyone can easily find something for themselves.
https://www.facebook.com/karolinaszyderskaphotography
Mod. Aleksandra Woźniak MUA Kaja Dobroń HAIR Jakub Szczepański
Model: Ceca (Trend Models)
Model: Julie & Annewil (Uniko Models)
Modellen: Tatjana Lauwers & Sarah Tommeleyn