Interview: Photographer Grzegorz Fabiszewski (Poland)

Can you tell us a little about you?

I am from Poland, I am 45. I live in Lomza ( a beautiful place with breathtaking views). I work as a teacher and I have been doing that with a pleasure for 21 years, though.

How and when did you get into photography?

As a teenager I signed up for a photography club at my school. We had to do everything by ourselves e.g. attaching a photographic film and developing it. We were also exposing the photos and did reprints as well (there was some magic behind it - a piece of paper turning into a picture was something unusual). My parents had bought me a Russian Zenit ET camera but at that time I was into sport a lot, photography was taken to the back seat. However, the passion had come back with the invention of digital cameras and it lasts till now. To be honest, I am thinking about getting into analogue photography nowadays.

What does photography mean to you?

I devote most of my free time to photography, it is something that allows me to express myself literally – leave something behind, something positive for me and someone else. Somehow the photography draws fantastic people towards myself which lets me capture not only the person itself but also its inner side. In my opinion photography is one of these tools that despite of technology do not drift people apart it somehow works the opposite way, we demand a contact with one another thanks to it. Photography IS Magic.

Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.

I am a portraitist esthete. I enjoy showing the beauty, emotions and relationships between people through my photos. I love facial expression, mimcry, body language, basically every photo I take contains some face. I can think of just a few photos I had taken in my whole carrier where the look of a face is not that visible.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Sometimes the ideas come to me spontaneously. I go for a walk, see someone at the street, pub or shop and I know what I would start the session with, I have a plan prepared in my head. I think I also inspire myself, as lots of photographers, with theatre, video clips, pictures or other photographer’s works.

Do you think in advance what you want in the picture?

I think so, I know the setting of a photo in advance, whether it will be the interior or exterior I know everything about styling. However, I am not a type of a person that clutches to the plan It sometimes turns out that I refuse the plan I had before in favour of something that came to my mind spontaneously. I am able to get better catches I had previously planned but it does not mean I drop the plan of a photo shoot in total, I value my time and the time of my co-workers too much to improvise or start the job unprepared.

Studio, on location or both?

Both.

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?

I do paid- sessions as well as TFP (hobbyist’s for myself). If asked, I would say I consider myself as a professional photographer. I have devoted a lot of work and time into the development of my skills which I continue of course but the photography itself is not and I do not think it will be my main source of income.

What has been your most memorable session and why?

There is not one I remember the most, every single one is something special to me. I link photos with people, looking at the photo I have taken reminds me of a climate of a session, the music, the conversations we had. I think I consider my photos completely different than those who see them.

Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?

Canon but not because it is better, the brand is not important to me, it is more like everyone around had a Canon and we could share the lenses together. My favourite ones are 85mm and 135mm.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?

It is hard to give advice over starting a business as I had mentioned the photography is not my main source of income. However, I would suggest that if you want to be considered as a good photographer you have to start that with passion towards photography which I am sure will lead to become a professional photographer naturally. Train a lot, take a lot of photos, do not get intimidated easily, continue these step by step with pleasure (do not push yourself to things you do not feel in terms of photography or you just do not want to do, try to be outstanding in a type of photography you feel with your heart)

What do you think of our new magazine?

I have just met it, however thanks to it I got to know some excellent works of the photographers I had not known before. Excellent!

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