A Mixture Of Shapes, Colors & Lights: An Interview With Weronika Izdebska (NSFW)

"I truly feel that inspiration is all around, ranging from music, through people I meet, to the space that surrounds me with its shapes, colors and the light, as a key factor," says Polish photographer and filmmaker Weronika Izdebska. Her work is all about finding the perfect balance between beautiful surroundings, people and light. In this interview, Weronika lets us into her world of photography and reveals what influenced her to become a filmmaker.

Hey Weronika! Welcome to our magazine! What sparks your imagination and creative thinking these days?

Thank you for having me guys. It seems like travels are my driving force. Nothing stimulates more than exploring new areas.

What influenced you to embark on a photographic journey? How did it all start?

I’ve always felt a strong need to create and search for different means of expression. I got my first camera when I was a child. Since then I have come a long way, trying to experience various fields of art (and education as well). I studied law and architecture, having a small Olympus Mju always in my backpack. I used to spend most of my spare time shooting, searching for inspirational photographers and watching huge amounts of movies. Finally I decided to focus only on photography and film and started studies at the National Polish Film School.

How would you describe your photographic style? What inspires your work the most?

I truly feel the inspiration is all around, ranging from music, through people I meet, to the space that surrounds me with its shapes, colors and the light, as a key factor. What comes to my mind first while trying to describe the visual side of my work is "cold". It is associated with the specific colors and lightning which often occurs just before the sun disappears below the horizon. This is definitely my favorite part of the day.

Your personal work holds some of your most beautiful photographs. Is there a difference in the creative process when you take photographs for brands and when you take them just for your own personal work?

I do not see much difference, the process is similar in both cases. Except that personal work is almost always created on the spur of the moment, which applies to both the location and the people that appear on the photographs. When I work for brands, I have a possibility to choose the person I would like to work with earlier, and to find a location as well. However, the very process of shooting is the same. I usually do not plan every single shot in advance. I'm very focused during the shooting. I observe a lot and search for the proper light, I look around and react.

Besides being a photographer you are also a filmmaker and author of many album covers and music videos. When did you discover the need to expand photography work and start making films?

It happened gradually in a very natural way. I wanted to discover more, trying capture the moments between the shots and filmmaking seemed to be a next step. I remember the first music video I made. That time I didn’t have any knowledge about editing or post production. I did everything intuitively and I immediately felt that this is my thing. Music is such a powerful medium for me, even stronger when you combine it with the visuals. This is why I’m so eager to collaborate with musicians.

Which filmmakers you look up to?

Thank you Sweden for Roy Andersson.

How do you manage to find beautiful locations for your photoshoots? What is the most inspiring location you visited so far?

I always try to keep my eyes wide open. The light is the key. Even the most interesting locations can lose their value when the light doesn’t harmonize with it. That’s one of the reasons I am so fond of the North and its unique light. I keep coming back to Iceland, physically and mentally. It is one of the most inspiring places I have visited so far, especially during the winter season.

Which themes you enjoy exploring the most through your work?

Seems like I'm coming back to portraying people after a while. Over the past years, I used to travel a lot. Capturing my own surroundings, experiences and sometimes even myself, I started to gain some kind of distance, often showing people as just the silhouettes surrounded by the endless space. At the same time I’m highly interested in humans their emotions, behavior, relations. I feel like it’s time to face towards them again.

Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share with us?

I’m currently working on my new short film with an absolutely amazing crew. I’m also in the middle of planing my travel to Svalbard which I'am extremely excited about.

All photographs shown in this article were used by the permission of Weronika Izdebska. If you want to see more of her work, follow Weronika on Instagram and check out her Website.

Scritto da Ivana Džamić il 2017-03-16 in #persone #nature #landscape #weronikaizdebska