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Magazine
Anna Niemiec - Photographer of the week

Anna Niemiec's work is diversified and covers many categories such as Street, Architecture and Abstract. Whatever the subject is, she always succeeds to make photographs with a tremendous mood. She quotes: I like taking photos of the city – empty streets at the break of dawn, which unveil the unexpected landscape of forms and figures. And that run of the mill routine of city’s life, when every second, caught by the lens of my camera, tells an untold tale.

Enjoy her story and discover why her images are so soulful. Thanks to Yvette Depaepe for conducting the interview.

 

 

I live in Szczecin, a Polish city. My adventure with photography started more than fifteen years ago.  I worked many years as a biologist in Maritime Institute – I indicated ichtio and zooplankton under the microscope for American Science Institutions.
I loved my job, but family was more important for me, so I left it. My children suffer from dreadful diseases. I devoted myself to my daughters’ rehabilitation.
When my daughters started school I suddenly had a lot of time to walk in the morning around the lake, which was in the neighborhood of the school. I was exploring the beauty of nature, enchanted with the colors of the autumn, morning mist, hoarfrost, and reflections in the water.

All this made me reach for my long forgotten compact camera. I started photographing with huge enthusiasm. Trees, ducks, reeds, branches… Then the subjects of my photos changed. My daughter went to junior high school, which was in the city center, so I took my camera to the Szczecin streets. And there I unexpectedly discovered my real photographic “Eldorado”. So many subjects! Never ending stories… Continuously changing picture of my city.

When I got my first reflex camera from my husband, I was immediately convinced that photography was my thing. I joined a large polish photography portal, I presented my photos and… I was ridiculed and criticized! Apparently, to the people there I had no idea about photography…  But did it stop me? Never! I started to research and put freshly gained knowledge into practice. I really needed someone who could point out my mistakes, but there was no one. 

Right now, looking form a wider perspective I'm glad that I went through this path alone, depending only on myself, taught by trial and error, discovering my own way without any influence. I was ready to show my work on photographic sites once again– this time facing critical voices and mean comments, allowing them to only make me more motivated and better in my work. And then came the time when I started getting praise, honors and many kind words.

After two years of being online I finally dared, convinced by my husband, to show my photos on 1x. What was 1x for me during that time? A never ending source of inspiration, photographic world in which I could dive for many hours, planning another photo trip. It was my “dessert” for the evenings, so the next day, when I grabbed my camera and went into the cityscape I could make better shots. And it worked!

I was extremely happy, when my first photo was approved for publication on 1x .

 

Where my explorations took me? To the streets! Concrete, rails, paving, balconies, windows, trams, pavements, small streets crossing and parting... I'm looking for compositions emerging from lines and urban constructions, sometimes quite unexpectedly. I try to capture something nice to look at, but also surprising, especially for locals. When I see their astonished faces and hear “Is it really Szczecin?” I can't be more content.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
When a man appears in the picture, the entire photo gets a different meaning. A story came to life. The man I see in my lens is a part of the cityscape. He's combined in lines of the geometry and city structures. It's just a fraction of a second – figure on the street, his shadow on the wall, a running man’s leg, and reflection in the window. That second is not a definite record – captured in frame it gets its own life. The man keeps going – I have a trace of a story that never happened, but came to existence in the viewer’s head.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


I love and always did love watching works of other photographers. I'm a huge fan of Laura Mexia work. Her subtle way of looking into complicated cityscape is delightful.  I like Paulo Abrantes way of perceiving. I admire sterile photographs of Huib Limberg. I always watch surreal images with great pleasure by Ambra. Urban portraits Tatsuo Suzuki are amazing. How much vision there can be in still lives by Jacqueline Hammer. Wonderful landscapes, but also portraits by my polish friend Mark Biegalski... I could go on and on, without end.
 
My equipment consists of a Canon 6D  (wonderful camera for a woman). Lenses - canon 24 – 105mm, f4. Canon 70 - 200, f4. Lensbaby 50mm, Sigma 80 mm, f1,4.

Favorite piece of my own work? There is one - “little longings, quiet daydreams”. It's a title of beautiful polish songI made it on a very early morning by the polish seaside. Empty beach, sea whispers, camera in my hand – it's the best moment to forget about the surrounding world and...daydream...

 

What photography is for me? It's my way to clean my mind and forget about tough everyday life. It's pure pleasure and a source of energy. Energy, which is so essential in fighting the destructive, cruel diseases haunting my children. It is fulfilling. Now I couldn’t live without it. The only regret is that I discovered it so late and I won't have enough time to do a whole lot more.

What’s my photography? It's the joy of small things. This is what life taught me.

What awaits me? I'm preparing my first exhibition.

What are my plans, my dreams? I'd really want to write a book, but there's still too little time... I also dream of releasing an album about my city.

My advice for beginners – watch lots of beautiful photos, don't let critical voices let you down, but learn from it and what's most important – make photographing your joy.

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Write
Congrats, great work!
congratz... thanks for inspiring...
Świetne zdjęcia, bardzo oryginalny styl. Nie zauważyłbym tych zależności, struktur, subtelnej gry cieni. Gratuluję talentu i życzę dalszych owocnych zdjęć.
great work! Congratulations!
You have a beautiful and unique style of how you see and photograph the world around you, and the icing on the cake is that we the observers, can learn and be inspired by your excellent work and philosophy, thank you Anna !
Przepiekne zdjecia! Wielkie gratulacje!
It's zo wonderful to learn about the woman behind the photograph. I'm happy to read about your story Anna. Your photgraphs are so strong an diverse. I like them a lot. Hope you get enough time to fulfill your dreams. And menawhile I enjoy to like at eacht picture you publish at 1xCom. Thank you very much for sharing this. Thanks to Yvette for this interview. Warm regards, Greetje
Great interview and great work published. Congratulations to all!
Gratuluję. Zdjęcia przepiekne.
Congratulations with being the photographer of the week dear Anna, well deserved! Wonderful work and interview, good to get to know you a little bit better. Thanks for sharing and have a great rest of the week my friend. Warm regards, Edith :-)))
Great interview. Good to know about you Anna. Congratulation for your photos. Kind regards.
Congratulations on your work, Anna. A pleasure to enjoy each of the pictures and imagine every story! Kind regards!
Complimenti Anna. Splendide fotografie.
Fantastic and much interesting interview. Congratulations and greetings Wolfgang
Hi Anna, what a nice surprise...! I´m honored. Happy to "know" you a little better. You are with any doubt one of my favorite authors. Your work is a true inspiration, love your very personal way of composing and presenting the pictures. I´m honnored and humble; so many thanks, and I trully congratulate you for the outstanding work you share with us. best regards and wish you the best luck for your incomming exhibition and book project. And of course also congrats to Yvette for another awesome interview. Paulo.
Thank you so much paulo! Warm greetings from szczecin!
Thanks for your fine collaboration, dear Anna. It was a pleasure to interview you! I wish you a successful exhibition too, my friend. And of course, many congratulations for being the "Photographer of the week". Cheers, Yvette
Excellent interview Yvette, congrats again.
Hi Yvette! Thank you so much. It is a great honor . I am honoured that I could say about myself and my photography. Warm greetings from Szczecin!
Fantastic interview Thomas. Anna Niemiec, i'm glad to "know" a bit more of you as a person and a photographer. Your work is very inspiring, love your simplicity in a very graphic environment. I'm honored that you like my photos, thx with all my heart. Wish you the best Anna. Laura
Thank you Laura! I admire your talent....Warm greetings from Szczecin.
Thanks Laura, Yes, Anna's work is truly inspiring.
You inspired me, amongst so many others, when I started here at 1X. You have an eye for the beauty in simple things. Very happy to read your story.... hope your family is going well. Wish you a successful exhibition and inspiration for future work. Luc.
Thank you Luc! Warm greetings from Szczecin!
beautiful work, beautiful storyI I wish you a lot of success with your exibition and.....your book ;-) Harry
Thank you so much, Harry! Best regards!