michel szulc krzyzanowski
conceptual photography
Magazine “Fotografie”.
Interview about his Masterclass with Michel Szulc Krzyzanowski by Diana Bokje in 2012.
Dancing home.
Would you like to reinvent yourself and your photography again? Want to take new paths, want to feel that excitement of taking really special photos again? If you sometimes play with these thoughts, but don't know where to start, Michel Szulc Krzyzanowski's masterclass might be something for you.
Michel Szulc Krzyzanowski has gained a lot of experience with his various photo projects. Experience that he likes to share with others, but not from a master-student relationship. During his masterclass in the picturesque village of Le Gorvello in Brittany, he does not impose anything from above, but focuses on the participant.
Michel Szulc Krzyzanowski: “The starting point of the masterclass is not my work, but the ideas of the participant. It's about what keeps you busy, that you link this to your photography and that you make progress as a result. The result is therefore twofold. Firstly, you gain something for yourself and secondly, you can share the photographic result with people who will recognize themselves in it. This makes the photos not only important to you, but also to other people.
The workshop starts with a one-on-one conversation about what concerns you. Together we will look at how we can formulate what you are working on into an assignment that you will work on for a week. You decide what you want to do with your photography: which new paths you want to take with your work. Where I stand by your side to inspire, motivate and help you make important steps forward. By finding the answers together that you carry with you. After a week you go home dancing.”
Interaction fuels the discussion
The masterclass is for anyone who wants to grow in their photography. It doesn't matter at what level you practice your photography. This can be professional or part-time, experienced or just starting. The participants therefore form a mixed group with people from the academy, photo clubs, professionals, artists and leisure photographers. “Because everyone has a different starting point and way of working, this opens your eyes to how others view it. The work is discussed together every evening. The interaction between the participants fuels the discussion, making it very effective.”
Last year, Photo Academy Award winner Inge van Iersel and leisure photographer Johan van der Boomen participated in the masterclass. They are happy to share their experience with us.
Why did you decide to participate in the masterclass?
Inge: “I went there because I was very trapped by everything I had learned at the academy. During that week in France I wanted to find my freedom and regain the fun in playing with your camera and learn to look with openness again. In addition, I really like the Henny project.”
Johan: “For me, the goal was to gain more structure and tenacity in my photography and to learn to formulate my own ambitions.
What assignment did you formulate for yourself during the masterclass?
Inge: “At first I photographed myself, naked in a rolling, glossy green field that was enclosed between the trees. That was a very liberating experience. After that afternoon I took pictures of Michel.”
Johan: “I had formulated an assignment in which I targeted people specifically at the local market and had already thought about the design in advance. By choosing the same point of view and the same form every time, unity was created. I approached the merchants and asked which product they were most proud of. I got a very good response to that question because the question automatically put people into 'proud' mode."
Were you satisfied with the result?
Inge: “I was pleasantly surprised. I found it very exciting to take photos of the great master. You can't succeed based on uncertainty, you have to trust that things will work out. It was fun to take control and had never done this type of photography before. I have always had a strong need for reality and I found that in documentary photography.”
Johan: “Yes, I learned a lot from it. By consistently developing the concept, I imposed a limitation on myself and that works very well.”
Did you learn a lot from the other participants?
Inge: “I was the only participant who had completed a photography course. On the one hand, that was a shame because the discussion did not always go as deep as the level I could have handled, but on the other hand, I learned a lot from the freedom, open-mindedness and pleasure with which they photographed. That was really nice to see and it made me a little jealous. It's nice that I have completed a course, but that means you run the risk of losing your open-mindedness. The other participants have inspired me enormously in this.”
Johan: “I have learned to select better. The professionals and graduates who took part in the course were much more strict with three or four good photos instead of my twenty.”
Would you recommend the masterclass to others?
Inge: “Yes, I would definitely recommend it to students and people who find Michel's work inspiring. Michel is such an inspiring and special person. Furthermore, it is a beautiful area, a pleasant place to stay and everything is well organised.”
Johan: “You should take this course because it will help you progress and because you will encounter limits with photography as a means of expression. The course is aimed at self-motivation and really wakes you up. The approach really appealed to me and I felt very free there.”