Marzena's philosophy and approach to shooting portraits, architecture, landscapes or any subject is simple, but atypical: there is no definitive approach, as she's said, "Any subject, breathing or not, has a story to tell. I'll wait as long as I have to wait to capture one moment, but I'll capture it. And then, that moment is frozen in time forever."
Marzena can best be described an influential and visual storyteller. Her large-scale cityscapes seamlessly fuse intricate details of urban settings with elements of raw nature. She shoots for an array of advertising agencies and international brands as well as musicians and performing artists. Her photography has been widely published in magazines, brochures, commercial advertisements and most major social media platforms. Marzena's photography has global reach, having been featured in various media outlets in Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Maldives, USVI / BVI (Caribbean), UK, Cuba to name a few.
How did you get started with photography?
Some of my earliest memories, growing up in Poland, are of my father with a camera in his hand. Whether at a birthday party, a holiday or he was just being creative for no reason other than to feed his passion. I guess that rubbed off on me… a lot. Everything I see now, I put into a frame.
Why is Instagram your medium of choice?
Instagram differentiates itself from most other social media platforms because there's less "noise". Written captions on Instagram support the image, not the other way around. In fact, most photos or videos don't necessarily require captions anyway. Other platforms have become more political and agenda driven, like Facesnooze. For me, it's more about art because it offers individualized interpretation; if you follow the "right" people, it can be like virtually scroll-walking through the hallowed halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
What are you most excited about for the future?
I travel a lot, but I still have a very, very long list of places I'm really excited to see. I'm thrilled we finally have more favorable weather in NYC, so I'll have more opportunities to use my drone and explore some of the exciting video ideas I have.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I do my best to surround myself with passionate, motivated and just really good, good people. I've found that putting myself in positions like these, with creatives like that, sort of stirs up this energy that becomes contagious which has resulted in some of my best work. It's hard to describe, but these experiences happen completely organically; it's like time freezes, or you just completely lose awareness of the concept of time and you feel totally, completely free.
At NASDAQ, we're working to Rewrite Tomorrow by relentlessly reimagining the markets of today. In what ways are you rewriting the tomorrow of photography?
I think it would be foolish to not evolve and grow. I used to function in a dynamic, physically "high-risk" framework in terms of shooting. Now, I feel my compositions have evolved into a different type of "high-risk" shooting; in a more focused and personally vulnerable way. I think I'm at my best when I don't have a specific image I'm trying to capture or achieve. Particularly in the last 5 years or so, I've noticed a lot of photographers are sporting the newest and most technologically advanced gear. I have a different theory about this; there's no substitution for the time and experiences you've had with your gear. It's better to know your gear inside and out than to rock the newest, most expensive toy(s).
Do you have a favorite place to photograph in New York?
Living a block away from Central Park I would have to say that's my favorite place in the City, whether it's to photograph or just to explore. I love all four seasons and Central Park allows me to experience all of them and changes so beautifully from fall to winter and now spring.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
