Interview with photographer Alicja Brodowicz | MONOVISIONS

MonoVisions Black & White Photo Contest 2024

How and when did you become interested in photography?

I became interested in photography a few years ago. I started photographing my daughter. Later, I completed a course in a local cultural centre. A friend of mine convinced me that I should apply to the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava in Czech Republic. I did that and now I am a third year student working on my BA.

Is there any artist/ photographer who inspired your art?

I greatly admire Sally Mann. I am also a great fan of Anders Petersen, Jacob Aue Sobol. I love Josef Koudelka’s work and Victor Kolar’s.

Why do you work in black and white rather than colour?

For me, black and white is the natural choice with respect to some photos. I take colour pictures too. The issue is rather intuitive – some scenes just look better in B&W, others look better in colour.

How much preparation do you put into taking a photograph/ series of photographs?

I have been working on “Learning to Swim” for a couple of years; I just started to take photos of my daughter without any particular intention in mind. It occurred to me later that I could put them into a series. Some photos are taken spontaneously, without any preparation; others are re-enacted situations or poses that I noticed earlier.

Where is your photography going? What projects would you like to accomplish?

Right now, I am working on a project called “Phatic Communion” which is probably going to be my BA project for the end of my studies at the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava. The projects consists of BW and colour photos and tells about my experiences related to moving from a big city to a small town.
I will also continue to photograph my daughter, but I have not really thought in detail about continuation for “Learning to Swim” or any other new projects.

Website: www.alicjabrodowicz.com