Photograper: Vicente Serra

from Issue 91 - January 2023

Photographer: Natalya Dmytrieva

(Re-post 2020) Can you tell us a little about you? Hi, I'm Sylwester, like Stallone or cat Sylvester :) Almost 54. I was born in Warsaw, Poland. I'm a proud father of two beautiful daughters. I'm an engineer with the soul of an art ist :) For years I was working to newspapers as a printing and IT specialist supporting press rooms. The DTP (des ktop publishing) of magazines and newspapers has no secr ets for me. Colour management is one of my interest s. I love to travel, eat good food and drink good wine a nd coffe. Love yourself is my slogan.

How and when did you get into photography? My adventure with it started at secondar y shool. I was going for trips with the analog camera of my father - FED 3 (made in Russia). Still I have prints from that t ime. I have always combined my travels with photography of land scapes and animals (including birds). In 2011, afte r the expedition to Ecuador with my friend I published an album - Treasures of Ecuador and Galapagos Islands . Photo shooting people I started in 2011. In my care er I cooperated with a lifestyle magazine "Akty wna Mama" shooting editorials. I'm proud of my cover in Pract ical Photoshop all over the World.

What does photography mean to you? Photography takes a big part in my life. For famil y it is a bank of me-mories. For me is a motivation for being active, ta ke a camera for a bike trip, meet people. Effects g ive a sa-tisfaction. For myself. Likes on Instagram are not so important ;)

Where do you get inspiration from? From the Masters of Art - painters, other photogra phers. Sometimes it is yesterdays dream :)

Model: Marta Szulc Photographer: Sylwester Zacheja

Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers. I'm a type of obser ver. In contact with model I give only sug gestions about posing , not direct in structions. Than I catch the moment. That's it. I usualy shoot portraits, boudoir photos, lingerie, nude but fashion is my target as well.

Do you think in advance what you want in the pictur e? I'm tr ying to plan ever y time. Improvisation is cr ea-tive but takes time during session. You must have a t least a draft vision before. I hate working with pression of time.

Studio, on location or both? Most of my photos I take on location (indoor and o utdoor) but studio is the pla-ce where I can feel well. Lately I've been using my Profoto B2 lamps outdoor.

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid pr ofessional? Photography is my passion. I can explain my experience as a professional but I don't live from photography. During a year I get some paid work.

What has been your most memorable session and why? There are two sessions I'm proud of most: - order from a Polish Goverment - a series of 48 sessions o f fathers with their children all over Poland - pub lished brochures, calendars and billboards - about 9500 km in a month - why? a really big challange - I prove d can do it! - my charity project, calendar for 2016 - a night fashion shooting in Museum Łazienki Królewski e in Warsaw like the Dior's session with Rihanna at Wers al (Secret Garden) - why? my personal success apart from huge amount of work, logistics, and stress.

Model: Nejka Pawelska MUA: Justyna Gumińska-Zawada Hair: Dawid Mazerski

Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens? Since 1994 I've been using Canon cameras - analog ones, later digital. Now I have EOS R and EOS 7D II. Best lenses - Canon EF 10 0-400 IS for animals, Sigma 50/1.4 Art for people. For some serious work I rent PhaseOne XF with their len ses.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own busi -ness? Watch albums of famous photographers as inspiratio ns, watch tutorials on YT, be creative. And trust yourself. It's like sport - training makes masters :)

What do you think of our new magazine? It's a great idea for promotion and making contact s all over the World. My magazine Nago will be a quite similar ide a but specially aimed to nude photography.

https://w w w.facebook.com/sylwester. zacheja - http s://w w w.facebook.com/ISylwesterPhotography/ @sylwesterzacheja - @boudoir_isylwester - @nago .online - https://isylwester.com - https://nago. online

Models: Katarzyna Cieślak, Maja Nadolska MUA: Alicja Dębowska Hair: Dawid Mazerski Designer: Magdalena Koziej