Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Feature 1: Marta Szczesniak - Photographer


The French Riviera belongs to a part of the world where artists are appreciated for their skills and abilities.  They are free in a supportive and encouraging environment to produce very unique types of work in a variety of fields and disciplines, be it visual art, dance, music, literature or any other form of art.


Traveling through the cities and villages of the Cote d’Azur, you will come across all forms of visual art displayed openly in places like public parks, as part of the architecture in buildings and of course within the numerous galleries and museums in the area.  You’ll even find visually striking art inside various banks.


There seems to be ample community support for these endeavors, to the point that everyday places are infused with a degree of art.  Here, one can have their work showcased in a nurturing environment, whether they are painters, sculptures or photographers.


In keeping with this spirit, I thought, since I seem to have a very large, worldwide readership, why not start introducing these artists from time to time to the rest of the world?


The first person I would like to introduce is my friend Marta Szczesniak.  Marta’s photographic work is widely recognized not only in the Cote d’Azur, but also throughout France, including Paris.

 
Whenever I might happen to be on Facebook and see that my friend Marta has posted a new set of photographs, I instantly get excited to look through them all to see what kind of project she has been working on next.

I am always left inspired.


If this is your first visit to France and perhaps the French Riviera, have you ever thought of doing something different, like say spending a fun day in a photo shoot at one of the many luxury locations in the region?



You could update your modeling portfolio to reflect a different part of the world, or maybe you just got married and would like some honeymoon vacation photos.  Perhaps you have a corporate project or function that requires a photographer.
Just to throw a few ideas out there.


Marta has been a good friend of mine for quite some time now.  I find myself thinking back to our first meeting as she had left quite an impression.

We had arranged to meet outside the train station in Beaulieu-sur-Mer one sunny afternoon to go for a walk in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. We wanted to get to know one another better as we had previously been communicating mainly through Facebook, which is how we initially met online, as I had “liked” one of her photographs I came across.


As I walked out of the train station, I knew who she was immediately by her bright smile, her long flowing hair, and the bounce in her step as she crossed the street and we excitedly approached each other.  I was struck by how naturally beautiful she was.  You know how you sometimes get a good feeling inside when you first meet someone?  This was my first feeling when I met Marta.  It just felt right and it was an instant friendship. You’ll find she also brings this sense of brightness to her work.


I have never known someone to take their passion for their work so seriously, yet also combine that passion in getting the perfect job done with an element of fun.

Marta has been living in the South of France since 2006 and has been working as a professional photographer since 2005 but her love of photography started long before that as she remembers the hours spent watching her father develop his prints in a makeshift darkroom when she was a child.  From there, the rest just came to her by second nature.


I’ve never known Marta to walk away from a challenge.  In fact I see her constantly evolving.  Every time I look through yet another new set of her stunning photographs, I’m learning more about Marta and which direction she is taking.  Marta is certainly not afraid to try new photographic techniques, projects and is always upgrading her skills as she moves forward.


When Marta looks at a potentially photographic venue or area, she takes into account the light, character and full surroundings before confirming a location.  Having worked in many parts of France, she knows instinctively many areas that would best suit a photography session.


As you can see from this small selection of Marta’s work, she has done everything from modeling shoots to architecture and interior shots, and has an extensive and impressive list of press credentials.  I don’t even have enough room here to include her already-extensive work for weddings and corporate events!


Each shoot is meticulously planned and organized no matter how big or small, yet there is still flexibility in her work that helps keep a shoot fresh and exciting.
Marta has a vast contact list of stylists and makeup artists, etc., to help bring a shoot together.


As for photography equipment, you’ll find Marta comes well prepared because of her project ranges. The list of equipment she has is quite extensive.  In our conversations it’s not unusual to hear about a new lens she is working with or how she has mastered yet another computer program.

 


Marta is currently based out of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, but it’s not unusual for her to work on projects in Cannes, Nice, Monaco and all parts in between, with many jobs taking her to Paris.

 

Marta is not only a dear friend of mine, but she has a great heart and she puts that along with her other skills and efforts into her passion for photography.

Feel free to contact Marta for any work or ideas you might have in mind by the links I have attached here:
Whether you are an individual, couple or even a corporation, Marta will put your mind at ease and do the best work possible for you.