Have you met Peter?

[Dahlia Ambrose]

This time around we learn a little more about Peter – @peternowak

• Tell us a little about yourself and your photography journey.

Where do you live?

I live in the Czech republic, a small country in the heart of Europe in the third largest city – Ostrava. My city was a huge centre of coal mines and heavy industry. It’s past now thanks to globalization. But it has left us a lot of beautiful abandoned magic industrial sites.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrava
https://www.dolnivitkovice.cz/en/gallery/vanues-gallery/

Hobbies & interests

Photography is my most significant hobby. It takes a lot of my free time.

How long you have had an interest in photography

I was about 7 years old when I got my first camera. I have had a lot of analog cameras for a classic 35mm film since that time. And finally some digital cameras including the last mirrorless one.

What got you interested in photography?

I don’t know. It simply happened. I liked playing with camera handling and took images of my family, classmates and nature landscapes during my hiking trips.

• What is the best advice you have received so far regarding photography?

It’s impossible to pick just the best one. Let me present a few of them:
“Photography is not about rules. Photography is about idea, eye and feeling/sensitivity.”

“Take risk. Don’t sell your soul. Have your dream. Do what you want to do and what pleases you. Defend your work. Be authentic. You’ll never please everybody.”

• How do you maintain inspiration?

I have studied from masters of photography. I have picked about 20 of them (mostly street photographers). I always go through their images and think about what I like and what I don´t like. I try to remember their best images to “fill in my visual processor” in my brain.

I take part in some small local photographers competitions and exhibitions to see good images of others.

My approach is based on finding an image in reality. I should be able to see and recognize the right scene and moment (sometimes very quickly, especially in street photography). The image is “discovered”. Such an approach is (at least in my case) dependent on the state of my mind. If I have some fears (family, job, health,…), if I think about something, my brain is “saturated” and I’m not able to shoot some good photos. I need to change a state of my mind, I need to avoid all thoughts and fears, I need my brain “empty”. Then and only then I’m able to see the world around me clearly and I’m able to find interesting situations, stories, light, colours, etc… It’s something like meditation.

In fact, I have used this book to train this state of mind (Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life – Kabat, Zin).

• What is your favourite subject to shoot & why?

I like a strict order/system. Therefore I shoot colours, geometry/shapes and light. My images are mostly flat without foreground and without people. This mostly characterizes my present work.

• Do you have a favourite type of photography?

Street and abstract photography are my most preferred types.

• How would you describe your photographic journey to date?

I was a “camera owner” only, for a very long time. I produced really poor images from art photography point of view. Only much later I realized I want to catch light, colours, emotions and my “art” photography phase started. I read a lot of photography books. I shot about 10 thousand images. I took part in many photography groups on Facebook. It lasted for about 3 years.

And finally I realized that most of the photography books are not so good for learning photography because most of them focus on photography composition only, that most of the photography groups aren’t helpful in my photography learning process. And that my 10 thousand images is a crap. If I wanted to change my photography, some essential change was inevitable.

I sold most of my photography books and kept only a few of them. I left most of the photographers groups except the best ones. I deleted almost all of my 10 thousand images and kept only a few to remind me my “trial and error” phase. I tried to use composition rules as an additional tool and not as dogmatic rules. I started to see light, colours, lines, reflections. I paid more attention to day time to focus on the right sun´s position. That changed all the game. My images started to be more interesting, to have more artistic look, to have some magic. It happened about 1,5 year ago.

The last significant step was a street photography workshop with David Gaberle this year. David is a successful street photographer. http://www.davidgaberle.com

Except some theory, a relevant street photographers overview, some shooting tips and recommendation concerning camera setup for street photography, David mostly focused on practical shooting and analyzing our images. To my surprise the analysis didn’t concentrate on composition or image imperfections. It focused on what the images are about and how this relates to an author´s character, temperament or his/her personality. David wanted to erode our personal limitations and stereotypes. And he was very effective in it. I was more and more aware of my personal limitations and I was able to overcome them. I saw more and more around me and my photography vision extended significantly during the workshop.

Now, about 1 month after the workshop I’m still amazed by its results.

• Are you currently involved in any photography projects? If so, what?

Not now.

• If you could only use one camera/lens combination for a year, which would you choose?

Probably something like 24-70/2.8(FF equiv.) + mirrorless body. If you don’t shoot some special genre like sport, night photography, macro,… camera gear doesn’t matter so much.

• What is your favorite image right now?

My image: Hard to pick only one. Maybe this one:

Someone else’s: Much harder choice. But ok, actually this one: Harry Gruyaert – The Picnic, Extremadura. Spain (1998). This image looks like some impressionistic painting. It fascinates me.

• Is there a photographer that inspires you?

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, Josef Koudelka, Elliott Erwitt, Rui Palha, Phil Penman, Ernest Cole, Jack Davison, Marten Lange, Harry Gruyaert, and a lot of others. And from my country:

1. Tomas Vocelka
2. Oto Sladek
3. David Gaberle

• What is your biggest challenge when it comes to photography?

I’d like to build up a street photography project and bring it to a printed book.

• Is there anything specific you intend to learn or improve in your photography?

I definitely need to train my photography vision and bring more people, stories and emotions to my images. There are so many photographic opportunities around us. I need to learn to see them better.

• Provide 3 or 4 of your favourite images that can be displayed with the interview

• If people want to follow more of your work where should they go?

Instagram: petr.nowak

CC: @admin

[Patrick]

Thanks very much Dahlia , great work 🙂

Great to read a little about your time with photography Petr i enjoy looking at your photos mate  thanks for sharing a few words 🙂

[Beaky]

Thanks Dahlia.

Nice to read about your journey @peternowak thank you for sharing and keep up the great work.

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I love this series!

Great to know more about you, Peter!

[Peter Nowak]

Thanks Dahlia, Patrick, Beaky and Rob…

[Dave Watkins]

Hi Peter. It’s nice to get to know more about fellow Light Stalkers. I enjoyed every photo here and look forward to seeing more of your work.

[Pat Garrett]

Really enjoyed reading about your journey and I am confident it will take you far.

[Bruce Gordon]

It’s great getting to know more about you, Peter. I love your work.

Well done, Dahlia; very informative!

[Peter Nowak]

Thanks Dave, Pat and Bruce.

@patography  Pat, I hope so.

[ElinL]

Thank you for sharing you story Petr, great photos – plus a lot of stunners on your Instagram site. I recognise the Zen state you describe when having “good” shooting sessions, I guess a lot of us do.

Thank you Dahlia, for another great interview.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you everyone. Love doing the interviews and it is great getting to know a bit more about everyone! 🙂

[Peter Nowak]

@elax  Thanks Elin. Especially for your compliment concerning “stunners”… 🙂

[JasenkaG]

Thank you both for this great interview!

[Peter Nowak]

Thanks Jasenka!!!

[Rob Eyers]

Not sure why but I just discovered this feature that had disappeared from the past. Glad to see it resurrected Dahlia! I wonder if it’s possible to have a place on LS where past featured members postings could be accessed.

It’s always great to know a little bit more about fellow members Peter. I find echo’s of my journey in yours as well as things that are different and interesting. Thanks for taking the time to do this.  Na zdraví!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Hi Rob, I can find the past featured member postings for you, but not sure if they can be put together into one place. Need to ask Rob @admin 🙂

[Peter Nowak]

Thanks Rob. “Na zdraví” – yes… 🙂

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

@dahliaambrose – We could just collect all the links to them and put them at the bottom of each new intro?

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you. That sounds like a good idea. I will collect the past features and add them from now on in the featured member posts 🙂

[Author]

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