Curator's Choice - Adam Dorozinski

Hello!
Ana, from @photomatic, here!
While surfing through #photomatic tag on Steemit, I came across a photograph that grabbed my attention, it was a portrait of a young woman smiling.

Photographers know that it’s not easy to capture an authentic smile, so universal in his message…for me, this picture was a burst of positive emotion in a single frame.
Of course, I wanted to know more about Adam Dorozinski, the man behind the camera, and here is the result of my inquiry:

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Who are you?

Dad. Full-time engineer. A guy in his forties (though - luckily - I don't show my age).
Polish, living in Warsaw.
A bit of dancer, a bit of fighter.
Trying hard to be a good human being.
Sometimes, I take pictures.

Which is your favorite image?

Selfie with my son seems to be quite a good candidate ...

... but I'm torn because I'm also very connected to all the humans that opened for me and let me get their portraits taken

... all the dancers which performed in front of my lens

… and rescue dogs I helped to find a new home, by taking their pics in local animal shelter.

Why?

It seems to me that there is no answer to "why".
Although for some time I have been sharing my photographs with the world, I am taking photographs for myself. The pictures I like often are not the best I've ever taken. I think I’m returning most often to the ones associated with emotions.
I also think that taking pictures for myself is also a reason why I do not have a specific, defined style. I never needed to provide predictable and consistent results - so I can try new things, sometimes risking that the photos will not come out.

Where do you travel when you close your eyes?

Nowhere.
Sometimes I wonder how I take pictures at all.
I have Aphantasia - the total impossibility of visualizing anything. When I close my eyes, I can think about anything, but the only thing I can see is the darkness from the inside of the eyelids. I can not recall a face, even of my wife or kids. I can not imagine shapes and colours. Nothing. Darkness.
As if that was not enough, I have a disorder in recognizing colours. I distinguish between green and red, but all subtleties are just too much.
Also I received technical education, which has nothing to do with art anywhere on the way.
I guess this is the reason why I had to work out my own workflow. I do not plan a session too much, because - well, I can not. I'm just trying not to fall into absurdity (elegant lingerie and high heels on the beach, or a ball gown in abandoned ruins), and the rest is "go with the flow".
I have encountered countless refusals when proposing the photoshoots, because I could not say anything about the details.

If you could be anybody, who will you be?

Definitely me. OK, maybe without mortgage and with better camera, but still me.
I'm happy with my life.

Bonus question:
What's the best advice you can give to photographers looking to shoot portraits professionally?

I’m an amateur, skilled, but still amateur.
Anyway, I’m not new to business in general, and I witnessed some dramatic mistakes, my friends starting in commercial photography, made.
So, my #1 advice for someone who wants to do this for money is…
It doesn’t really matter how good your photography is, you have to be a good seller with the ability to sell yourself as successful, skilled and expensive professional.
I know people who are really amazing artists and struggling to pay their bills and people who sucks at photography driving 50000$ cars and shooting Leicas.
Because - unfortunately - average customer can not distinguish between good and bad photography.

Thanks Adam, for accepting my interview and sharing some of your valuable time with @photomatic.
If you don’t already follow Adam, check out his work here.

All images used with permission.

You can find us on Discord too