Exploring Angles with Klaudia
News flash, you guys! I'm Polish! in case you didn't know by now LOL. If you think of "pierogi" or "kielbasa" when I mention Poland, you got it right, buttercups! Keep munching on those, you're doing a great job! When I think of Poland, tho, I also think of talented and hard working people who thrive when given a space for growth. My motherland is also full of fierce, smart, and inspiring women whom I keep in my heart every day. One of those women is Klaudia. She is my friend and a family member. We also hold the same profession which creates a connection as well. Klaudia is an intelligent and talented young woman who is kicking ass and taking names. You can trust her, she's an Architect ;P
I don't go to Poland too often, but when I do, I make it count. Whenever I visit, my schedule is crazy. That's why I'm so glad I was able to squeeze in one photo shoot when I was there last time. I shot a few Polish women for the blog, but it was the first time I shot in Poland. I'm very happy to have met with Klaudia. She's not only beautiful and photogenic, but also very smart and fun to talk to. She's very passionate about her job and being creative. She's wit and competent, but also maintains her feminine energy even though she works in a profession that used to be held predominantly by men. She takes pride in her projects and is actually happy on Monday mornings! :) She's lived and worked in two major Polish cities helping to make the country more modern and beautiful with her designs. Even though Klaudia is very serious about her job, personally, she's very and dorky too. That's why we had a really good time during the photo shoot.
If we ever shot together, you know I'm very passionate about my photography. If I want to find that perfect angle for the shot, I will do all the necessary yoga tricks with my camera. No position's off limits ;P I lied on New York sidewalk before, I also climbed all sorts of stuff just to get the shot I was looking for. This time, I didn't have to do it, cuz I was shooting with and Architect! Even though Klaudia had a gorgeous outfit in the profession's favorite color, she didn't hesitate to explore all different surfaces to get the shot we wanted. The photo shoot we did is very minimalist and almost monochromatic. That's why every detail counted. Not only did we explore different angles, but also studied the building materials and textures.
We met for the photo shoot I the middle of winter, Klaudia and I. The number of options for an outdoor photo shoot was limited. It wasn't a problem though. Setting beautiful Architecture as a scenery, seemed to be a perfect choice. We shot in a gorgeous, landmark building that could be also be a representation of Klaudia. Beautiful on the outside, but with an interesting story.. Along with the photo shoot, we also had a brief conversation, Klaudia and I. Make sure not to miss what we talked about.
AsW: When did you make yourself the proudest?
KLAUDIA: I think, in general, I’m always proud when I put a lot of effort into something and I see the effects of my work. I don’t think I have just one proudest moment. It’s more like a creative process that brings me a lot of pride and satisfaction along the way. It applyes not only to my professional work, but also my personal life and things like traveling for example. I find the biggest pleasure when I engage myself in things that I’m passionate about or that teach me something new. I’m always proud when I spend my time in a valuable, meaningful way instead of dumb stuff. Although, I do spend some time on dumb stuff too! (laughts)
AsW: What do you most appreciate other women for? Can you give an example of a person embodying those traits?
KLAUDIA: Let me think.. One time in my career so far have I had a female boss. She was amazing! Whenever she walked into the office, you couldn’t not pay attention to her. There was something in the way she dressed, the way she talked, the way she behaved. It was so full of class! She was a very consistent person. I’m not only talking about her physical appearance, because there was a lot of intelligence and competence behind it. She knew what she wanted and how to fight for it. That’s why she was winning in life so much. Those are the things I really appreciate in other women. I’m not saying I want to be exactly like her, but I’m trying to achieve similar goals in my own way. I’m not looking for making my life easier and doing less. I’m ready to work hard to get where I want to be.
AsW: Do you think there's something we have in common as women across cultures and different backgrounds?
KLAUDIA: I think what we have in common is warmth and understanding. Also, the feminine energy that we all have no matter the personality. It just comes out at different times for each of us. I would say, when we really care about something, we are ready to fight for it and make sacrifices. I feel like men usually have that natural self-confidence from the get go. They believe they would be great at anything before they even start. In my opinion, women work much harder and have to prove more to themselves to get to that mindset. I believe that most modern women choose a path to independence. They are not afraid to get out of their comfort zones and go the extra mile just to be able to own their accomplishments to themselves.
Dear Klaudia,
Thank you for your time and energy to create this photo shoot. It's always a pleasure to see you and talk about girl stuff. You know, foundations, structure, elevations.. those sorts of things.. It's always great to have a good laugh with you and to praise our mutual, female mentor, Agnieszka. A great, great woman who taught us how to draw and get into the university that started our careers. I'm looking forward to see what you design next and how you're gonna make Poland more beautiful. As always, wishing you all the best, gurl! Take care! Till the next time I see you.
With love,
Anja
