Thank you very much for this question. It's an important issue to me. I'd say it did influence not only my work, but mostly my life and me. Oh well... it leads to the same after all as I consider my work as my life as much as my life is my work.

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First month of my stay in the U.S. (Texas) was a traumatic experience which I wish I could forget some day... I wasn't able to take one single self-portrait. I didn't even think about it. The circumstances weren't just favorable. I wasn't doing well at this time because I was feeling so worthless without any creative activity. I was afraid that my passion for photography was dampened or even over and that I would never take any picture in my life. Then, I moved out to Dallas. I felt the first significant inspiration when I saw a spectacular chiaroscuro effect on the wall in my bedroom and wished to capture it. I didn't think much how to dress. I just grabbed a scarf, set up my camera on the tripod, placed myself on the floor and after this everything slowly began to work again.

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Space. Yes, space is the first thing that comes to my mind if I think about a "technical" impact on my photography. I gained space in Texas which allowed me to experiment more with composition, different angles and geometry. Yes, I think my work has changed a little thanks to Texan space.

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The second factor could be more beautiful daylight. I could plan a photoshoot almost any day: it was sunny and warm, no disappointment with natural light.

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Travelling also helped me a lot to develop my ongoing project "A la Vivian Maier". I have more courage to take self-portraits in public places and I believe I started perhaps being interested a little more in street photography.

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There are also some psychological aspects that influenced my work because of the fact I moved to the U.S. that I could elaborate. I will just say that I was feeling as if I was a handicapped person who doesn't fit in this world before coming to the U.S. Now, I am feeling like a perfect handicapped person.

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I'm glad it does. It's meant to make feel as I am myself a very "feeling" creature. What I carry inside, I wish to give in the form of my photographs and I like when there is some balance between an emotional charge of a viewer and mine.

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I think everything started about two and a half years ago when I bought my first Pentax K10 D. It was just before my short trip to the U.S. Even though I was modeling a little earlier, a true passion for photography developped when I came back to Poland in January 2013 and found myself in a deplorable state (psychological and physical). It was like a mysterious desease, and I didn't know what physician or who I should consult, thus I just stayed in bed all by myself all days long, too weak to leave my little room. It was at that time when I started taking self-portraits and sharing them publicly. I had myself, my camera and a lot of time lying on bed. Also, at that time I got closer to the poetry by Halina Poświatowska. I have to admit that I've always loved poetry, but this time reading her poems felt as though I was born after she passed away to feel it all again. I read her novel "Opowieść dla przyjaciela" first though. Today, I think that was my remedy. No, I am sure it was or even something more: it was a new beginning in my life, although I was feeling I was so very close to the end...

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My first photographs represented my weak hands after blood exams and were inspired by darkest poems of hers ("Hands-ten fingers disabled" series) about suffering, death and solitude. I've been faithful to my Saviour and Muse so far. I don't think there will be ever a shortage of her words that could inspire me.

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Well, when I see my first photos in my camera, I can experience both: either euphoria or a total disappointment. It doesn't matter though. Now, I know it doesn't matter for my art. I used to create exceptional works out of "bad" photographs after one or two years and never published the "wonderful" ones so far. First impressions are deceptive to me.

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