HomePhotographyFairytale Photographs Striking Photography Series Inspired by Fantasy and Fairytales “I used to love fairytales when I was a child and I still do, despite being a middle-aged woman,” explains photographer Magdalena Russocka. Her work takes inspiration from her favourite tales from when she was a child, such as the iconic stories of Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm Brothers. Model: Aleksandra Jędruch “l love fairy tales and all that is innocent and childlike, because it is pure and is not stained by the experience of an adult,” says Magdalena. But her dazzling photography is more than a nostalgia trip to her childhood days, it’s also about incorporating all the mess of life, but then surpassing it with a real sense of joy. Model: Thinloth “What I love in photography is the way that I can show human emotions, feelings, nostalgia happiness and sadness,” she says. “The photographic fairy tale for me seduces and satisfies the desire for wonder, it nourishes the viewer’s feelings of ambiguity, instability, curiosity, fear and elation.” Model: Aleksandra Jędruch Makeup artist: Anita Świstak There’s a feeling of being transported to a world of our shared imagination in Magdalena’s work, no doubt because she draws on such widely-read and influential literature. Magdalena’s deft palette and knack for choosing striking models really elevates the work. Model: Aleksandra Jędruch Magdalena told us more: The Plus: How would you describe your style? Magdalena Russocka: I could describe my style as emotional and narrative, because I always want to express emotions in my photographs and to tell a story or send a message. Art is very important to me. My photography is a conceptual blend of various portraiture, fine art and fairytales. Model: Joanna Kowalczyk, Makeup artist: Anita Świstak TP: How do you find your models? MR: Usually I look for models on modelling websites such as maxmodels.pl (Polish) or modelmayhem.com (worldwide), on Facebook or other photographers’ websites. Sometimes when I see an interesting face on a street, I ask if she would be interested in having a photo shoot with me. But my first and favourite model of all is my daughter. I do self portraits as well, because it is a great way of expressing emotions that I would like to reveal in my images. Model: Aleksandra Samotyja TP: Other than fairytales, where else do you find inspiration? MR: I can’t omit nature as a very important source of my inspiration: the mystery, the search for something infinite, continuous questions without answers. I love forests, foggy mountains, the wild places where man is small and powerless before the stateliness of nature. Old gardens, abandoned places, remains of historic castles and manors are pleasant obsessions of my soul. Also Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo era paintings influence my work quite a bit. Model: Joanna Kowalczyk, Makeup artist: Anita Świstak TP: What are the keys elements to a “good” photo? MR: To be honest, I don’t really know… I have little knowledge about the rules and technique, but if a photo stopped me, moved me, touched, terrified, forced to reflect on the content, then it is a good one for me. Mostly I see with my soul and heart, not only the eyes. Also through a viewfinder of my camera. I just do what I feel, intuitively, that is my key element. Model: Joanna Kowalczyk, Makeup artist: Anita Świstak TP: Do you have any ideas for new sets of works? MR: I have some projects on my mind, but I don’t want to reveal the details yet. All I can say is that one of the next projects is inspired by an author of the Elizabethan period. Model: Thinloth Model: Magdalena Russocka Model: Agata Rugor All images courtesy of Magdalena Russocka.
