In this digital era dominated by perfection and beauty filters, Polish photographer Łukasz Spychała finds inspiration in vintage methods.
Łukasz’s female portraits and nude photographs are rooted in analog photography, often shot on film using cameras like the Mamiya RB67 Pro-S. His images evoke a distinctly artistic, cinematic, and nostalgic aesthetic.
Łukasz’s photography has earned international recognition and has won him several prestigious awards.
While we’ve left out nude images in the list below, you can still get a feel for his style of photography — and if you’d like to see more, check out his full collection on Instagram.
More info: Instagram | lukaszspychala.pl | Facebook | threads.com | x.com | bsky.app
Bored Panda reached out to Łukasz, who told us more about himself.
“I am 30 years old. My artistic nickname is ‘Koneser’ (Eng. ‘Connoisseur’). I graduated from Wrocław University of Technology. I have a master’s degree in computer science and I work as a programmer daily. I started my adventure with photography with a digital camera. In college, I decided to buy my first analog camera, which is my primary camera until now. It is a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S.
I have been involved in photography since high school, which is about 14 years now. In my third year of college, I joined the Cultural Agenda of the Wrocław University of Technology, and that’s when I made the conscious decision that I wanted to pursue analog photography.
What I love about it is its unpredictability, and the ability to work carefully on each frame. I think it is the most beautiful kind of photography that has been created.”
We were curious about what drew Łukasz to the world of photography, to which he replied: “Photography is my whole life. My parents were hobbyists at photography. My dad was a regular in the darkroom, and my mom never parted with her camera, leading her trips and creating breathtaking landscapes. Thanks to my parents, I understood from an early age that what we look at evokes emotions in us and that by taking photographs, you can show someone else the perspective that affects us most powerfully.
It’s like giving someone on a platter a part of your memory and your experiences to show others a part of your soul. Despite my thoughts and the presence of photography in my life from a young age, I tried to find my way and the camera was not my first choice. Maybe even more, I assumed that my passion would be completely different.
I have wonderful parents, and I am glad that I only got a camera in my hand when I asked for it myself and felt the need for it. As a result, when the time was right, I gained confidence that it was I who chose photography, not it who chose me. In retrospect, I am very glad that I never hid my passion in life. Although I also see myself in them, my photographs are not always to the liking of my mother or father, but we all respect and understand that part when we differ in our view of the world, although we very often experience the same thing when looking at each other’s photographs.”
Łukasz disclosed why he chooses to shoot on film instead of using digital cameras.
“For several years now, I have been involved only in analog photography. Firstly, there is a different philosophy of taking pictures than with a digital camera. In a photo shoot, 12 well-thought-out and planned shots are created at once, rather than several hundred or even a thousand photos, from which it is hard to choose the best ones later. In addition, the photographic material itself produces interesting color effects and has a very wide tonal range. The main advantage of my camera is the size of the photosensitive material, 6 cm x 6 cm. A digital camera with such a large sensor is very expensive.
Traditional photography is a completely different approach and style of work. I really enjoy working on a given frame and perfecting it. Pressing the shutter button is already the final step and sealing the frame and details, which I am sure should be just so, not different. As I create the photos, I feel a sense of calm, as if my time with the model has slowed down. I take a breath and realize what is in my head at the moment and what moves my heart,” he shared.
Taking intimate or even nude photos takes a lot of trust. We asked Łukasz how he manages to make models feel comfortable in front of the camera.
“I approach my sessions professionally. I try to focus on my part of the job so that the photos are the best they can be, and I think that my approach is seen by the people being photographed and that makes them feel safe too.
I think that if the photographer and the model are focused, the photo session even becomes a meditation, so that we focus on ourselves and the emotions within us, which turn into ideas. The view of the body should not be combined with sexuality, because the body is our natural face, which cannot be bought. By stripping a person of his clothes, we often see his true face, and with the whole position of our body, we do not always consciously reveal our current or still slumbering emotions. Clothing is often our shield that gives us strength and confidence. Sometimes this mask becomes a real part of us, sometimes it remains just a mask.
Exposing our whole body, we discover ourselves, emotions we might not have even known about. The only difference may be the shame and stress that may accompany us. When I shoot, I look at the frame and at the person as an element that has to play for me in that frame, and I don’t see a difference in a clothed or nude session; I just pay more attention to some things.
With nude sessions, we have to pay attention to the temperature so that it is the person posing who is not cold. I then try to dress the onions and adjust. If I have the opportunity, I also prefer to have an assistant to correct hair and other elements. It creates a more comfortable, both for me and the poser, professional atmosphere.
I know we have different experiences and life stories, so I can’t imagine touching the person posing without their express permission, and I know it’s much more comfortable for models when I choose an assistant rather than assist in this task.”
We asked Łukasz to share what he hopes for audiences to take away from his work. He replied: “The greatest achievement for me is when the viewer sees a piece of themselves in my photos, or is reminded of some unusual memory or story that once happened to them.
Sometimes it is a story in line with what I wanted to tell, and sometimes, thanks to a conversation with the viewer, I see that I have unconsciously told within a given frame, more than I intended. There is no greater achievement for me than the heated discussions about my photography. They are always further reflections for me. I think they develop me as an artist and often become an inspiration to tell another story. In addition, I think that the greatest disappointment for a photographer is when his or her photos do not evoke any emotion.”
Lastly, Łukasz added: “I work on exciting projects all the time. As far as anything I get involved in, I am there with all my heart and soul. Unfortunately, I can’t reveal more details at the moment, but the results will soon be available for all to see in my portfolio, so I heartily encourage you to follow my photographic work, such as on Instagram - @koneser_photography.”
