We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mateusz Jagiello. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mateusz below.
Mateusz, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
For as long as I can remember, I was studying art. I was born in Poland and I was lucky enough to live close to the music kindergarten and music school. Since very early childhood my parents made sure that I received the best education possible and music lessons were something they thought would help me greatly in life. In kindergarten I was learning how to play piano but as soon as I went to the music school in first grade, I switched to playing french horn at the age of 7. After more than 20 years of studying classical music and art I discovered photography and a lot of things clicked in me. Transition for me was extremely easy because of everything I learned throughout all these previous years. My education was more than just that. I think that most importantly it taught me discipline. I had to practice my instrument for few hours daily. I had to constantly perform in front of juries, audiences, and peers. Being constantly evaluated, judged, and observed made me develop a pretty thick skin. Competitiveness was not just natural to me, it was a habit. I was able to translate all of that into photography. During my sessions I am able to let go of stress and nerves because it is a very familiar feeling to me. It allows me to believe in myself, my skill, and my experience in any situation.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
For me the real power of photography can be divided into three major parts: 1. Creative freedom – this is what got me first interested in the art of photography. When I was a musician I always felt like I was playing other people’s music. Because I was trained professionally and an end-goal was to land a job with a major orchestra, I had to follow certain rules and traditions. It didn’t matter that I might have had a strong feeling about performing a certain piece of music my own way – I always had to let go of it in order to play what was expected because otherwise I wouldn’t pass the auditions. In photography I felt like I could finally express myself however I authentically wanted and I could connect with people through it.
2. Power of image – this is what put me on a path of mission and not just expression. When I took first portraits of friends and later strangers, I saw with my own eyes what a different perspective can do to their self esteem. I heard many times from them “oh, I never thought I could look good on a photo” or “I always hated every single photo of myself until now!”. Then I would sometimes see them shed a tear or even break in full on cry in front of me. This was powerful. I immediately understood that photography had the power to change people’s self esteem and change their lives to be more positive.
3. A moment in time – one of the inherit characteristics of the photography medium is its ability to freeze a split second of time for the eternity. I am fascinated by this concept, this is what puts it apart from other visual arts. Hunt for the “perfect moment” became a thrill. It also made me realize that the value of a photograph increases with time. We always look back at the photos and in the end we are glad we are able to keep that memory forever.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I can confidently say that empathy, open-mindedness, and kindness were the most impactful qualities of my personality that help me not only as an artist but as a human in general. I think that generally being authentically curious about other people and wanting to get to know them is one of the greatest qualities a portrait photographer can have.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I will start backwards a little bit. I used to be a person who thought that the more rounded you are the better off you will be. I thought that being a jack of all trades would make me more valuable but it was also pushed on me by the education system. Trying to get good grades in all areas, chasing scholarships, trying to win trivia etc. As I was growing up and going through life on my own, I never really felt happy about all of that. It felt more like a rat race, rather than living. That’s when I started to focus only on things that I truly felt love and passion for. Not only did I notice that I was making exponential progress in these areas if I was able to devote time and practice to them, but also I started to live more happily. Nowadays, being a father and business owner, time really became my most valuable resource. I know that I can be one of the best in what I do and in areas I lack knowledge or struggle, I can ask for help or hire people who are going to do a better job there than I ever could. In the end I think the most important lesson it taught me is that living a happy life is possible and it was achievable for me by following my heart and my gut.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.silkandsaltphoto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walthornik/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silkandsaltphoto
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@silksaltphotography9860
