Meet michal greg | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with michal greg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi michal, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
What was your thought process behind starting your own business?

It was more this emerging company in the space that guided me, something of mine internally. It was a strong urge coming from the depths of my heart and intuition. It was such a force of exploration of myself, through exploration of the outside world, of what surrounds me. My inner value, which I longed to fuel, that was bubbling up from me. This energy needed to be embedded, grounded in reality….

What’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?

I, in general, am not a fan of beaten paths and following signposts. Maybe it’s the nature of the artist, or maybe it’s a matter of developing consciousness. All those tips and practices considered standard and universal are too template-like for me. I am guided by my feeling. More often than not, I choose what is non-standard. I go against the current. In my own way. Of course, there is some advice based on social values, or at least traditions to take advantage of, but I predominantly prefer the outside of the bracket, beyond the norm. “The sky is the limit”, and my art is not only commercial, advertising campaigns and fashion shoots, but above all a space where I unleash my manifesto to the world, with photos I express my opinion. I like to create conceptual works, such as “Cover story”- This is a story of a woman, particularly/especially Polish one, who lives in a ‘free’ catholic country. In this country all commercial products are available, but decisions, some of which are good and some of which are bad, are made by the government. The government uses religion to manipulate people by imposing on an appropriate way of life. The image is a portrayal of a woman which contains complex stereotypes. She is perceived as ‘the mother’, ‘saint’ who is sinless, but trapped by the illusion of freedom. Every woman bares her cross and each cross has a different color. This colorful spiral of bricks symbolizes life, time, reality, and illusion of freedom.
In Poland, politics has unethically interfered with women’s freedom, limiting or taking away their rights to self-determination, forbidding abortion, even a life-saving one. This situation in my country inspired me to create a powerful message of female enslavement. For this, I used the art of Shibari body restraint. For the photo shoot, I invited a model of very a delicate, subtle beauty and a master of tying these Shibari ropes, and very meaningful photos were created. These works have circulated through various exhibitions, including one in Venice and one in Barcelona in 2021.
„Goddess of Shibari – So Called Freedom…” –
This time my goal was to show non-obviousness
At the first glance, the female body here is the most important. Enslaved, weak and restricted, even tortured.
But Shibari – Japanese Art of constraint- involves willing members of the adventure.
And here our viewpoint changes. Despite the constraints , we can see the strength and majesty of the person. We can see a goddess confident in her sexuality and beauty.
That is what impresses me in many women. Their strength which is often masked by subtlety.
It may sound exalted, but I admire the way they get rid off these ropes, which only block them. It’s fascinating.

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?

I like risk. Risk is close to fear and anxiety – and where these emotions appear, it’s a signal to me that it’s an illusion of the mind, that I should look there – to expand. Risk is a challenge for me and every challenge makes me grow, makes me develop. This is my business partner and not only that, in my private life I also like risk. However, I believe that risk must resonate with my views. I would never risk something the loss of which would damage my values – family, loyalty, integrity. The biggest risk I have taken in my career is my career itself. I heard more than once: “choose a reliable career”, and I took a risk, stood up for myself, for my passion, for my feeling, proved to myself and others that if you give something from yourself, something from the heart, it will always come back multiplied… sometimes even tripled! Working as a photographer and picking the right shot is also always a risk whether others will see what I, as a photographer, see and whether they will understand my message. Everyone misses something and I decide to “notice” it in my photo and make it a work of art. Something is invisible and yet it is there, I pull it to the surface to make it exist for many. I notice in my work what one does not pay attention to every day, and how beautifully it moves when one stops, notices, feels oneness with the world. I also run the risk of revealing to people what they cannot see in themselves. Then the delight and joy reach their zenith, but it also often sets off strong developmental processes, which are not always pleasant. Sometimes I flinch at these released emotions, not infrequently combined with tears, but I quickly hear instead of “Michael, it’s because of you” it’s “because of me.” Well, and this is a risk I consciously take, but I know it’s worth it, because if I can with my work and passion at the same time, make someone connect with themselves, that with their heart, experience some insight and understanding, I feel contentment and fulfillment.

What habits do you feel helped you succeed?

These habits have changed over the years, just as I have changed along the path of personal growth and professional development. The first thing that came to mind was STRENGTH. I have processed this habit most intensly and on many levels. Persistence in photography is very important. For one of my photos, a full moon, I hunted for almost a year. It had to be perfect and it was independent of me. I had no control over the weather, over the clouds, over the rain…, if it wasn’t for perseverance, today I wouldn’t have a top-selling project called “FULL MOON”. I combined this eagerly awaited full moon with the ancient RUN symbols that I am interested in, and so a series of mystical posters was created that exude powerful energy. These posters feed such spaces as wealth, love, strength, wisdom, development and many others with their vibration. My clients feel the impact of this imagery on their lives. It’s always such a turnaround for me that this persistence of mine in perseverance is needed not only by me, because my clients also benefit. Another habit I had to develop in myself was temperance. It was a difficult (laughs) moderation in work. Photography was able to draw me into a space where time and reality ceased to exist. I could work for hours on a given work without eating, without taking a break, without sleeping. Well, and moderation in judging myself. I had to let go of perfectionism and self-judgment and, in fact, the inner critic, to approach in moderation what I create and the that “gee, maybe it could be even better?”

What is the most important factor behind your success / the success of your brand?

Truth. Being in your truth. Being authentic. Without pretense. But yes, truth… it guarantees success. The art I create is first and foremost a message. In my photos, in addition to a nice view or a beautiful model, above all I want to capture energy. My photography, despite being a frozen moment, is still alive. People feel. Subconsciously and unconsciously they pick up the vibrations that a photo, painting or sculpture carries. Sometimes something attracts us like a magnet and sometimes it repels us. Creativity must carry authenticity, then it attracts success. I also want to show this truth with my photos to my clients who make appointments for photo shoots. Women are beautiful just as they are. Each is unique, and it is this uniqueness that is beauty. Today’s world feeds fiction. It imposes what we are supposed to like, what we are supposed to find beautiful and attractive. I love working with subtle, feminine beauty. Unfortunately, I also notice how many women don’t feel good about themselves, when they are natural… then the more the intention is triggered in me to show such a client the truth about her, that is, that her greatest beauty and asset is that very nature, her truth!

What’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?

That it’s a never-ending study, lesson after lesson and each more important than the last. Definitely standing up for myself. Today, even if a hundred people tell me that something is weak and I will feel the power in it, I will not give up, because I know that this feeling is for something and always leads to something even greater. Being an artist, creating something is not always easy. It involves a lot of internal processes. You have to reckon with the fact that everyone judges, through their prism, but still their opinion impacts you. If creativity flows from the need to express your heart, it’s a bit like standing in front of a crowd, opening your chest and letting the public touch this delicate and sensitive organ. I have learned that this going out to the people even if it cuts me sometimes will never kill me, that in the overall balance it is worth it, and with a significant advantage of that worth. A powerful experience, a powerful lesson for me was also the realization that I am enough. Sometimes some artists get “a big head” and their personality kills ego and a certain snobbery. I had a process an other way around process. Hearing how special I am, how capable, how good at what I do, triggered the “imposter” syndrome in me. I felt like a fraud! I thought to myself, “oh no, what will happen to me when it comes out that I’m not so good at all, so smart, so capable and cool, as these people think of me?” It was hard for me to accept that I am enough. I’m simply enough with what I have to offer, and that’s ok, and that’s that.

Work life balance: how has your balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?

As I mentioned earlier, with the question of habits, where I talked about the art of moderation. Balance is the foundation. Of everything. Nothing in which balance cannot be achieved will survive. In my case, a career or a family wouldn’t survive, and it’s not about sacrificing one for the other, because nothing complete will be built on the energy of loss. Balance for me is healthy breathing, you can’t live only on the inhale or the exhale, you have to breathe steadily. That’s what I’m learning all the time, balancing professional and private space. Sometimes I tend to tip this scales to either side. On the other hand, I recognize in myself a strong signal that makes me reflect- longing! When I start to feel longing for either space, I know it’s a sign that I’ve drifted off too much in one direction.

How did you come up with the idea for your business?

This idea has always been in me. I was born with it. It is a gift. The gift of perceiving the environment. Imagination. It is said that not every day is beautiful, but there is something beautiful in every day. I have that with my frames, not every one is traditionally beautiful, but every one has something beautiful in it. This passion, this is my mission, my tool for self-expression, no force could stop it. It is my being. This business, is simply me. In all the fullness of its uniqueness.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

As I mentioned above, it wasn’t me who chose it. This thing chose me. It is a deeply ingrained part of my existence in my DNA.

What are you inspired by?

I am inspired by life. I know quite generally, but it’s true. I like people, a lot of inspiration comes from people I observe, but most of all I am inspired by nature. Nature delights me and surprises me many times. I love its cyclical nature, its transformation. I love the elements and diversity. I see the vastness of beauty in the environment. I am able to find something interesting in everything I see. I like to capture a large majestic rock that captivates with its power and no less its structure in a macro frame. I very much feel a connection to Mother Earth and have great respect for nature. I am interested in shamanism, natural medicine, herbalism and working with energy. I am currently in the middle of a project where I want to show how we humans, are strongly connected to nature, how we are Her. In today’s world, we feel more one with a luxury apartment, a good car, necessarily fashionable clothes, ubiquitous chemicals and consumerism in general than with the actual roots, nature and resources flowing from the earth… and this is our source, this is our life energy, without nature there is no human being. It is the forest, the meadow, the seas, the oceans that are our natural environment, in which we fit always, without position, dress code, in general without clothes, without money, without wealth, without material possessions. We fit perfectly and are perfect just the way we are. I make such challenges to myself to draw beauty out of something seemingly ugly. A dinged wall, a wilted flower, rust on the body of a car are truly graceful models. My biggest inspiration, is what I feel inside myself.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What makes me different from others…. Hmmm… this is a very personal and individual question of who sees what as what. My gift is that, for me, every person and every thing is very different from each other, probably because I laser-scan details, details, features of people and things. That’s why I like to ask the recipients of my work what uniqueness they see in me. Someone might say a photographer, like a photographer, pictures like pictures, because this might be beyond their scope of interest. On the other hand, people for whom art is something interesting, passionate and curious, will see many qualities in common with other artists and many that distinguish me. What I am sure of, and what I have mentioned before, is that my photographs carry a powerful charge of energy. I myself love this in my work, and all in all it’s hard for me to put into words technically how it happens, but it does! The photographs I take emit energy outwards. I think this is my uniqueness and this is what I am very proud of, it excites me. It’s an amazing activity that I want to show to the world. To make people aware of what energy is, that everything is energy. Just because you don’t believe in it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, and the awareness and ability to use this resource becomes a universal tool to achieve everything, without limitations. My works influence their surroundings, have the power to transform, and carry a huge energy charge. I create them always with intention and in high vibrations. My photographs are meant to envelop people, to bring peace, light, love. They are meant to energise. Some photographs have a healing effect, some a protective effect. This is where it’s amazing how my images sometimes connect with their viewers. My clients very often unconsciously choose a picture for their home and when they get to know the full description of the picture, start to feel its energy, it turns out that this is exactly what they needed, such as a powering of love. Sometimes, someone with my work decorates the walls in an office, chooses a photo and then we come to the conclusion that the work in question carries the energy of wealth and full abundance, while the client’s business has recently had a noticeable and painful decline in orders. My work responds not only to people’s tastes, but to their inner needs, sometimes unconscious!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in the Warsaw. I like this city, I like its energy, its movement, its life. Warsaw is great! I think there is something here for everyone. A week to show someone around is not enough time to show the charms of the capital. Restaurants all over the world and from every culinary taste, there are gems to recommend. Whether Italian, Mexican or Asian cuisine, there are truly outstanding places where the visitor is transported in time and place to another country. Our Polish cuisine is certainly worth appreciating among these culinary flavours. Polish food is very tasty. A rich selection of dishes, well seasoned, elegantly served. Poles like to cook. A’propos the subject of food, the food in Poland is sensational. Lots of healthy food. Natural, organic, bio. The prices for these products are not at all higher. Large selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Good quality products. Warsaw is an old city, 700 years old, destroyed by wars. After the Second World War, the city lay in ruins. It is estimated that 80% of the city was destroyed, with bridges, railway stations, aviation and telephone infrastructure ruined to the ground. The city was rebuilt. Around 30% of the monuments have been successfully restored and these are an interesting tourist attraction to visit, museums, open-air museums, galleries. Charming streets with old, pre-war townhouses, now beautifully restored. Most of the city, on the other hand, is world-class modern architecture. The glassy, elegant facades of the tall office buildings between the monuments create an interesting whole. I think, however, that I would take my friend away from the hustle and bustle after three days of sightseeing in the capital. The surroundings of Warsaw, silence, peace, nature, forests, water – that is what I like most. There are a lot of recreational areas, green spaces, leisure zones. You can spend time in the wilderness, in silence and seclusion, 100% with nature, and you can spend it in a more “show” way, i.e. with yachts, motorboats, expensive restaurants on the lake shore. Again, each to their own. I am, however, sure my friend would return from this holiday satisfied.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I agree with this 100%. It took me a long time to process this feeling that I had to achieve everything on my own. It took me even longer to come to terms with the realisation that there is no such person or thing in the world that is totally dependent on itself and that the external world might not exist. The moment I grasped the theory of the collective, I saw how many external factors fed into me. This was not due to my complacency, but to my lack of ability to accept, I had a resistance with asking for help and a difficulty in recognising that accepting help is ok, it does not mean weakness. Books have certainly played a huge role in my life and career. I enjoy reading and read a lot of personal development literature. The classics of such literature, i.e. Brain Tracy, Joe Dispenza, Ryan Holiday, Joseph Murphy are almost quoted in my memory. The philosophy of the Greek sages and no less modern motivational speakers are also a source of great support for me. In addition to books, I enjoy podcasts, do online courses, go to development workshops, completed a year-long Tantra school, trained with a well-known French shaman, worked with psychotherapists, astrologers… all these people have had a huge influence on where I am now. Lastly, but most significantly, is my family. I’m fortunate to have tremendous support from those closest to me. I am a father of almost grown-up children already. It’s cool to see that what I do is liked by my offspring, that they share on Social Media my photos, posts, I feel they do it with pride: “this is what my dad did”. A huge support and great inspiration for me is also my partner. I think this relationship is a huge gift. We have a very strong energy connection between us. How we influence each other affects my field of creativity very strongly. We understand each other without words and when I come up with an idea, it is sometimes difficult for the other person to repeat it in words and I don’t need to verbalise my inspiration, my woman “grabs” my idea from feeling and completes my visions. I understand perfectly what their muses were for artists (laughs) It’s nice to live with someone who accepts you fully as you are, it’s very uplifting and provides such a pure space in which I create.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregmichal/