Stef Kocyla: Landscape photographer based in France
Starring, Stef Kocyla: Landscape photographer based in France
"Seek your passion"
Photography has the potential to change lives. Stef is quite aware of this!
Being passionate about photography since a really young age, Stef encountered a tipping point in his life by following his passions: traveling and photography.
Although his curiosity for photography has always been there, it wasn’t until a few years ago when Stef finally decided to pursue a career as a landscape photographer.
But, before taking such a brave decision, Stef had to overcome some several health issues not that long ago. From such experience, he embraced an important lesson: Life is too short for not doing what you love.
Inspired by painters and film makers, Stef sold his insurance company and he decided to start a business in the photography industry.
His experience as an entrepreneur allowed him to quickly set up a sustainable company. Mastering photography was obviously an important part of the process, but as an entrepreneur, the mindset and the willingness to learn were already there.
Little by little, practice and patience allowed Stef to become a pro landscape photographer. Today, he is teaching other passioned people all his secrets about photography. Beyond that, he is showing everyone that we live in a world full of possibilities. If there is something you really want to do or achieve, what is stopping you?
Supporting Stef’s work is a pleasure for us because we believe in his path, his talent for photography, but above all, the way he enjoys and sees life!
Welcome Stef! I know that you decided not that long ago to pursue a career as a landscape photographer! Wow! Can you summarize for us your journey so far?
Thank you so much Alex, I am so glad to be part of @nomadict’s Talent Pool!
As far as I can remember, I have always been attracted to cameras. Already in my childhood I felt really curious about them. Being able to capture a moment it seemed almost magical to me. At that time though, for me cameras were simply a tool to save special memories, I was not trying to control the settings for instance.
I have realized now that I have been always a “visual person”. So my visual sense is more present in my daily life that the other 4 senses. This is why photography has been and still is so inspiring to me.
"I can spend hours enjoying those beautiful images that I often find in screens or magazines such as National Geographic."
Then, one day I borrowed my parents’ camera and I started to practice. At that time though, there were no DSLR cameras, only “silver” photography! So you can imagine that taking photos at that time wasn’t easy, but I am glad I experienced that because I acquired valuable knowledge that I often use nowadays.
Time passed, however as a teenager I was not familiar with the camera’s setting yet. It was all about the composition and the story behind the photograph. Somehow, since I wasn’t focusing on the technical side of photography, I was able to expand my artistic skills by focusing mainly on the story.
I learned a lot from painters, especially from the great Flemish and Dutch masters. Their works are so intense, I was captivated by Vermeer’s lighting techniques, amazed by Jacob Van Ruysdael’s skies, Brueghel’s street scenes or Rembrandt’s portraits. Painters and photographers have a lot in common. It is all about the way they see things and how they interpret their ideas in combination with the light.
A few years later I started my own insurance company. Photography was a hobby that I enjoyed together with my family in our trips. Back then I didn’t consider making a living with photography. However, my trips to North America and Canada were a tipping point. Although I was making good photographs, I truly wanted to reach an extra level. In order to accomplish such goal I really needed to start focusing on the technical side of photography. So I started to learn all about my camera’s settings through online lessons. However, nothing beats practice! Eventually photography became a way of living life, although I still have to learn a lot.
A few months ago I had some health issues. They were important enough to make me realize about certain things in life. I had enough of a work that I liked, but I didn’t love. Life is short and our time here is so valuable! So I decided to sell my insurance company and pursue my passion: photography. I launched a photography blog where I am teaching all the things that I have learned so far!
Today, I believe that there are two types of photography; one type allows you to make a living, the other one makes you an artist. Although, of course, they are often the same. However, I always tend to do what I like and not what others want or prefer. I want to stay true to myself and my believes.
Beyond that, my goal nowadays is to teach people how I use the camera to convey feelings. But I also want to share my personal life experiences and how photography saved my life.
Why is photography so special to you?
Landscape photography is more like a Zen philosophy to me. It helps me to feel the moment. You see, when you photograph a landscape, you are focusing on what you are doing, nothing else exists but the place and the moment you are capturing. It’s almost meditational. Patience is key in this game: you stand at the right place and you wait for the perfect time. That’s how I “merge” with the scenery, I feel it and when I shoot it, it becomes part of me. It is so fulfilling, that when it happens I feel really relaxed and easy. Nothing can beat a great sunrise in the mountains, or a gorgeous sunset on the beach. Most people don’t realize that, but one of the most important things is to be connected to nature. People often forget that, specially if they live in big cities. Photography allows you to connect with nature. In my eyes, that is like a super power!
You are currently living in France, but you travel as much as you can, especially with your family! How is it to travel with the people you love the most?
Yes I do travel a lot with my family!
Living in France is great, especially in the Northern part since we are close to many beautiful locations such as Belgium and the fabulous cities of Bruges and Gent for instance. The Netherlands or even Germany and the U.K. are really close as well.
England is only a 2 hours drive from my home if I use the Channel tunnel. So yeah! We love to spend the weekends there once in a while!
My passion for traveling has been always there and I think that my wife and kids are also feeling passionated about our trips. Overall this is great because we share common interests. But now we have a problem when it comes to decide our destinations! The last time we even had to vote!
Overall, traveling with your beloved ones is a great way to build memories that will last forever. Traveling is not always easy and sometimes you have to face bad situations. But, for us traveling is as a way of living life, and that inspires us!
For all those travelers visiting France really soon, what three places should they definitely check out?
In my opinion, France is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I can only encourage people to visit France. I do have an advice though, if you have visited iconic places such as Paris or Mont St Michel for instance, try to discover less known places. Sometimes, off the beaten paths can hide real beauties, which are more quiet and peaceful.
Some of my personal recommendations are the following: Calanques, located really close to Marseilles counts with splendid coves and cliffs overlooking the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean sea. Another recommendation would the Volcanoes of Auvergne. Located in central France, this area offers a range of 80 dormant volcanoes which are now part of the UNESCO World Heritage site list.
Finally, I would recommend visiting the South Western coast of Brittanie (Bretagne) in western France. It is a mix of white sandy beaches, rocky coves and dramatic cliffs. You can also visit many wonderful islands around the region.
To what extent do you think that traveling is important, especially for young people?
Traveling gives you the ability to adapt, to get out of your comfort zone and start learning new things. This can be a new language, a different culture, or to experience wildness in a completely different setting.
Beyond discovering new places and landscapes for instance, traveling allows you to meet new people. To me, this is the most beneficial side of traveling.
When you are young, traveling is a fantastic way to open your mind to things or people that could have been “scary” under other situations.
If you are able to embrace that when you are young, you will benefit in the long term and see the positive results when you get older. So, when I see my kids admiring the midnight sun in the Polar Circle or fishing in the clear waters of New Brunswick, I know they will keep such beautiful memories forever. Moreover, they will learn to respect and therefore protect nature.
For Millennials it is pretty common to use social media. Actually, it is rare to find nowadays a youngster without a cell phone between their hands. You grew up in a different generation, however you have been able to master Instagram for instance quite well. What do you think of the role of social media in today’s society? To what extent do you think that social media is actually worth it and not the other way around?
When I was young, I had only magazines, newspapers and TV shows to see other places. It was very difficult for a photographer to showcase his work for instance, there were not many options. As such, being known for your work as an artist was quite difficult.
However, Internet has changed completely the game. More than Internet, the digital revolution marked a complete shift in our society. It links individuals and groups together and we can communicate easily and quickly with someone in distant corners of the world.
Today, I can show to the world a picture that I took minutes ago. In my eyes, this is a big technological, economic, and social step for humanity.
As long as you are aware that social media is just a tool to promote your work and not an end in itself, you can use all these platforms without any trouble. Social media helped me a lot in order to connect with other like-minded people from all around the world.
For photographers, Instagram is the perfect platform to share their work. I have met other photographers through Instagram and that is something really special. You connect with someone, you follow their work, and then eventually you meet them in person! That is awesome!
Among your works, do you have any picture that you really like? Which is your favorite photo?
I do have a favorite picture, it’s a view of a remote beach in Northern Norway known as Kvalvika Beach. I love this photo because it has a special meaning to me.
The last summer we made a +10 000 kms road trip through Scandinavia all the way to this beach. I captured this moment after a long and steep hike that we made the previous night. We made it to the summit in order to contemplate the midnight sun and it was certainly overwhelming!
Again, this picture reminds me of all those beautiful moments we shared on that night, the campfire we made once we went back to the bivouac on the beach, the meal we shared and the glorious morning which followed all that.
This is the power of photography. Every time I contemplate this photo all those unique moments come to my mind; The sounds, the smells, the happiness, the people we met there…
Imagine yourself at the beginning of your professional career as a photographer. What four pieces of advice would you give to yourself?
First of all, the most important thing to remember, is to have fun making photographs and it has to stay at that level even later in your career. This is the thing that will get you through all the difficult times, when the career becomes difficult, when there are people that don’t want you to succeed. Photography is often a passion, which makes it easier to stay motivated when your creativity goes down.
Then, practicing is the best way to learn, so practice as much as you can. This is the key to a better understanding of what surrounds you. It is not a matter of what gear you are using, it is about knowing how to use your gear. Get familiar with your camera, don’t let the camera be the boss. Take your camera with you anytime, whether it’s your reflex or even your smartphone. There’s always something to shoot, to experiment, even in your backyard! Try different compositions or angles, be creative!
Another important thing is to keep learning photography through your entire career. Instead of investing money on expensive gear, invest money in workshops or classes for advanced photographers. We have a tremendous tool for that which is internet (and YouTube). You will find tons of tutorials which can help you improve your skills.
Finally, I would highly recommend joining a community, whether on Instagram, a club or on internet through sites like 500px. Find like-minded people and engage with them, like and comment their work. Building a community on Instagram is very helpful, you can ask for advices, tips or help.
Please now imagine for a sec that you have a super power! You can go back in time! What moment would you like to re-experience again?
I would love to go back to the first time we went to Norway. Our kids were very young, it was our first long distance travel with them.
This travel was the first one of many others, but everything was new to us. We learned from each other and we explored so many amazing places together.
I remember when we saw the fjords for the first time, it looked so surreal to us! Another great time we had is when my son saw before us a whale in the sea, it was so amazing!
Wildlife in this country is so different, you never forget the first time you see a whale, a moose or a reindeer! But I guess that what I want above all is to see my children in their young age again!
At that time, I was already making photographs, but not as seriously as today. Traveling back at that time would enable me to make great photos of us!
Among all the amazing sites you have been to, what landscape impressed you the most?
Norway is definitely in my heart! It is in the Lofoten islands where we have seen the most impressive landscape.
We have been there 2 times, and we will go back for sure! It is a paradise for landscape photographers, with its exceptional natural beauty and its alpine mountain peaks falling into the sea.
We loved the arctic scenery, specially during summer when you can experience the midnight sun. As you know, the light in photography is one of the most important factors (if not the most) and with the sun remaining just above the horizon all night long you have plenty of time to shoot incredible landscapes with a gorgeous light.
I almost didn’t sleep along those two weeks because I was shooting at night, taking only few naps during the day.
Is there any artist/photographer who has inspired your art? Can you name three?
Yes, many artists are an inspiration for me. There is one photographer that comes to my mind, his name is Ansel Adams. I really like his minimalism and zen sense for photography. I love the way he captures nature in black and white. His techniques are really special and you can see that he spends a lot of time in the darkroom trying to achieve the perfect print.
Then I would name Johannes Vermeer, a Dutch painter from the 17th century specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life and outdoors scenes in Holland. I love the way he mastered light and shadows, some of his paintings look like photographs to me. If I had to shoot such scenes, I wouldn’t have done it better! I learn a lot from him…he captured time with so much accuracy.
Finally my third inspiration that I would like to mention is Steven Spielberg. I am a big fan of his filmmaking techniques. A film is a sequence of many photographs and when I look at some sequences of his films I can see a lot of artistic wisdom. I love the way he uses the wide lens and also the way he frames his characters through openings created by objects, which gives the shot a very intimate feeling.
Any new projects coming up or countries you will be visiting soon?
Yes, always on the move!
We will be on a road trip around the West coast really soon. It is a trip we have been planning for so long now! We are so excited to explore the mythical places of the West!
I hope to make great shots there and also some video clips. Video is really something fascinating, I told you I was a visual man, did I? 🙂
Telling stories is very important in photography. Sometimes I produce a series of shots that can be used to create a film. Besides, I have the proper gear to film, so why not give it a try?!
I like vlogging or making short clips on my YouTube channel as well. My next project will be a new blog for French speaking people on landscape and travel photography and how to take it to the next level. I am working on it, its launching is expected for this September!
