Aves – Elżbieta Rogaczewska-Czępińska's exhibition

Nature photography is a specific genre of creativity, involving capturing (sometimes in milliseconds) and presenting the beauty, diversity, and awe-inspiring images of the natural world. Among the most technically challenging is undoubtedly photographing fauna, especially the smallest and most mobile specimens, which in the author's case are birds. Equipment is crucial here: a good camera, a fast lens with the longest focal length possible, a sturdy tripod, all weighing a good few kilograms. Knowledge of the life and habits of the subjects being photographed is crucial, as is the physical fitness required for expeditions into often extremely challenging terrain.

The artist spoke about this at the opening of her exhibition. She talked about crawling through the marshes, making sure not a single tuft of grass rustled, and then lying motionless for hours, so as not to disturb the subject, who reacted instantly to the slightest rustle or movement. Often, those few hours translated into hundreds of saved photos. Then, a rigorous selection, from those hundreds, only two or three technically and compositionally sound, the most interesting photographs remained. There were also sessions paid for with soaked clothes, during which no good photos were produced, because either the bird didn't fly, it was too nervous, or the light was just not right. But what a satisfaction when you manage to capture a photo like the one of the kingfisher, which twisted its head to cope with the tiny fish held in its beak. And to top it all off, a drop of water dripping from the fish, as if frozen. All in natural, vibrant colors. The result is truly worth the effort and expense. The author learned this firsthand when, an hour before the exhibition opening, she received word that her photo had won another gold medal at an international competition. There are more photographs like the one described above in the exhibition, and that's why the "Aves" exhibition is worth seeing.

JS

A full member of the Fotoklub RP with the title of artist. He is a member of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) and the AF13 Association of Artists. He is also a member of the Association of Polish Nature Photographers.

For over a decade, she has lived in the old Wilno forest, 60 km from Warsaw. Living in close contact with nature influenced her interest in nature and nature photography.

Elżbieta Rogaczewska-Czępińska's works have won numerous awards in various national and international competitions, receiving over 500 prizes and distinctions. These awards include twenty-one medals, 11 of which are gold medals, including five FIAP GOLD Medals.