Dominika Popiolek boozes up her film

Dominika Popiolek is an art student in Poland who shoots in many different styles. Her series of multiple exposed, souped photos illustrated her love of form and mystery.

"I graduated graphic design and now I am studying art & design in Cracow. I chose photography as a language that I use to show the world which surrounded me. In my work, I try to connect traditional graphic effects with photography. I like film grain, multi exposure or destroyed films because it is a kind of balance between abstract and realism. When I create a composition, I analyse the shapes and relations between them. I love analogue photography because for me is the best way to play with the viewer and show something obvious in totally unobvious way. The aim of my artistic activity is to encourage people seeing the beautiful and mysterious forms around us."

See more of Dominika's work on instagram at @d.o.m.i.no

ALTER/ANALOG: What kind of alcohol did you soak in?

DP: It was a homemade high proof alcohol and the bath was around 15 minutes. Then sun-dried film became magical and unpredictable tool. I also used a multi exposure to receive much more interesting effects.

ALTER/ANALOG:  Your images are of urban places.  Does the city inspire you?

DP: I really like geometry and abstract compositions. When we can look at the picture and see something like duality in it. On the one hand you can see the whole elements like shapes, lines, empty spaces etc, on the other hand some details like specific places, people or section of something you can recognize. Urban places are very geometrical. Buildings, tram wires and people who sometimes look like a geometric point which can compose with other shapes. So... yes, the city inspires me. It is like never ending source of ideas because of the fact that it is still changing and you can always find something new which can be a huge surprise even if you know this place and you were here before.

ALTER/ANALOG:  How did you get interested in alternative processes?

DP: I fell in love with photography during my studies. We experimented with alternative process like cyanotype or gum print and also analogue photography. I spent lots of hours in a dark room making photograms, develop negatives and prints and trying to understand and discover new mystery of analogue photography ;-). Once my friend told me about film soup. I saw her photos and loved it. The best thing is that you can’t control the process and you don’t know how it will be look like. So... photographer chooses a proper frame and let the chemical mystery working.

ALTER/ANALOG:  What are you working on next?

DP: I love learning and discovering new techniques in photography. I know that I have to practice a lot and I still have a lot to do to improve my knowledge and skills. Now I am working at a new project in amazing technique which is heliogravure. It is perfect for me because it connects photography and engraving. I’m also waiting for my solargraphy cameras which are hang in lots of places in my city.