Jurek Durczak a.k.a. jurek d. :: urban details

Selection of photos from jurek d.

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White bridge (2009)

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Lamp and light (2008)

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No right turn (2008)

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Descending (2010)

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Skinny tree (2010)

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Shady corner (2009)

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Wire (2009)

– Hello, Jurek. How would you describe this set of images?
– I like your choice. Porto, Albuquerque, Menton … photographers’ paradise. You walk around and you see so many photo opportunities. That’s basically how I see urban landscapes: geometry, shapes, details … they are all very important elements for me.

– As a photographer, what do you find interesting about urban environments and architecture? What attracts your visual attention?
– I love urban environments because there’s so much to see there, so much is happening. Colours, lines, shadows, angles are constantly changing depending on the time of day and the weather. I like details rather than larger views. Those who have a chance to see my work usually cannot tell where the photos were taken. Very often I do not remember myself. Nor do I care – I am not into documentation.

– Which other photographic styles do you like besides architectural and urban photography?
– I find some landscapes compelling, and abstract photography is certainly one of my interests – colours, patterns, details. Actually, I’m very eclectic, although I rarely take photographs of people since I am always afraid they will not like my doing so. Consequently, I have very few photos of actual people in my portfolio: body parts – yes; but whole figures – not really. The fewer the people in my photos the better (a tendency which a psychoanalyst might perhaps find interesting). At the same time I admire those who are good at photographing people.

– What motivates you to be busy with photography, what is your goal as a photographer?
– This is a question I often ask myself. Why am I doing it? It gives me pleasure and some kind of artistic satisfaction – that’s obvious. But what else is behind it? When I was a kid I often imagined myself as a painter. I admired painters – not just paintings, but the painters themselves, the people who had those incredible, magic skills. But I couldn’t even draw a straight line or a nicely formed circle. Much to my regret I realized I would never be a painter. Then, once upon a time, I discovered photography. It was not the same as painting, but it was close to it. Then, years later I became even more interested in digital photography – that was even closer to being a painter. I still do not feel like a painter and still would like to be one, but photography gives me a sense of artistic accomplishment.

My goal as a photographer? I have no special goals. Like any other photographer, I want to be better and better, and I want my work to be seen. Above all, I want to be able to say to myself: “This year my photos are much better than they were last year.”

– Do you have a ‘dream location’ where you would like to take photos? Which city would you like to visit for a photo session?
– I like places where there are very few people in the streets . . . empty, deserted. I remember those from my visits to the States, to Canada, and to central and eastern Portugal. But I also enjoy photographing big cities – New York, San Francisco, Berlin – but only early in the morning before crowds hit the streets. The cities I would like to photograph? The little towns in southern Italy, maybe Bilbao (I am going there very soon), Florence, many others. How can I know? As for landscapes: Norway, Newfoundland and the American West are unbeatable, but then I haven’t been to Iceland or Patagonia …

– What is your favorite camera?
– I am using three at the moment: a Nikon D80 with four different lenses, sometimes a Canon PowerShot G12 and, recently, my iPhone camera. I will probably upgrade my D80 next year for a more advanced Nikon model. I’d like to have a Leica M9, primarily for nostalgic reasons – my first “serious” camera was an old Leica.

– Did your photos get published in any photo/art-books or magazines and where do you expose your works on internet (website, blog …)?
– I have had three exhibitions (Colorado Springs, Lublin and Warsaw), five book covers and a CD cover for a London rock group Treason. Several of my photos have made the cover of a magazine published at the university where I teach American literature and culture and several have been used as illustrations in different books. My work has also been featured in Y Sin Embargo magazine and in collective photo books Hypo-x-series, Shadé and Shadé II. I have no time for my own site or blog, but for the past five years I have been posting my work on Flickr at a regular pace of two photos a day.

– Thank you, Jurek and best wishes for your photographic work.