Marlena Wels
1. Can you introduce yourself and talk about how you got into photography?
Hi, I
2. Where did you study photography?
I
3. Do you remember your first shot? What was it?
No, I don
4. What equipment do you use?
I primarily work with a Nikon Z6. Most often I will use a 50mm 1.8 for my concept shoots, but I also own a 35mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8.
5. What do you hope to achieve?
I love dragging people into other worlds, out of reality. It
6. What compliment inspired/touched you the most?
There are two, that deeply touched me:
Someone told me I was the one, who inspired him to start with photography, which was a completely crazy feeling to hear that and another one just told me shortly: Keep the work up, warrior of light!
7. What inspires your unique storytelling?
Most of times it
8. What THREE (3) words describe your photography style?
Surreal, magical, painterly.
9. Congratulations! As the winner of the European Photography Awards, what does it mean for you and your team to receive this distinction?
It
10. Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2023 European Photography Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?
The series
11. How has winning an award developed your career?
Well, ask me this at a later time! But honestly we
12. Name 1-3 photographers who have inspired you.
Brooke Shaden and Rosie Hardy were the ones, who I discovered on Flickr, when I was 15. Their work showed me what is possible in photography, they kind of opened up borders for me and inspired me to discover a creative way of selfportrait photography.
13. What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out, by a mentor or your role model?
I never had a mentor, when starting out
14. What advice would you give someone who would like to become a photographer today?
Keep on going! How daunting it can be to have a vision in your head and thinking it
15. What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
Well, I have another question: How do you define success? I often struggle to see myself as
16. How do you stay in that space of being receptive to new information and knowledge?
Honestly, I don
