Tom Kurek Ferrari F355 Porsche

FOCUS on Tom Kurek

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Meet Tom Kurek

Our FOCUS for this edition is Tom Kurek.

“One of the biggest challenges facing every passionate car photographer is something very basic – access to cars. Especially when they are beautiful, rare and considered to be a bit of a weapon.” – Tom Kurek.

We caught up with the creative photographer about his work.

Influx: How did you get into photography?

Kurek: “I picked up photography as a hobby in 2004 but it quickly turned out that I absolutely love it and that I can make money doing it which was a dream come true.”

Influx: What kind of subjects do you like to shoot?

Kurek: “From early age I had a passion for two things – cars and architecture and interiors. I naturally gravitated towards these subjects as a photographer almost as soon as I picked up my first camera.”

Influx: Are there any images you’re particularly proud of?

Kurek: “It’s a difficult question for me to answer cause I have a real love-hate relationship with my images. I obviously love what I do and I’m lucky to be able to photograph some amazing subjects but I feel I can always do better. So I can be happy and proud of an image that I just freshly delivered to client but if you ask me about the same image one day later I may not be so happy with what I created. But ask me again in 6 months for example and I may be very impressed with myself looking at the same image… It’s a bit crazy. But I take it as a good thing because it pushes me to always improve. To answer the question today after choosing images for this feature I would say that I like my latest image of Audi R8 GT3 I photographed couple of months ago at Fuji Speedway but I’m also proud of my BMW i8 shots I took few years ago in Canary Wharf.”

Influx: How do you feel about camera phones?

Kurek: “I think they’re great! I’ve got a quite creative approach to photography and live by the rule that the best camera is the one you have with you in the moment. Obviously I always have my phone on me and take lots of photos with it. Camera phones are very limited technically compare to professional equipment but sometimes capturing the right moment with a right composition using the light in a right way is what you need to create a great image. Not always the best camera.”

Influx: Is there a particular vehicle you’d love to shoot one day?

Kurek: “I think we are very lucky nowadays cause the cars are getting better and better looking every year mostly thanks to technical advances in production which allow designers to bring some of the best ideas to life. So therefore there are quite a few models I’d love to photograph and I’m sure the will be more very soon… But I guess as for today two cars would be dream come true to photograph – the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 concept cabriolet and the one and only Ferrari 330p4 which I think is one of the most beautiful cars ever created. Dream location – Iceland (the country, not supermarket).”

Influx: What makes a good photo?

Kurek: “Composition.”

Influx: What advice would you give yourself if you could travel back ten years?

Kurek: “Keep doing what you’re doing and more of it.

“Keep learning and asking questions and trying things and taking photographs. 10000 hours rule applies.”

More of Tom Kurek’s work can be found at his website.


















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