Read the complete interview with Bronek Kozka.

Interview with Bronek Kozka the winner of the broncolor award 2010
By Chris Anderson
Bronek Kozka lives and works in Melbourne Australia. Kozka's ongoing involvement is in arts education.
He is a lecturer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (university), lecturing in photography
and portraiture. His commercial photographic practice forms the basis for his art practice
and his investigation of the portrayal of remembered moments.
Kozka has exhibited in several group shows and award/prize shows; these include the National
Portrait prizes of both the Australian (2007+2009) and UK (2008) Albury Art Prize (highly commended),
SCAP08 (commended) Scap09, Monash Gallery of Art Award (2008+2009) and the Hasselblad
Masters Award 2008. Kozka's solo show includes "Picturing Community: Ugunja, Kenya"
(2002), "Auschwitz Revisited" (2005) and "The Best Years of Our Lives" (2009). Kozka was also
invited to exhibit a solo show at the Grand Prix International de Photographie de Vevey/Switzerland
in September 2010, winning the broncolor Award for lighting. Running in the same month,
Kozka’s work was also shown at the Pingyao International Photo Festival in China, at which he
was honoured with an award as an international participant.
In 2008 two series of Kozka’s work were published in the Hasselblad Masters Book Vol.1, they
were “Sunshine House” & “Passion”. In 2010 Kozka’s work was featured in the Australian publication
(Book), Hijacked: Australian & German Photography.
Kozka’s work is held in several private collections in Australia and internationally. He is represented
by Bett Gallery Hobart & MARS Gallery in Melbourne, Australia.
- Are you mainly working in your studio or do you shoot on location as well?
“I have a studio in Melbourne, Australia. The studio environment is very important to me. It is not
only the place where I create some of my elaborate scenes but it is also an important creative hub.
I have four other photographers working from my studio, we are a diverse group whose passion
for art and photography is common.” And Kozka continued his explanation:
“Location shooting is very much part of what I do, this is especially true for exhibition work. In
highly lit locations, my photographs become ‘home’ to a cast of actors and models who act out a
series of stories created from storyboards. From a man and woman driving a car, a confrontation
outside a suburban home, a cleaning lady resting in a quiet room, to a woman and her two children
watching TV in a nondescript living room. These stories are assembled from fragments of fi lm
references, other people’s experiences of spaces they inhabit, and my own memory of spaces I
have inhabited previously.
Through these elaborate tableaux photographs, I am interested in exploring the construction of
memory, shared spaces we inhabit as human beings and the psychological tensions that can arise
from sharing these spaces. I portray ‘memory’ by playing on the ambiguity of fact and fi ction in
our ability to recall a scene or happening. These photographs are a partly truth and partly myth
concept, exploring how memory can confuse, and also assure one’s construct of a story. There is
uncertainty in the photographs between whether it is night or day, dream or reality and fi lmic references
are utilised to create a dark, and at times depraved, construct of the shared spaces we
inhabit. So fi nding the right location is often the key to a successful image.”

- What is the most common kind of photographic work you are shooting in your studio?
My work has always been quite varied as I use my art practice as a major part of my folio and new
work is often related (stylistically) to what I am showing in the folio. My clients range from graphic
design fi rms and advertising agencies through to certain charity/welfare organisations. Then there
is my art practice and academic side. I actively exhibit through Australian commercial galleries; I’m
also exhibiting in public galleries too. Linked with exhibition work is my academic side; I’ve recently
completed a MA (masters), very similar to US MFA (exhibition and exegesis) and will be embarking
on a PhD next year.
- What are the typical trends of photography in general in your country? What are the trends in
your photographic work?
“Photography is at an interesting cross roads. I guess this is nothing new as there are always new
directions, but I think the combination of a changing landscape for the industry and new technology
- not just to capture but also for the delivery and internationalisation of markets -all means we
are entering a new era. My feeling is the photographer of the future has to be a visually literate,
and socially aware commentator to an even greater degree than in the past.”
- Where do young people get the education to become photographers in your country?
“Melbourne is very fortunate to be the home of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University.
Our Design and Communication School is one of the largest in the southern hemisphere
and is where the BA Photography course is located. Lecturers are from commercial, fi ne art and
documentary backgrounds, and the course also has a strong academic and theoretical element.
There are also Honours, Masters and PhD avenues that can be pursued. I have been lecturing in
this course for 8 or 9 years, over the years I have seen the course change and develop, responding
to new developments in the industry. We also have a very vibrant community of international
students from Europe (several Swiss students over the years), Asia and the USA.”
- Are you shooting exclusively with digital cameras or when would you use analog cameras? Do
you have a favourite camera and lens? If so for what particular reason?
I pretty much exclusively shoot digitally, very occasionally I will shoot 10 x 8 for a personal project.
I shoot a Hasselblad H series camera for ease and versatility. The Hasselblad with 50 to 110 zoom
or 120mm lens. I have been shooting the Hasselblad since I became a Hasselblad Master in 2008.
I cannot fault this camera, it always delivers and the results are very impressive.
- For how many years are you working with broncolor lighting?
When I was studying, broncolor was always the gold standard, the best. It was Hasselblad cameras
and broncolor lighting. Being introduced to broncolor at Uni was great. My shooting requires
many different types of lighting; one shoot will soon be entirely lit with huge balloon lights that generally
are used only at major night time road works. But when it comes to fl ash equipment broncolor
has always been my fi rst choice.
Asked why he is using broncolor as his fl ash lighting, Bronek Kozka’s answer came as quick as a
shot: “The quality.”
- What broncolor equipment is in your possession and what is your favourite light / light shaper?
I use broncolor Mobil units, Grafi t A4s, and sometimes broncolor monolights. Recently I used the
broncolor Scoro; they are all great !

I use so many different ones for different applications, sometimes it is a large honeycomb, but
sometimes the best thing in the world is a piece of cardboard and a pair of scissors….every day is
different.
- Where do you see photography in the future? Do you have some experience with „crossover“ still
to video photography? Could you share some experience with our readers?
“Well, the equipment we use will change and keep changing, photography is about communicating
ideas that will not change. Photographers need to be fl exible and willing to embrace new methods
and modes of communication.” And Bronek Kozka continued:
“While video is new and very interesting, and yes I am exploring its possibilities, so much of the
discussion seems to revolve around the technical aspects, with little to no discussion about how
to produce a good or great piece of communication. A fantastic still image spread over 24 frames
a second for 30 seconds does not equal a great video. This is something that has been seen in
peoples “home video” for years, a great sunset shot in the family album is not so great when it’s a
video that runs for 2 minutes! As photographers, we have the ability to capture a complete narrative
in 1/60 of a second, video requires that same narrative to unfold over time.”
- Tell us about your next project, please.
“My next project is a series of very large-scale scenes, still playing with the idea of memory but on
a larger scale, we are more obviously viewers in this new series.”
“Thank your very much for your time and sharing your work with our readers.”
Bronek Kozka
The Bakehouse Studio
2/133-135 Johnston Street,
Collingwood, Victoria, 3066
Australia
T: ++61 3 94173456
www.kozka.com