Maria Jatzlau

I often feel that, broadly speaking, there are two different types of photographers: the technician and the intuitive photographer. By this I don’t mean that one excludes the other, many photographers combine both approaches. But most people tend to lean naturally toward one side. The technician is fascinated by camera settings, sensor sizes, lenses, apertures, and sharpness. The intuitive photographer, on the other hand, is more interested in atmosphere, light, situations, and emotions....

Ever since I started photographing and what began as a casual hobby slowly turned into something much more serious, something closer to identity than pastime, there have been recurring phases when I simply cannot stand my own work. Not just for a few days, but sometimes for weeks, even months. I question everything: the concept behind my images, the consistency of my style, the intention I claim to have. What once felt clear suddenly feels constructed. What once felt intuitive now feels...

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about passion. Not the loud, dramatic kind, but the quiet, persistent one that grows slowly. The kind you don’t find overnight, but through trying, failing, trying again - until you realize: this lights me up. That feeling when you come home tired, but still want to do that one thing? That’s passion. For me, passion isn’t about reaching something specific, but about becoming someone specific - curious, driven, connected.  It  gives my day direction. I need to...