Aleksander Figiel – interiors photographer

Aleksander Figiel specialises in photographing the interiors of hotels, restaurants and other properties. He works with architects and interior designers and has photographed Stradom House Autograph Collection, H15 Palace and Zinar Castle. He previously spent several years working in marketing for the hotel and property development sectors.

From marketing to running his own interiors photography studio

Aleksander Figiel graduated with distinction in Creative Photography from the Cracow School of Art and Fashion Design. He initially pursued his own art projects, some of which he exhibited. He worked in marketing, where he was responsible for strategy, communications, graphic design and photography. This work increasingly involved photographing interiors for the hotel and property sectors, putting the skills he had learnt at art school into practice.

He has been working exclusively as a photographer for over two years. He also helps clients prepare their interiors for a shoot, offering advice beforehand on tidying up and on details that may affect the photographs.

Photographing Stradom House, H15 Palace and Zinar Castle

Key commissions include work for Stradom House Autograph Collection, H15 Palace and Zinar Castle. A particularly demanding shoot at Stradom House lasted several days and covered almost the entire hotel. Differences in lighting, materials and colour schemes meant he had to approach each room differently while keeping the series consistent. The photographs went on to appear in publications around the world.

Taking cues from painting and working with available light

Painting is an important influence on his photography, particularly the freedom to compose an image and decide what appears within the frame. He likes to work with available light, observing its direction and how it changes throughout the day. He uses flash as a supplement, taking care to keep the interior looking natural.

He is most interested in spaces that reveal the tastes of the people who live in them and the intentions of their designers. When working with architects, he takes time to understand the thinking behind their projects. Trust and the freedom to find his own compositions during a shoot are also important to him.