If you had the chance to live during a different artistic movement other than now, which one would you choose?
Joel: Vienna, Paris, or New York around 1900 to experience both the Art Nouveau movement, secessionism, and photo-secessionism.
How would you like to be remembered?
Justyna: Being remembered used to be really important to me, but I've really changed my perspective in recent years—it actually isn't something I care about anymore. If you think about it, there have been billions of people alive before us, and so few are remembered—and that's not actually that big of a deal. The most important thing to me is to be kind and helpful and bring joy to my friends and family while I'm alive. Eventually, I'll be forgotten too—the future is really now. It's also something we don't have that much control over, and it’s an odd pressure to put on life—be remembered. I try to live a bit more in the now; if I'm remembered, I'll be long gone anyway; that's for others, not for me. :)
If you had to start over, would you choose a different path in your career?
Justyna: Absolutely not—though it may have been nice to start a touch sooner :)
What is the best advice that you have been given?
When I was working at the aforementioned boring job (it was at the Financial Services Commission of Ontario—even a boring name), my contract was up for renewal after about a year (I was a temp). When I found out that I wasn't going to get renewed, after all, I was pretty bummed out because it would have meant an actual salary, benefits, etc. It would have meant that I kept working in a boring part of town, working in a gray office under fluorescent lights—which I obviously hated—but it was a paycheck, and I thought that it was a fast track to an 'adult life'. Most of the people who worked there were robots except for this one manager who was always a pretty positive, cool guy. When I told him that my contract didn't get renewed, he told me not to worry and to "get the hell out of here and don't look back. It will be the best thing that ever happened to you"”” I appreciated his optimism even though I couldn't see the forest for the trees at that point. It really was the best advice, in hindsight: don't settle.
Do you believe in destiny?
Justyna: Most definitely not. To think the universe has a plan for each and everyone is a touch narcissistic and "main-character syndrome" for my taste. The universe is chaos, and sometimes we're lucky to thrive, and sometimes it hurls wrenches into our bicycle wheels.
Do you think that you would be able to teach what you do?
Joel: Yes and no... You can teach the technical stuff for sure, but if there's something that I learned through my career as a model, it's more important how you make people feel; whether they enjoy your energy and working with you counts for more. That can't be taught. For example, Richard Avedon had a very big personality and was extremely extroverted on set. That was how he was able to bring so much out of his subjects. If you're inherently shy, there's very little that can be done to learn that behavior without coming off as disingenuous. Also, your vision is formed through what you choose to absorb and gravitate towards, so if you don't have a propensity for your subject matter, you probably won't be very keen to shoot it, and that will come across in the photos.
What inspires you on a daily basis?:
Justyna: LOVE. The greatest of human emotions and accomplishments. Love in every form. Whether it’s shoveling your neighbor’s driveway without asking for anything in return, smiling at strangers, self-love, the love a pup has for their human, or making your lover their favorite lunch—it goes on. Simple everyday gestures of love make my heart explode.
Looking at what you have created in the past, would you change anything today?:
No - life is a journey, not a destination. Same with a body of work. You can't "beam" yourself into your current self without experiencing the past - it shapes your present. No regrets, just enjoyment of my creative (and personal) journey.
What made you decide to follow a creative career choice (though possibly risky) rather than something more stable?
Justyna: Stability is a flaw. Joel and I both knew that no matter what we chose as a career, it was a risk (as the pandemic has shown us). Industries can disappear overnight. Layoffs happen. The best thing you can do is what you love—you might still fail but on your own terms. Coming from someone who worked in a corporate boardroom—trust me, it's as big of a risk to spend your life filling out Excel spreadsheets (if that isn't bringing you joy, to begin with).
Joel: Most of the jobs I've had in my life were in the 'unstable' creative field, freelancing. I've had a few stable jobs but really hated them all. Also, what Justyna says about no industry being stable right now (aside from government work and construction, it seems) is true. You might as well try and take the wheel yourself instead of hanging out in the passenger seat, if you have the option.
How do you know when a piece or project is finished and needs no additional work?
You don't! We always get this "I COULD HAVE DONE MORE" pang, but letting go and releasing your work into the ether is important too. Sometimes it’s as simple as a deadline defining a finished product :)
When was the first time that you remember realizing that you are a creative person?
Joel: Daydreaming about the drawings I wanted to finish while sitting through another boring Grade 2 math lesson.
What does it mean to get older for you?
Justyna: being wiser, accepting your limitations, focusing on joy, caring even less than I thought I could of what others think of me, haha. FREEDOM.
After these years of working on your craft, do you still feel the joy of doing what you do?
Justyna: Absolutely, in every way, yes. I always say the ingredients are similar, but every weekend I create a new recipe.
Do you believe that each person has the capacity to be creative? Why?:
Of course! Creativity is more than "creating art." Creativity means doing the unexpected—one can be creative with math, medicine, law, cooking, gardening, organizing, cleaning, child care—and it goes on. Everyone has the capacity to think outside the box and color outside the lines—it doesn't have to be limited to art with a capital "A.".
Is there a particular place where you feel most creative? Justyna: on a chic street in Paris. When I see beautiful people in beautiful places doing beautiful things—very much inspired by Slim Aarons.
Think back to your childhood. What did you hope to become as an adult?
Justyna: An opera singer—until I discovered my voice has the cadence of a sack of drowning cats.
Joel: I remember this same question being asked to us in Grade 1, and the teacher asked us to draw it. I drew myself standing by an easel with a paintbrush in one hand and a bag with a dollar sign on it in the other.
Do your work and approach have changed?
I like to think it has evolved—our ethos has been the same from day one—your wedding is NOT a photoshoot. The memories should be real, not coerced or directed—but we've refined our approach as we've become better photographers. The message and philosophy have been unchanged since we started in 2011, though :)
What is your mission in this life?:
The pursuit and bequeathment of joy.
How do you fight the comparison and discouragements?:
I stopped caring a few years ago. It's not all about "me". Being rejected is not a universal sign - it's sometimes not about "you" but about the person making the decision - just because you're not right for a project doesn't mean anything at all! And as they say, the comparison is the thief of joy - you can't control others' thoughts or tastes - you can only do what brings you pleasure - if you love your work, if you love creating your work, that is enough.
What are your tips for establishing a successful wedding photography business in under two years at a time when the industry is very saturated?:
Asking yourself "why" you want to break in—and allowing that to lead your decisions. It's really that simple. If you can honestly answer that question—why do you want to be a wedding photographer—without regurgitating cliches—that will be your beacon. I mean that in a non-fluffy way too—if your goal is to simply make a certain amount of money because it seems like a fun way to make a living, use that and work backward. That would tell me you're financially motivated (not necessarily a bad thing), and perhaps a volume business model works best. If that's the case, then you're probably focusing on local weddings and thereby need to make venue and planner connections—see where I'm going with this? There's no real wrong approach—but be honest about what you want out of this life. On a less fluffy level—goal setting. Working backward can help. Being honest about yourself, your skills, and what you bring to the table is really important too.
