Michael Kowalczyk is a photographer with a special interest in making photographs in public to visualize the spirit of the times. He was born in Poland and started photography self taught in Germany in 2003. During a two year stay in New York City he developed his passion and skills in street photography and helped educating students while working as Teaching Assistant in the International Center of Photography School. After a year long backpacking journey trough South and Middle America he moved back to Germany and currently works in University Teacher Education. Michael continues to create a personal body of photographic works. Selected images were awarded, published in books and exhibited at international competitions. His favorite quote is from Alfred Eisenstaedt. “It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter”
Michael Kowalczyk started a project called Street Photo Tip.
Interviews
- 2018 – Fotopolis.pl Interview with Julia Kaczorowska
- 2018 – 121 Clicks Interview with Venkat Prakash
- 2018 – Xataka Interview with Jesus León
- 2017 – Szeroki Kadr Interview
- 2016 – Huffington Post Interview with Michael Sweet
Competitions and Awards
2020
SIENA Awards 2020 (Category Street Photo) – 2nd place
Lichtblick Konstanz “Nähe und Distanz” – 8th place
2019
Urban Photo Awards 2019 – Finalist (Single Image)
Italian Street Photography Festival 2019 – Finalist (Single Image)
2018
Miami Street Photography Festival 2018 – Finalist (Single Image)
Pentaxforums.com Photo Contest May “People, Candid or Street” – Winner
SPi Street Photography International Awards – Finalist
2017
ΦΩS ATHENS – Finalist
EyeEm Photo Awards 2017 – Finalist (The Street Photographer)
Urban Street Dive Contest 2017 – 2nd place
2016
#ShootOnaLeica Contest – Winner
Exhibitions (Group)
- 2020 – SIENA Awards “Imagine all the People Sharing all the World” Exhibition, Siena, Italy
- 24.10.2020 – 29.11.2020
- 2020 – Cafe Blende8, Leica Gallery & Store, Konstanz, Germany
- 2019 – Xposure, Expo Center, Sharjah, UAE
- 2019 – Street Photo Milano, Milano, IT
- 2018 – History Miami Museum, Miami, US
- 2018 – Leica Store & Cafe Mayfair, London, UK
- 2015 – EyeEm Container @ Photoville in Brooklyn, NYC, US
- 2010 – Video exhibition, Urban Styles 3.0, “Aachen Tilt Shift” in the Raststätte, Aachen, GER (Link)
- 2009 – Photo exhibition, Urban Styles 2.0, “Klingeln” in the Raststätte, Aachen, GER (Video)
Publications (Print)
- 2019 – Short Street Stories Book – Street Photography Book by Exhibit Around
- 2018 – LUUPS 2018 – Various Art & Coupon books
- 2017 – EyeEm Magazine – V – Diversity
- 2016 – LUUPS 2017 – Various Art & Coupon books
- 2016 – GOLEM Exhibition – Catalog, Jüdisches Museum Berlin
- 2015 – LUUPS 2016 – Various Art & Coupons books
- 2015 – LUUPS 2015 – Aachen Art & Coupons book
- 2013 – Eyecatcher 2 – Contest Katholische Hochschulgemeinde Aachen (Video)
- 2012 – LUUPS 2012 – Aachen Art & Coupon book
Publications (Online)
- 2016 – Edge of Humanity – Online Publication
Learning Photography
- 2017 – Portrait Lighting on Location: Natural and Flash with Bobbi Lane, ICP, NYC, US
- 2017 – Street Photography as Point of View with Jeff Mermelstein, ICP, NYC, US
- 2017 – The Documentary Project: The Photographer as Storyteller with Natan Dvir, ICP, NYC, US
- 2014 – What do you mean? with Paolo Woods, International Summer Academy of Fine Arts, Salzburg, Austria
- 2013 – Documentary Video with Ralf Marschalleck, Video/Film Tage 013, Institut für Medienpädagogik – Rheinland-Pfalz e.V., Koblenz, Germany
Teaching Photography
- 2017 – Advanced Street Photography: Finding Your Voice – Teaching Assistant with Natan Dvir, ICP, NYC, US
- 2017 – Style and Evidence with Stephen Ferry, ICP, NY, US
Stock Photography
- Selected photographs are available for purchase on the EyeEm Marketplace and Getty Images.
