Zofia Nasierowska polish photographer 85th Birthday April 24, 2023

Today’s Doodle celebrates the 85th birthday of Zofia Nasierowska, who is considered one of the most significant Polish photographers of her era. She specialized in portraits and won numerous international awards for her works.

Nasierowska was born on this day in Łomianki in 1938. Her father was a famous photographer and started teaching her how to take photos when she was seven. She was already gaining recognition as an artist while studying at the Leon Schiller National Film School in Łódź. Many of Nasierowska’s peers and classmates, now regarded as influential figures in Polish culture, were the first few subjects of her portrait photography.

Beyond her technical skills behind the lens, she’s also remembered for her warm and welcoming personality. She could put her models at ease through conversation and compliments, and draw out the right mood for each shot. Nasierowska’s photos were used as covers for several publications and magazines in the ‘60s and ‘70s including Ekran, Zwierciadło, Przekrój, and more.

In 1956, she was invited as a member of the Związek Polskich Artystów Fotografików (ZPAF, or the Association of Polish Art Photographers) and was inducted into the International Federation of Photographic Art. After a 35-year long career, an eye disease caused her to stop taking photos. Nasierowska moved to Ełk in Masuria with her husband and opened a boarding house. She invested into and helped develop the community, and the city’s library was renamed in her honor.

Happy birthday, Zofia Nasierowska!