Moose Photoshoots by Marta

“You Have 500 Awards… and in Kraków, Nobody’s Calling”

Today marks exactly one year since you moved from southern Spain to Mogilany near Kraków. How do you remember that day?

It was an emotional rollercoaster! On one hand, excitement – I was returning to Poland, a new chapter, new possibilities. On the other – enormous business stress.

I knew I was leaving behind an established position in Gibraltar and southern Spain. I had recognition there, regular clients, a system that worked like clockwork. And here? Starting from zero. Completely from zero.

And here’s the paradox: I have 500+ international awards. I won the title of Grand Master of Children’s Photography two years in a row. I’m a Master of Portrait Photography. I won 4 themed competitions with tens of thousands of photographers participating. Grand Master of Photography status. Publications in international magazines. Jury member in 2 competitions…

And in Poland locally? I had to start completely from scratch. Very few people had heard of me.

That sounds frustrating. Did you think your international success would make the start easier?

Honestly? Yes! I was naive.

I thought: “I have titles, awards, publications in magazines around the world, I’m on the jury of international competitions – surely it will be easier in Poland!”

But reality was brutal.

People don’t know these competitions. They don’t know what it means to be #1 in the Baby Photo Awards or to have hundreds of award-winning photos. For a local client in Kraków, what matters is recommendations from friends. Whether they’ve seen your work at someone’s house in the city. Whether their friend recommends you.

International titles sound nice, but they don’t directly translate into trust.

And here comes another hard lesson: today, the highest quality isn’t enough. You need to know how to sell it. More than that – you need to know how to sell yourself. To gain trust. To show the person behind the camera.

And that’s the hardest part for someone who spent years hiding behind their photos.

Gibraltar vs Poland: Two Different Worlds

What was the biggest difference between the market in Gibraltar and what you found in Poland after several years away?

They’re two different worlds.

Gibraltar is a small place – everyone knows everyone. Once you get a few satisfied clients, word of mouth works its magic instantly. In Costa del Sol, I had an established base of expats, modeling agencies, international families, models. I knew the locations, I knew where and when to shoot.

And most importantly: there, people are used to paying the right price for the highest quality. It’s not up for discussion. Quality costs – everyone understands that.

In Poland? The market is more diverse.

People often expect natural, reportage-style sessions. Fine art photography for many sounds like “Photoshopped” – and that’s perceived negatively. I had to learn to communicate the value of my style in a completely different way.

Plus, of course, the price barrier. In Gibraltar, my prices were the norm. Here, I constantly have to prove value while adapting to local realities.

So the first few months were tough?

[laughs through tears] “Tough” is a euphemism.

The first six months were very, very difficult.

I had moments of doubt. Days when I wanted to throw it all to hell and go back to where it was safe, where I had clients, where everything worked.

But at the same time, I’m still flying to Gibraltar and Spain to serve my existing clients – which is a financial lifeline, but logistically exhausting. Juggling between countries, between clients, between two business lives.

And in Poland? Building from scratch takes time. A lot of time. More than I imagined.

What Worked? The Strategy for Building from Zero

So what started working? When did you feel like “this is moving”?

Honestly? There was no single “wow, now it’s working!” moment.

It’s not like something suddenly clicked and took off. It’s more gradual, incremental building. Small steps. Small victories.

But certain things started helping:

1. I used my international successes strategically

Conferences – the Photographers’ Congress in Poznań in January, EXPOzycja in Kraków in March. Exhibitions – ISK in Lusina in May, in Mogilany in September. This brought local visibility.

People started to associate: “Oh, the one from those international competitions.”

And that was the plan. To find a niche where my knowledge, experience, and artistic sensibility would appeal to specific people. Not everyone – specific people.

2. I gave value to the photography community

Sharing knowledge, presence at events, helping “junior” photographers. This builds recognition not only among clients but among photographers – and they’re also my clients, just on the other side of the camera. And more importantly – they understand the value of what I do.

3. I invested in education – my own

Video, marketing, sales. It hurt, it cost money, but it was necessary.

I’m learning to talk about my work in a way that resonates in Poland. All of this is necessary because the photo-video services market is saturated.

And here’s another hard truth: just because I can recognize good photography doesn’t mean others know anything about it. People go to a photographer they feel. Who they know and like, whom they trust. That’s why showing yourself on the internet is so important. Yourself – not just your portfolio.

And you don’t even know how much it costs me to cross my own barriers. I constantly ask myself: how much privacy should I keep for myself, and how much should I show? How do I let people know me not just as a photographer, but as a person?

4. Consistency – even when it hurt

Even when it was hard, I didn’t disappear. Post after post, session after session, workshop after workshop. Visibility is key.

But on the other hand… [pause] …I still get nervous. When I have a break from a certain type of photography, and then suddenly I have to do something I do rarely – or something for the first time – I lack self-confidence.

You’re probably thinking: “Have you lost your mind? An experienced and skilled photographer like you lacks self-confidence?”

And yet. It still happens.

Even though things usually turn out better than I planned. There are days when I doubt. There are days when everything overwhelms me. When I can’t keep up. When I’d just like to take photos…

…and suddenly you have to be a teacher, stylist, accountant, content creator, strategist, businessperson, sales and marketing specialist, mentor, psychologist.

And you find yourself with no time for photography sometimes.

This shows how much we underestimate ourselves and our skills in the midst of all these changes.

Are you at the “breakthrough” point? Are you where you want to be?

Is this a breakthrough? I don’t know.

Is it better than 6 months ago? Definitely.

Am I where I want to be? Not yet. But step by step, I’m getting closer.

Everything is going in the right direction. And that has to be enough.

Life in Three Countries: Logistics and Juggling

How does it look logistically now – this work in three countries?

It’s like juggling flaming torches. [laughs]

I have a system now that I try to maintain: 2-3 months I focus on clients in Poland – sessions, meetings, local marketing, building relationships. Then I fly for 1-2 weeks to Gibraltar and Spain to serve clients there.

It’s not ideal. Sometimes I have schedule conflicts. Sometimes someone in Poland wants a session right when I have a ticket to Gibraltar. Or vice versa.

But slowly I see how clients from abroad are also adapting to my calendar. And in Poland, the client base is growing, which will allow me to be here more in the future.

What I Offer: World-Class with Local Availability

What do you offer clients in Kraków that they won’t find with other photographers?

International level with local availability.

My portfolio consists of images that have won against 174 countries worldwide. Top ten in competitions with thousands of participants. Publications in international magazines, exhibitions.

I offer world-class fine art portrait and staged photography – but with a photographer who lives 20 minutes from Kraków.

This is a unique proposition: you don’t have to fly to Madrid or London to have a session with a world-class photographer. I’m here. Locally available.

I also offer education – workshops for other photographers who want to learn how to build a career through competitions, how to photograph in my style, how to build a brand in this industry.

Because honestly? I want to raise the level of Polish photography. I want more Polish photographers to boldly enter international competitions. To show the world what we can do.

The Truth About Challenges: “I’m Tired of Pretending”

What are your biggest challenges in building a local brand despite international success?

[long pause]

Okay, now I’m going to be honest. Because you know what? Not everything is milk and honey. And I’m tired of pretending it is.

Challenge #1: Lack of clients in the first months after moving.

Zero. Silence.

You have 500 awards, titles, publications in magazines around the world – and in Kraków, nobody’s calling.

It hurts. It’s frustrating beyond belief. You sit there thinking: “What am I doing wrong? Why doesn’t anyone want to work with me?”

And although I planned to finish topics that had been waiting for me on my computer for a long time, to close out 2023 which wasn’t finished yet… the lack of orders from Poland hurt. It affected my self-worth. It undermined everything.

Challenge #2: Financial doubts

You calculate: investments in equipment, marketing, website, social media, competitions, exhibitions, workshops, training…

…and the return on investment.

And it doesn’t add up.

You look to the future with hope – “it’s a long-term investment, it will pay off, it will pay off, it has to pay off” – but sometimes it’s hard to believe that.

Challenge #3: Lack of self-confidence

Yes, my lack.

500+ awards. #1 in the world. Grand Master of Photography. Publications. Jury member in competitions.

And there are still days when doubts catch up with me: “Will I handle this new session? Will it work out? What if I fail?”

Sometimes I forget that I’ve had a camera since I was 7 years old – my whole life! And I’ve been working professionally for 8 years since 2018.

And there are still days when I feel like throwing it all away and never looking back.

But then I remind myself: this is what I love. This is what I feel. How lucky I am to be able to do what makes me soar in my life. And I get back to work.

Challenge #4: The technical costs of a dream

Sometimes you cry.

Equipment breaks during a session – and you have to improvise, stress out, pray it turns out okay.

You do something completely new and don’t know if it will work out – although it usually turns out great, but that stress beforehand… that paralyzing fear…

Challenge #5: “I want to please everyone” syndrome

At the beginning, I wanted to please every client to the maximum. Everyone. Without exception.

I forgot that as an experienced photographer, I don’t want to and don’t have to do that at all.

That my photography is an exclusive good. That my aesthetic doesn’t have to be for everyone. And it shouldn’t be.

But try telling that to someone who’s fighting for clients, for attention, with local competition that’s been in the city for years and doesn’t worry about whether people have heard of them…

Challenge #6: Learning everything from scratch

This year was about learning video, marketing, sales – I had to learn everything from scratch in the Polish reality.

And actually, I’m still doing it. Because I haven’t fully mastered the subject yet. Maybe I never will. But I’m trying.

Challenge #7: Lack of time

How do you balance motherhood, the art of photography itself, learning sales, marketing, business, building a local brand, being a content creator, social media, finances…

Sounds like madness, right?

And yet it’s the normal reality of every entrepreneur in 2025.

The biggest challenge: I have value, but I don’t know how to sell it

My ebooks that I wrote – “How to Conquer the World of Photography Competitions” and “Shoot Without Fear” – are really valuable treasure troves of knowledge.

So what – if I’m only just learning to sell them?

If I don’t know how to show someone that what’s in them can really help? It’s frustrating. Of course, these are products for a specific, narrow niche of photographers who are interested in building their brand through competitions.

But how do I reach them? How do I break through the noise of the internet? How do I make them hear me?

I’m not the complaining type. But I want you to know – this isn’t a fairy tale. This is hard, honest work. With ups and downs. And there are days when I doubt myself.

But somehow I keep going. Because I never give up. Because I love what I do. Because it’s worth it.

Social Media: A Second Full-Time Job

You talk about building a brand – what role do social media play in this process?

[laughs] Huge. And exhausting.

Do you know how much time I spend now creating content for social media?

As much as I spend on photography itself.

This isn’t an exaggeration. This is the truth.

Planning content, creating it, editing, captions, hashtags, responding to comments, stories, reels, carousels, engagement, algorithms… It’s a full-time job.

And I’m doing this alongside being a photographer, mother, entrepreneur, mentor, educator…

But I see results. Over the year, I gained about 1,000 followers. This time mainly from Poland.

This isn’t a viral success story. I know for some people this is nothing. But for me it’s enormous happiness – to attract people with my personality and photography who want to stay with me longer.

And you know what’s most important? This community I’m building around my photography is priceless.

They want to see my work. They feel me, my photography, my sensitivity. They think what I create is important, needed, interesting. Valuable.

But… [pause] …this is just the beginning. I need to build a much larger audience in Poland.

And that’s a challenge in 2025 when:

→ Algorithms change every month (something worked great? In a month it doesn’t work anymore)
→ AI generates tons of content (how do you stand out in this noise?)
→ People are overloaded (scroll, scroll, scroll – how do you stop them?)
→ Organic reach is dropping (you have to pay for them to even see you)

This is a very difficult task. And frustrating beyond belief.

Because you create valuable content, put in hours of work, pour your heart out – and sometimes the reach is… 200 people. Out of 9,000 followers.

But I have no choice. In today’s world, social media isn’t an “add-on” to a photography business.

It is the business itself.

If you’re not visible online – you don’t exist. Regardless of how many awards you have.

Ebooks: Knowledge I Want to Share

You mentioned ebooks. Tell us more – why did you write them?

Over these 8 years, I’ve accumulated enormous knowledge about photography competitions. I know what works, what doesn’t work, how to choose competitions, how to prepare photos, how to build a competition portfolio, how to approach competition strategically.

And I saw how many photographers were wandering lost. Paying for competitions where they had no chance. Getting frustrated. Giving up. Wasting money and time.

“How to Conquer the World of Photography Competitions” is an ebook I would have wanted to read when I was starting out.

Practical, concrete knowledge – not textbook theory, but experience from winning competitions. What really works. What pitfalls to avoid. How not to waste money.

“Shoot Without Fear” is something different – it’s about breaking through mental blocks. About how to deal with what I myself went through and still go through: uncertainty, doubt, fear of failure, impostor syndrome.

But here’s the paradox: I have these valuable products and… I’m learning to sell them. I’m learning to show their value.

It’s like being a good chef who doesn’t know how to write a menu. You have the best dish in the world, but nobody knows about it because you can’t describe it.

I’m working on it. This is part of the brand-building process that nobody talks about – you can have the best product in the world, but if you don’t know how to sell it, nobody will find out about it.

For My People from Around the World

For people who follow you from abroad – what would you like to tell them?

You are my fundamental part.

Without you, without the community I built over the years in Gibraltar, Spain, the UK, USA, Germany, France – I wouldn’t have the courage to start in Poland.

Your support, your messages, the fact that you still book sessions when I fly over – it shows that the brand we built together isn’t geo-located.

It’s global.

And now we’re simply expanding it to the Polish market. Adding another chapter to our shared story.

Many of you wrote: “We’ll miss you!”

But I haven’t disappeared anywhere! I’m still available, I’m still flying, I’m still the same Marta with the same heart and the same passion. I just have two bases now instead of one.

Actually – three: Poland, Gibraltar, Spain. A triangle that sets the rhythm of my life.

For Clients from Kraków: What I’m Looking For

And for potential clients in Kraków and the surrounding area?

If you’re looking for a photographer who will give you a standard session – I’m probably not for you. And that’s okay.

But if you dream of something exceptional? Photos that will hang in your home like works of art? That will evoke wonderful memories and stir emotions every time you look at them? That won’t lie forgotten on a hard drive.

That’s exactly what I offer.

I don’t do 10 sessions a day. I’m very selective. Each session is a full production, full artistic engagement, full heart.

That’s why I can accept a limited number of clients per year.

But those who work with me get something absolutely unique. Something they won’t get anywhere else. Something that will stay with them forever.

And remember – you don’t have to fly to Gibraltar to have a session with me.

I’m here. In Mogilany. 20 minutes from Kraków.

World-class – local availability.

Plans for Year Two: Realistic Optimism

What are you planning for this second year in Poland?

My plans are ambitious, but I’m also trying to be realistic.

I’m learning from this first year that everything takes longer than you think, costs more than you planned, and requires more patience than you had.

Release the second ebook – “Shoot Without Fear” is ready, now I need to learn to sell it. This is my real-time marketing lesson.

More public speaking – Conferences work. They give visibility, authority, recognition. I plan to apply to more events. To show up. To be present.

Further community building – MCPA is growing, but I also want more local initiatives. Meetups, workshops, presence in the photography community. This will be a huge asset for me. I don’t want to keep working alone. I want to be part of an artistic community.

Learn to sell value – This is my biggest challenge. I have products, services, knowledge, experience – now I need to learn to communicate their value in a way that convinces. That reaches people. That converts followers into clients. I hate it when someone is constantly trying to sell me something. And I don’t want to do that either. But if someone needs me, I want them to know I’m here and where they can find me.

Above all – survive the next year – Sounds pessimistic? Maybe. But it’s honest.

The first year was survival mode. The second year is consolidation. Only the third, maybe, will be expansion.

And stop being afraid. Stop doubting myself. That’s also a plan – though the hardest one to execute.

Advice for Yourself a Year Ago

Last question – what would you tell yourself from a year ago, on moving day?

[long pause, smile]

“There will be days when you’ll want to throw it all away. Don’t do it. Wait it out.”

“The next day will be better. Not always right away. But better.”

“You have to not give up and do your thing. And everything will be fine.”

“P.S. And you don’t even know how many new things you’ll learn through these upcoming problems. How many times you’ll surprise yourself. How many times you’ll be proud of yourself when you look back.”

Truth, Not a Fairy Tale

What I want you to take away from this interview isn’t “look how wonderful I am” but “look what the truth is.”

The truth about building a business. About doubts. About difficulties. About tears and frustration. About days when you want to throw it all away.

And about the fact that despite everything, you keep going.

Because it’s worth it. Because you love what you do. Because you have no other choice. Because this is your life, your passion, your calling.

Building a brand from scratch in a new place – despite international success, despite awards, despite titles – is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

But also the most satisfying.

Because I’m doing it on my terms. With authenticity. With heart. With truth.

And if my story can inspire even one person who’s thinking about trying, about starting over, about leaving their comfort zone – it was worth it.