Sandra
Mickiewicz

An emerging Polish documentary and portrait photographer, Sandra Mickiewicz graduated in 2018. Predominantly shooting on analogue film, Sandra’s work is inspired by people and their personal stories, she documents topics of everyday life and candid, conventional moments. Turning her lens on the Traveller community, Sandra captures beautiful observations of a marginalised society in the standout project ‘Proud of the Origin’.

Influenced by the documentary heroines Sally Mann and Mary Ellen Mark, Sandra aims to capture the spirit and pride of the community, exploring their unique culture and unconventional history. Documenting subjects away from the mainstream and on the fringes of society is often the focus of reportage photography, but what drew us to Sandra’s project is her gentle and nuanced study of the community – particularly her striking portraits of the Traveller children.

There is a defining confidence and an aura of knowingness in Sandra’s portraits. Her young subjects appear somewhat older than their years. Wise, composed, and with an air of self-confidence - they look directly into the camera. Photographed in soft, beautiful light, the children look proud and almost whimsical. Sandra’s photographs capture a sense of place and belonging - images of a resolute, tight-knit community steeped in traditions passed down through the generations before.