WI: Most of your images are captured at night – what do you love about working in the dark evening hours?

ML: The sight of light emerging from the darkness fascinates me – things like lanterns, illuminated subway entrances, shop windows, office lights, etc. When these are juxtaposed against the darkness you can get incredible results. Besides, I always want to learn how to take pictures that draw people in and lend a new perspective on things.

Do you plan your shoots or are your photos taken spontaneously?

Originally they were totally spontaneous. Recently, however, I’ve started creating shoot lists in my head and using friends as models or heading to pre-determined locations. On my Insta, you’ll definitely now find a few photos that are more ‘arranged’.

What are you shooting with and what’s your post-production process?

I’ve got a Sony A7III camera and use Tamron and Samyang lenses. All the editing, meanwhile, is done in Lightroom. I spend quite a lot of time editing, but I absolutely love doing it – especially when the results come close to what I’d first imagined. As the saying goes, you can do the impossible right away, but you need to wait a little longer for miracles!

In your mind, what makes a beautiful photo?

It’s all about capturing the moment. The most beautiful thing about an image is the ‘moment’ and the way we perceive it. Each of us has a different point of view, and that’s what the most beautiful thing of all is.

What do you love about photographing Warsaw – what makes the city such a good model?

It’s a city that doesn’t have a specific mood. Warsaw’s a patchwork city that really inspies. The contrasts, for instance in the city’s architecture, generate a unique atmosphere and then you’ve got the various lights, trams, metro stops, etc.

Do you have any favorite secret little places in Warsaw that you love to shoot?

Well, they’re not secret and they’re not small, but I really enjoy shooting photos around Rondo ONZ and Daszyńskiego – they remind me of London and Rotterdam, two cities that I really enjoy and try to visit as regularly as possible. I’m trying to get to know Warsaw all the time. I’ve been here for three-years now, but even so I’m still discovering new things every now and again.

We’re assuming, by the way, that you’re a pro photographer?

Ha, maybe when I grow up! I started photographing when I was a kid – whilst my friends were getting bikes, I was asking for cameras. True, I gave up photography for a while, but true love never dies. I picked up photography again last year and since then me and my camera have lived happily ever after!

Finally, what’s in the name: Mustache Lens?

The Lens bit is self-explanatory, but Mustache is a modified version of my surname – none of my English-speaking friends could ever pronounce my surname so I changed it a little to make it easier for them to say. Hopefully, I think Mustache Lens is quite original.

For more on Mustache Lens,

check: instagram