Photographer Still Has ‘The Eye’ for Living Dreams

Marzena Grabczynska Lorenc does “what I love, and I love what I do.”

The waxed philosophic at the during a recent reception for her newest art gallery “,” which runs until April 30.

Covering a variety of locations, Lorenc utilizes a variety of lenses that filter out a photo’s surroundings and sometimes give color to one object that catches a viewer’s eye. 

In “Waiting for the Prince,” taken in a room at the abandoned Psychiatric Hospital at King’s Park, Brooklyn, Lorenc hung her daughter’s pink dress on a window. In the photo, the pink dress is rich with color, while the surrounding damaged walls are in black and white with a hint of sepia.

Lorenc has been taking photos her whole life – mostly family portraits – but growing up under communist rule, was not able to afford the luxury of a decent camera until she came to America.

“My sister had a neighbor (Richard Calvo) that was a professional photographer,” she said. “And I showed him my portfolio and he gave me the go.”

Calvo's advice gave Lorenc the push to take photography more seriously. 

“It feels nice to have a professional photographer tell you that you got the eye, go for it,” she said.

Since 2008, Lorenc has joined the Glen Cove-based Long Island Photography Meetup Group, a place for professional and amateur photographers to network and teach each other their skills. Currently the group boasts 236 members and is what Lorenc credits with developing the skills she has today.

Lorenc’s work has been shown in different places as well as the Long Island Center of Photography at the African American Museum in Hempstead where she was named best in show for the exhibition, “Beauty of the Forsaken.”

At the reception for the “In My Dreams” exhibit, members of the group came to support Lorenc’s work with several other members commenting on her ‘eye’ for photography.

“(The group) went on this trip to take photos and everyone saw the area differently,” said Joe Nightingale, one of the group’s members, on Lorenc’s piece, “Our House…In the Middle of the Pond,” which was taken in Cedemere, Long Island. “At this pond, everyone was busy trying to capture the ducks but nobody got the house.”

Fellow Photography Meetup group member Ellen Dunn added that Lorenc has been the “inspiration” for her as well as many other people in the group.