I studied at UCF with Lena. She was in the year below me. I was always fascinated with her approach to photography and admired her passion. I am thrilled to have her mull it over.

JONATHAN CHERRY: What two things have inspired you over the last week?

LENA DOBROWOLSKA: Definitely the snowy weather. I spent most of last month in Scotland and I found myself totally mesmerised by the northern landscape, the monochromatic colours, incredible light, just this vastness of space that makes you feel really tiny, in a good way.

The other thing would be the film I watched recently LILYA 4 - EVER by Lukas Moodysson, which actually involved lots of snow too and was shot in Russia as well as Sweden.

JC: What was the last photography book you look through?

LD: ‘Afterglow’ by Ori Gersht - status of a Bible, really. Plus very interesting essay by Joanna Lowry which I highly recommend.

JC: What is your current project all about?

LD: My current project is concerned with the relation between the reality and it’s representation.

JC: What is the project ‘Blank’ all about?

LD: ‘Blank’ is still in progress, and it is a temporary title for this body of work It explores the detached relationship of a photograph with its subject matter. I am interested in the ability of a photographic portrait to become a kind of screen for viewer’s own revelations. It resembles the process of creation and identity; we only learn about oneself through others, through differentiation and recognition of those differences. I am continuing to photograph this group of children and I am hoping to finish by the end of June 2010 (which will make it exactly a year long project).

JC: I am fascinated by the above (first) image - Did you find it an easy process-photographing children?

LD: Certainly not, I am working with a large format camera, which must look really scary to the children; so in a way the initial process was rather tough. Working with this sort of equipment paid back though, because children are so used to cameras these days, they ‘pull’ their smiley snapshot faces instantly and almost instinctively as soon as they hear that they’ll be photographed. The very slow process of photographing with a large format camera made the whole experience of posing totally new to them. I think you can see this in my photographs, particularly the one you mentioned, a kind of fear of unknown, but trust too, for which I feel really grateful. Although, I must admit I never look at my subjects when I press the shutter, so I don’t know who is really scared of who.

JC: Have you got any exciting prospects for 2010?

LD: Hopefully will get my degree and have our final show both in Falmouth and London. After which, I plan to get really busy once I leave Cornwall, maybe a little trip to somewhere far North?

JC: Any other thoughts?

LD: Stay calm and carry on, come what may.