
Do you work a lot? We can measure this in different ways – by the number of orders, photo shoots per year, or companies we cooperate with. Or maybe you have another measure?
Basia Kuligowska: My work routine has changed since I reduced the intensity of my work at Pion to focus on my new passion for massage. Now, I can say that I work just the right amount. I have time for many things outside my professional duties, which I didn’t have a few years ago. However, it’s hard for me to assess whether I work more or less compared to someone with a regular job, because most of my post-work activities are developmental and directly or indirectly influence my professional life.
Przemysław Nieciecki: Last year, I decided to significantly reduce the number of photo shoots. By stepping back from certain projects, I’ve been able to reorganize how I manage my time. Just like Basia, this has allowed me to gain time for activities outside of work. In fact, I worked very little last year, and paradoxically, it was the best time in our career in terms of results. And it’s absolutely not about achieving work-life balance – I don’t believe in that theory. For me, it leads to stagnation, breakdowns in both life and work.
How do you divide your week? Are there days when you say a firm “no” to work?
B.K.: We don’t have a rigid schedule. In general, things slow down on the weekends when it comes to Pion Studio – emails don’t come in, most of the world is resting – but we sometimes work then because we enjoy that weekend or holiday calm. I also like to do massages and lead workshops on weekends. During the week, I focus more on development, like taking contact improvisation classes or attending various workshops or training sessions related to my work and massage.
P.N.: I like that we don’t bring work home. Having our own studio helps a lot with this. During the week, we usually work standard hours, and weekends are slower. However, over the course of a month or a quarter, you can see that this division sometimes shifts – mostly due to trips for photo shoots. Right now, it seems that a photo shoot is even a time for relaxation. It’s a comfortable moment to focus solely on something very enjoyable – photographing. Other duties, like replying to emails, calls, running the business, and managing equipment, are the more demanding part.


What does relaxation mean to you?
B.K.: For me, deep relaxation is entering a meditative state of being in the present moment. It’s about stopping in the body and achieving harmony in the nervous system. I can achieve this not only by sitting still and meditating. This state can also arise when I’m dancing, lifting weights, walking in the woods, reading an engrossing book, or cooking soup. The most important thing is for my thoughts to focus on the present moment and the specific activity.
P.N.: On a global scale, relaxation is the reward for taking responsibility for the things you can control. Relaxation is also a mandatory part of my daily routine – I’m sure that this principle helps me function well and recharge my life batteries.
Have you always known how to relax?
P.N.: Yes.
B.K.: Definitely not. Learning how to relax, as I understand it now, is an ongoing process. My brain training and practice help with this – regularly entering a state of mindfulness. I used to not understand what relaxation meant for me, or more importantly, what truly worked for me. Thankfully, I know now.
Is it harder to relax when you do work you love and are passionate about?
B.K.: This time I’ll say, "not anymore." Half of my work is about learning to relax, and during that work, like when I’m giving a massage, I’m already relaxing because I bring my attention to the present moment – I’m meditating. Working at Pion, on the other hand, involves a lot of activity, stimuli, and creative processes, which can be exhausting even though they’re stimulating. Now that I’m doing two things, they complement each other and provide balance for me. But it’s true that I got into massage because I felt overworked and burnt out when I was only running Pion – today I know that kind of setup wasn’t right for me.
P.N.: On one hand, you can just close your laptop and go home, no matter what’s going on. On the other hand, there are many moments when it feels like a waste to give up, because you know you’ll miss out on something. But balancing between FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and ROMO (Relaxation of Missing Out) is pretty interesting.


How do you prefer to relax? Are there places where it’s easier for you to do so? Or maybe the time of day is important?
P.N.: I have a place in the south of France where I relax. Surprisingly, I also relax really well on airplanes. On a daily basis, I try to get enough sleep, stay in good physical condition, and not worry about the small stuff.
B.K.: For me, the time of day and the place aren’t that important, although of course, a morning meditation with a view of my favorite sea in the south of France, where we go every summer, is wonderful. But recently, it feels just as good to lie down on an acupressure mat in the evening in my own bed. I also really enjoy relaxing in a group, in shared meditation. I attend technomeditations, which are classes organized by my contact improvisation teacher, Andrzej Woźniak. In a group of several dozen people, we meditate in motion to club music – I highly recommend it.
Any relaxation rituals?
B.K.: I have many little rituals that help me deepen my connection with my body and ground myself: aromatherapy, weighted blankets, well-chosen music. I use these in massage. I share more of this during my workshops.
P.N.: I like cuddling with Basia and Les [Basia and Przemysław’s dog – editor’s note] on the weekends and just watching how cute they are.
Where are you going on vacation in the near future?
B.K.: The next trip will probably be during the winter holidays somewhere in the mountains because Przemysław loves skiing, and I love spending time in the sauna.

Pion Studio is a photography and video studio founded by Basia Kuligowska and Przemysław Nieciecki in 2014. They work in various areas such as interiors and architecture, still life, landscape, and lifestyle. With their exceptional sensitivity to detail and light, they successfully collaborate with brands in the hospitality, tourism, interior design, and furniture industries.
Interviewed by Agata Napiórska
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