Ivana Bednářová | archiv Jadran Šetlík
A photographer who has been capturing beauty and elegance for years has come up with a new perspective. In his In the Footsteps of Role Models series, Jadran Šetlík shows that inspiration and style are not only taken from trends, but also from the people who accompany us through life.
Jadran, your name is synonymous with elegant portraits. What does photography mean to you today?
Photography is still a way for me to discover the truth. Not only the visual one but, more importantly, also the internal one. When someone stands in front of my lens, it’s not only about appearance or perfect styling. What matters is what the person radiates, how their life story shows through. And that’s what I’m trying to capture.
Your new series In the Footsteps of Role Models is attracting a lot of attention. What’s the story behind that idea?
For a long time I had been thinking about how to express the influence of the people who shape us. Parents, teachers, mentors, but also public figures who inspire us from a distance. This is how the In the Footsteps of Role Models series was created. Every portrait is a dialogue – between the subject and their role model, between the past and the present.
The project gradually expanded into three separate categories. In the Footsteps of Role Models – Children, Teenagers presents young talents and the role models that inspired them. In the Footsteps of Role Models – Personalities and Their Successors focuses on intergenerational continuity, where founders and mentors pass on their experience to their followers. Finally, The World in the Footsteps of Czech Role Models commemorates Czech personalities whose work and legacy have crossed the borders of our country and also inspired people abroad.
Can you give us some specific examples?
Of course, plenty. Among the portraits we can find, for example, the violin virtuoso Jaroslav Svěcený and his talented pupil Beata, the legendary goalkeeper Dominik Hašek with a talented young hockey goalkeeper Lea, prof. Petr Neužil with his medical student Sandra, and architect Eva Jiřičná with her student – a future architect. In addition, there are people inspired by the actors of the inter-war era, their elegance and gracefulness. Others have found their role models among athletes as symbols of discipline and strong willpower. And still others look up to artists, musicians or painters who have shown them the way to their own creativity. It’s fascinating to see how different yet powerful stories people carry within themselves.
How do you translate these role models into visual form?
It’s not just about the face. I work with light, poses and the environment. If your role model is a musician, I look for rhythm and movement. If the role model is an actor, I work with drama and expression. And if the model is an athlete, I try to capture the tension, energy and dynamic. Each portrait is thus given a symbolism that connects the subject with their role model.
What surprised you the most while working on the cycle?
How strong the role models still are with people. They light up when they start talking about them. And then you can feel it in the photo. Some even told me that the project made them realise who has influenced them the most in their lives. This is a great satisfaction for me.
Do you plan to present the cycle publicly?
Yes, I’m preparing an exhibition that should be different from what people are used to with my portraits. I want visitors to not just be viewers but part of the story. To feel that they have entered into a dialogue – not only with the photographs, but also with their own role models.
And are there things that do not change in your work?
The desire for aesthetics. I believe that beauty has a purpose and that harmony is not a relic. What has changed is my view of perfection – I used to want the portrait to look perfect. Today I’m looking for authenticity. And sometimes it is more beautiful than perfection.
Jadran Šetlík presents more than just pictures. In his In the Footsteps of Role Models series, he opens up a topic that touches each of us – the people who inspire us, who shape our personality, and how this translates into who we are today.
Jardran Šetlík – in a nutshell
Early years and education: He became interested in photography during his studies, starting with experimental portraits and documentary images.
Professional beginnings: He completed his early independent projects in the 1990s, primarily foc-
using on portraits and fashion photography.
Exhibitions: His work has been presented in the Czech Republic and abroad – Prague, Brno, the Rudolfinum Gallery in Paris and at Berlin photography festivals.
Publications: His photographs have been published in art, culture and lifestyle magazines, including international titles.
Style: He became famous for combining class and depth, precise work with light and an emphasis on the psychology of the sitter.
New cycle: In the Footsteps of Role Models – Portraits of Personalities (actors, athletes, artists), linked to their life role models and inspirations.
Meaning: The series connects aesthetics, introspection and story – showing those who shape us and how this is reflected in our personalities.
