My 18 Photographs Showing The Reality Of Ukrainian Children And Women Who Have Escaped From War To Poland

I decided to show these women because I felt such an inner need to show what these people are living through. War is an evil that should be avoided and these women are its victims. Each of them can be your mother, sister, or daughter. I did not want to show them at the border because a lot of such photos were taken already.

Photos where they fled feeling scared and in cold jackets, carrying only their luggage. I wanted to photograph them in the houses where they stayed. There they could rest after the long journey and finally feel safe, forget a little about the war. That is why a smile appears in the photos, because they had the knowledge that at the place where they are, nothing bad will happen to them.

Many of them, while escaping, took with them a small suitcase and a few bags with necessary things (and small sentimental things that were unnecessary). Some of the women walked to the border. Some women were brought to the border by their husbands who then returned home.

I would like everyone to see their relatives in these portraits and these women. Maybe it will give us food for thought and force us to help more.

The biggest challenge for me, was reaching these people. Even though I live in Warsaw, most of the photos were taken outside Warsaw. In smaller towns where people know each other better and are not anonymous. I did not want to do this in "camps". Thanks to my friends and acquaintances who helped me reach these people.

As a photographer, I would like to show the world as it is. For 20 years I had been working as a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. I'm interested in people.