ANNA BLODA is a Polish-born, NYC-based photographer, model and vintage collector who trained at the Łódź Film School. She scouts her subjects on the subway, in bars and on the street, building a sensual portrait of her generation. Her work has appeared in PAPER, Dazed and LADYGUNN, and her solo show MOTHER-HOOD opened on New York’s Lower East Side in 2023.

We asked, Anna answered.

What does TEMPTRESS mean to you?

I am a TEMPTRESS myself. To me, temptation is the essence of life — an eternal dance between attraction and distance, desire and mystery. It’s through this dance, through seduction and feminine power, that life begins and new things are born. Seduction is not just about sexuality. It’s the creative force that keeps the world moving.

You find your people on the street. Who was the first stranger who stopped you?

I’m constantly being stopped by strangers, and I stop others too. That's one of the reasons I love being in New York. The energy on the trains and streets is intoxicating. Love is in the air. People look, people stare, people flirt, people tempt.

A long time ago, I stopped the infamous photographer Terry Richardson in Washington Square Park. We had a lovely chat that almost turned into a photoshoot.

Behind the camera or in front of it: where are you more of a sinner?

Behind the camera I create the sin. In front of camera I become the sin.

Can a mother be a TEMPTRESS?

Motherhood doesn’t erase desire, but enhance it. The most beautiful is when woman is able to connect to all parts of femininity. I believe that becoming a mother clips together all these aspects and dimensions; She can be a mother, a muse, and a TEMPTRESS in one. But even being a mother is fluid idea. Because a woman who doesn’t have a child can also be a mother.

What’s one rule New York taught you to break?

New York taught me to break the rule that women should become quieter, less visible, or less bold with age. This city gave me a freedom to express myself without fear or apology. The older I get, the louder, sexier, more fearless, and unapologetically I become.

Photos by Jéan Toir