Vladislav Galgonek

Vladislav Galgonek (14 May 1946 – 6 April 2026) was a Czech professional photographer and photojournalist.

Life and career Vladislav Galgonek was a native of the village of Horní Žukov, where he spent his childhood and developed a positive relationship with nature that influenced both his personal and professional life. He received his first camera from his uncle for Christmas while in the sixth grade, a moment he considered life-changing. He was interested not only in taking photos but also in the developing process; he set up his own amateur darkroom in the bathroom, where the joy of seeing his first self-made prints left a lasting impression. To further his skills, he joined a photography club and acquired a better camera, a Flexaret twin-lens reflex camera.

While his mother wanted him to study to become a veterinarian, Galgonek was drawn to photography and unsuccessfully applied to the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU). Following this, he studied at a secondary agricultural-technical school in Český Těšín, where he continued to develop his craft and met his first well-known photographers. He continued taking photos even during his military service in Mladá Boleslav, where he served as a medic. After his service, he joined BorsodChem MCHZ (chemical plant in Ostrava), as he did not wish to continue in agriculture.

Knowing he wanted to pursue photography full-time, he completed a course in art photography at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory (People's Conservatory) between 1967 and 1969. In 1971, he began his professional career as an art photographer at the Odra Mine in Ostrava. On 1 February 1973, he joined the Czech News Agency (ČTK) in Prague, serving as a photojournalist for the Olomouc regional office. He continued to collaborate with ČTK even after his retirement.

He preferred traditional photography, including developing and processing, and found the transition to digital photography difficult. He was more fond of black-and-white photography, which he felt was more natural than color, believing that color "stole the spirit" of the photograph.

Solo exhibitions Galgonek held exhibitions beginning in the 1970s, including: Hukvaldy (1976) Uničov (1984, 1987) Jeseník (1985) Havířov (1992) Šternberk (1992) Olomouc (1990, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2006) Mohelnice (2001)