MEET EIMANTAS PAULAUSKAS
(@eiimantas)

Can you tell us how you became interested in photography and how it became your career?

E: Photography has interested me ever since I can remember. I don’t even know why. When I was a child, my parents gave me a digital photo camera. I kept bringing it to school to take photos with my classmates. After school, I would take it outside and photograph all the trees and roads. With the beginning of the Instagram era, I began taking pictures with a smartphone. I even organized a few photo sessions for my friends and took all the pictures with my phone.

Over time, the desire to get better results has led me to start watching various photography lessons on Youtube. Every free minute I had, I observed how foreign photographers work and, at the same time, saved for my first professional camera. The desire to take better pictures grew much faster than I was able to save money. So I borrowed money from my friend and bought a used Canon. It was one of the happiest days of my life. As soon as I picked up the camera, I already knew how to handle it, as I had watched probably every possible video related to it.

I was quite shy, so I rarely offered to take photos of other people, and as a result – I improved slowly. Gradually, I started photographing events in my town. I earned my first salary, and my self-esteem increased. After moving to Vilnius, I offered to take photos for everyone. I photographed events in my college and accepted all the opportunities. It is how I got to where I am now. For three years now, I have worked as a photographer full-time.

Where do you find the most inspiration?

E: I usually draw inspiration from the works of other photographers. At one point, I followed probably half of the Lithuanian photographers, but I noticed that it demotivated me. The human aesthetic taste develops faster than his talents, so I was always sad after the photo sessions because I could not get a result similar to that of a successful photographer who creates perfect photos.

Now I behave differently – I no longer compare myself with the achievements of others. I am happy for my colleagues and their successful projects, but I go my own way. As for art photography, all of my important works, collections of photographs, several of which have become exhibitions, have emerged from pain, sadness, and other similar experiences. During periods of personal upheaval, photography is a part of self-expression and therapy for me.

What is most important to you in photography – the people you photograph, the concept/idea itself, technical solutions, or something else?

E: I could not single out one aspect. Everything is important. Every time before a photoshoot, I prepare for it thoroughly. I come up with an idea, create a mood board, prepare a lightning layout plan, and coordinate with the client. I want the final result to be enjoyed not only by the client but also by myself.

You chose our nude Andrumsloft shirt for this project. Can you tell us what idea lies behind the photos you took?

E: This particular shirt reminds me of summer. The nude color is reminiscent of the seafront, the warmth, and that pleasant summer breeze. Waiting for summer – that would be the subject of these photos. The amazing model Noah Baumann quickly understood my vision and helped to create the right mood in these photos. Big thanks to him!