The Pursuit of Natural Wonders
At Full Frame Insurance, we make it our top priority to help you pursue your passion and offer photography insurance. We caught up with the photographer, Paulius Jankevicius, who has traveled across continents to capture some of the world’s most breathtaking vistas and skylines. He told us about his passions; family, photography, and travel.
Paulius and his wife, Simona, were drawn to Utah’s rocky mountain landscape, and decided to call it home.
“I’m from Lithuania, but I’ve always liked to travel. I particularly wanted to visit the western United States, with all its mountains and canyons,” Paulius said. “That’s how I ended up in Utah, together with my wife, Simona. I began working here as a web developer. Luckily, in Utah, it’s not hard to find beautiful places to go nearby, and I’ve made sure to take my camera with me whenever I travel.”
Learning on the Road
Paulius wasn’t always an expert photographer. He began, like many of us, admiring the work of others. Eventually, he saw opportunities to develop his own skill as a photographer, and worked to take advantage of them.
“I always adored beautiful photos from other photographers. I started thinking, ‘I want to see those places and create such pictures, too!’” Paulius stated. “During this time I was singing in a choir, which traveled frequently. During these travels, I started to practice and learn the intricacies of photography. Before long, photography became a great opportunity for me to make beautiful memories from some remarkable places around the world. I hope my pictures will inspire somebody to travel; there are so many beautiful places around. Especially here in Utah, those awesome places are never far away; just go out and enjoy the beauty!”
The Expression of Passion
Photography—or any form of art—is a valuable pursuit only if it’s accompanied by genuine passion. In part, this is because the practice of art involves a great deal of learning and failure on the way to success. For every astounding photograph, there are hundreds that ended up on the cutting room floor.
“The result really makes the whole process worth it,” stated Paulius. “Sometimes when I’m taking a picture, I’m already thinking to myself, ‘This is going to be a great picture!’ I’m already excited in that moment and I remain in that excitement till the final version of image comes out. Finally, if I like my picture; that’s the best feeling.”
This isn’t always how a shoot turns out, however.
“Realistically, though, I only feel this way about maybe one picture out of 100. Getting that one great shot, though, is worth the other 99 ones that don’t turn out perfectly.”
Seeing the Best Shots in Nature
There’s more to photography than driving around the mountains and sticking a camera out of the window. It takes a trained and talented eye to find spots that can truly turn into great photographs.
“The most common challenge I face probably would be to notice the picture,” said Paulius. “There are a lot of great views that are hard to turn into nice pictures—it’s just much nicer in reality—and sometimes it’s vice versa; the view looks regular, but if you would put your camera to specific point with a specific angle and settings, you could get a great shot. You have to be focused and observant to notice all those possible shots.”
Often, for Paulius, finding that perfect angle to get the right shot involves stretching himself beyond his comfort zone.
“Another challenge I face trying to get the perfect shot is my fear of heights. Sometimes, I have to literally stand on a cliff to get a great shot.”
For someone with a love of the nature and vistas of the Western US, this has ended up being a common problem.
“I’ve had to put myself out there on almost in every trip I take in the US. Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Yosemite—in all those places, I had to force myself to stand in spots that scared me to the point that my legs were shaking. Everything has gone fine, at least for now.”
The Destination Is Worth the Journey
At the end of the day, Paulius’s passion for getting the perfect shot supersedes any reservations he has on the way to finding it.
“Again, the result is always the best thing. Sometimes, I’m really scared to take a photo because of the height; sometimes I have to wait till 2 AM or wake up at 4 AM to get the right lighting, but when that extra effort results in a beautiful picture… That’s just a great feeling, knowing that I created something nice that I can share with others.”
A Family Affair
Paulius is not alone in his travels to find the perfect shots. Along with him for the journey is his wife, Simona, an artist herself. Together, they push each other to further master their respective crafts.
“My wife is not afraid of heights, so she sometimes pushes me to go to some places where I wouldn’t go alone. Except maybe “Angels Landing” in Zion National park – we both were scared there. She always waits with patience until I make that shot, which can sometimes take quite a while.”
The support goes both ways.
“Simona makes and sells dream catchers, so I always help her any way I can, whether it be support, or even helping with marketing.”
For photographers looking to improve, or for newcomers hoping to turn their interest into an actual skill, Paulius has a few words of counsel.
“The best thing you can do is to just start. You don’t need an expensive camera to make a good shot. Like somebody said, ‘The most important thing in photography is not the camera, it’s what’s behind the camera.’ So just try—try new angles and take photos that you’d like to see. If you enjoy it, somebody else will enjoy it too.”
You can find Paulius’s work on his website, or follow him on Instagram.
Photographer Insurance From Full Frame
Full Frame has coverage options to meet the many needs of photographers. Whether you’ve been in the industry for years, or you just started freelancing, FFI has something to fit your style, business size, and budget. We offer photographer insurance and have an annual or event plan framed for you.
