Vytenis Jankūnas

Face of My Town: Urban Portraits – NYC Edition

A half of my age I spent in New York City and always had been asking myself: what keeps me here for so long? Is it cultural richness, or the career opportunities this city can offer, or maybe the ability to experience most of what the world can offer without leaving the city? I guess everything at once, but one thing became certain to me: I fell in love with the people, the way they look, the way they dress, the way they talk. It is hard to find another city in the world with such, or similar diversity within its population. This is what my project is about, just walking the streets and capturing people with my camera religiously. The result is something in between street photography and portraits of people in the vulnerable state of everyday life.

I primarily use the photography medium as a creative tool lately. It gives me an advantage of capturing life around me in the most effective way possible. My work is a reflection of me, or my inner state in particular time and location through other people and objects I meet in my journey in and around NYC. My background in fine arts and painting lets me treat photography the way I would approach empty canvas, or sheet of paper. I do not stage, or influence my shots, but rather search and wait for the situation to occur and surprise me.