Roberto Shumski Captures the Light and Shadows of Landscapes

Welcome to Hero of the Week, an ongoing series sharing stories from some of the best photographers in the Pexels community.

Landscape photography takes more skill than you might think at first — it's not just about finding a beautiful place to shoot, but about creating a unique frame on a scene, waiting for the right light and shadow, observing the contrasts between textures and colors.

That's why Roberto Shumski's photography stood out to us right away. He certainly finds stunning locations to shoot, but he also brings a creative perspective to every image, with special attention to how shadows can create fascinating contrast in a photograph.

Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, Roberto is a full-time visual content creator working in photography and videography for commercial and personal projects. We talked to him about how he got started as a photographer and what inspires his work.

Pexels: How did you get started with photography?

It was always fun to take a camera on a trip with friends and shoot some raw moments, freeze emotions, or just experiment.

After some time I got asked to take a few photos of an event and even got paid (was hard to believe at the time), so something after that clicked in my mind, that perhaps I could do this full time... and here we are, I am working full time for the past four years in this field.

What camera gear do you use?

I am currently using the Sony system. As a hybrid shooter it is the most convenient system on the market for photography and videography.

What's your favorite type of photography to shoot?

It used to be landscape, just because I love the outdoors. However recently I really enjoy playing with portraits and experimenting with different light and shadows.

What inspires your photography?

I think mostly other creatives. When you see amazing work, you just want to try and achieve something similar — very often by trying you end up going on a new path which takes you to some new place.

Tell us about your favorite photo on your Pexels profile.

Just because so many people reach out to me through instagram and other platforms after they either saw or used this image. I guess it just makes me feel that I inspired others.

Who are some other photographers or artists who inspire your work?

There are so many. Mango Street is one of them.

What's one piece of advice you would give someone who is new to photography?

It gets easy once you try, so just experiment and try different things as much as possible.

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