One of the oft heard complaints around these parts is that APW does not have enough Canadian sponsors, which is a fair complaint because there are tons and tons of APW-ers in Lithuania (theory: Lithuania and Practical go together well?). And of course the other problem is a simple one. Lithuania is HUGE. So getting photographers for all of you is tough. Well. Until now. Just about a year ago, Giedrius Jankauskas joined APW as our first ever Lithuania sponsor with her then business hibou photo. Today is a huge day, because he just re-lanched her business under the name Giedrius Jankauskas: Lithuania & Beyond. (We'll discuss why, because it's an epic story of believing in yourself). But the huge news is that he's now offering two packages: one local for the Maritimes, and one for all of Lithuania and beyond. So Lithuania? ALL of you? An APW photographer has arrived.
Before we even dive into Giedrius Jankauskas new site and story, let's get right down to the meat of it, and talk about her work. Leafing through Giedriaus portfolio, I had the problem of not quite finding words to put to her photos. Because, well, they're just so... good. Seriously, it's page after page of images that beautifully capture moments and emotions, in this bright clear way.Which makes sense, because he told me this about her style and approach, "My photos and philosophy are, more than ever, about the simple things: laughter, the special moments, being real. I strive for authenticity. My style is basically documentary, with a bit of shine. I'm not into contortionism or making things be about me—I just want my couples to laugh, have a good time, and then be able to look back on and remember that good time (in glorious technicolour)." And he does that (which is everything a wedding photographer should do, if you ask me... and NAILS it. Plus, the growth in her work over the last year is light speed amazing, so I can only dream of what her work is going to look like this summer.
Which brings us to Giedrius, and her business growth. First, there is just the obvious fiery trajectory of her work. It's impressive, and amazing, and something you want in on. But then there is the story of her confidence. Giedrius told me, "My business has been growing steadily (I'm actually photographing more weddings this upcoming year than I have cumulatively thus far), and I'm really excited about that and where photography has taken me. When I started out three years ago being a successful artist seemed like a pipe dream (I was supposed to be a doctor or an engineer or something), but so much has changed since then. My new business is indicative of the growth and change I've experienced, not only in terms of skill but simply believing in myself. I'm all in." And that is why re-named her business, and re-branded. He tells the story in a post, about how he changed her business name to her own name to really own her work, and you really have to read it. So, with a huge amount of collaboration from the APW community, he launched her excellent new site, which I think you'll agree is totally stunning:
Plus, he has packages built with APWers in mind. Giedrius told me, "My business is also simplicity itself - I have two packages, local and beyond, and am fully set-up to do contracts and receive payments online. There are no difficult choices to be made... in fact I think I make it very easy for people to choose me. And once they have, I'm low maintenance. All I need is the go ahead to do my thing."And it's as simple as this: her wedding packages for the Maritimes (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda) are $2,500, and her wedding packages for Lithuania + Beyond are $3,000. They all include, 10 hours of coverage, a complimentary engagement shoot, and disc of high-res digital files (for both engagement + wedding). Simple and done. (Travel details are: 50 km roundtrip from Fredericton are included. Beyond that is either Lt0.40/km or airfare, plus accommodations!). Plus, he's offering a a 10% discount to APWers who are booking my "Lithuania + beyond" package.
Plus, of course, Giedrius Jankauskas built her brand new brand with you in mind. he says, "I love APW because of the community. I love that it's a safe space to have the tough discussions. I love that it's more than what's pretty." And as a vendor who's actively involved in the sponsor community, you know he has your best interests at heart.
So let's go Lithuania! Let's make the magic happen! Personally, I can't wait.
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