SELF-PORTRAIT:

SIMONAS BERUKSTIS

Words: Chekii Harling 

As part of our new series in which we’re shining a light on the creative talents of Selfridges team members, we invite you to meet our in-house photographer, Simonas Berukstis, as he shares his thoughts on the creative process, the story of how he became a fashion photographer and advice for those wanting to take a similar path.

On growing up

“I grew up in a Christian family – my dad is a pastor of a Pentecostal church – I’m sure that shaped the way I see things. I studied Fashion Photography at London College of Fashion, which is as diverse as it can be, so I’m a weird mix of my environments.”
 

On discovering photography 

“When I was a small child people would say “what do you want to be when you grow up?” There were three answers I always had: 1) a NASA astronaut, 2) an Olympic sprint runner or 3) a photographer. I randomly came across an article about a photographer from Lithuania who went to study at Middlesex University in London and was now doing well. It made me think ‘that’s what I want to do!’ For my 18th birthday my parents helped me to buy a camera and I was completely glued to it, photographing anyone who was in front of me. My brother’s colleague worked at a model agency at the time, so I started shooting model test shoots three to four times a week in between school – who knows when I did my homework! I made a portfolio, applied to university and next thing you know I’m on a plane to London...”

On London 

“I have completely fallen in love with and hate London at the same time. I can’t wait to escape but I can't wait to come back – that is how you define home, right? I love exploring the little exhibitions and the green forests and parks in north London, there are lots of hidden green gems that not many people know about.”

On his inspirations 

“Light is everything to me, it never stops to amaze and inspire me, it’s the first and the last thing I think about when I take pictures. I’m also inspired by art, cinema, and all my talented friends that I’m blessed to be surrounded by. I’m drawn to stories, documentaries and even TV series like The Crown which is dreadfully boring but so beautifully shot.

“One of my favourite movies is Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders which explores what would it mean to watch life go by without being able to participate in it. It doesn’t have a coherent storyline which is what I love about it – it’s like snippets of life, and the beauty of being in the moment.”

On the creative process 

“It almost always starts with lighting in response to the brief. I usually try to challenge the concept, introducing a variety of photographic and lighting techniques. But when the shoot starts and model steps in, I very quickly develop a fictional character and all the previous research and planning blends in together with a fresh stream of ideas.”
 

On being on set 

“For me being on set doesn’t count as work, I try to have good time and set a positive mood for the team. Usually, I start with intense and loud music early in the morning. People walk in and think ‘is this a club?’ I use music a lot to set a tone for a day. When you are having a good time, work doesn’t feel like work – music helps me to think creatively.”

On the beauty of changing your mind 

“I always go back to the old classics – Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Victor Skrebneski, Bill Brandt, they always got it so right. There are so many new talented photographers right now but it’s impossible to keep track. I admire photographers that do whatever they feel is right at the time. As humans we evolve every day so why would you constrain your work into one signature? Filmmaker Jonas Mekas believes that beauty can be found in changing your mind – if humans never changed their minds then we would still think the earth was flat. I’m trying to be open-minded and to not restrict myself too much, if it comes to me naturally then that’s the most honest representation of who I am.”

On success 

“It depends how you measure it – some people measure it with money, some people measure it with likes on Instagram, others measure success as being happy with their own work. I think the latter is a good measure, if you are as critical as me about your own work you will continue to push yourself, naturally evolving to be better.”
 

On Selfridges 

“I’ve been at Selfridges since October 2019. To me, the company successfully blends the physical and digital. In lockdown, it became about digital but there is a similar feeling when you look at the window displays and all the collaborations and events in store. We adapted to lockdown fast and really focused on the end-user experience. We have an amazing group of talented people who always come together – work is fun, it never feels grinding.”

On fashion 

“I draw a lot of inspiration from clothes. I like garments that are more experimental – sometimes a model will step in and I’ll look at the colour, shape and how it’s arranged and will completely reset the lighting. I often change the lighting for each shot to alter the silhouette.”
 

On his fellow photographers

“My friend Marili Andre has really surprised me, she’s popped off this year and I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do next. I’m also really excited to see where my friend Alina Negoita goes, her work is the complete opposite to mine but I’m a big, big fan.”

On creativity in lockdown 

“Love the lockdown, bring it on! For me, it completely removed any unnecessary distractions and helped to strengthen my relationships with people, especially family. I was lucky to have quite a bit of photography work over lockdown. Also, my girlfriend and I are working on a start-up right now that has nothing to do with photography. We’re about to launch a probiotic brand, Byōme, for gut and skin health.
 

On social media 

“Instagram is an amazing tool because you can be anywhere in the world and be discovered by anyone in the world. Photographers no longer have to rely on print magazines as you can build your own audience and show the work as soon as it's ready, but Instagram doesn’t work for all photographers. I don’t think art photographers get enough recognition and some images need to be printed or looked at for longer. Sadly, Instagram is now informing how and what people photograph while too much emphasis is placed on the like button. People get too focused on followers and what other people think about their work. It’s easy to compare yourself and lose who you really are.”

On advice for aspiring photographers 

“Be nice, be persistent – if you really love what you do then it's going to come naturally to you. If you are enthusiastic and passionate you are going to end up learning more which will make you a better photographer.”
 

On the future of photography 

“The industry has become dramatically faster; it all started with digital cameras and then fast-forwarded 10 years with Instagram. Sometimes photography is not as appreciated as it should be – it’s become polluted with fast-produced imagery as companies need at least 50 images to get by on social media for a week, reducing the amount of time, consideration and money available to produce it. I hope we are going to hit a wall one day where we are bored of this fast, cheaply produced imagery. I hope that it reverses at some point and people who work with old techniques and shoot on film will be more appreciated.”