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Justina Ramanauskiene

Justina Ramanauskiene Food blogger

Lithuania

"It's easier to share the world I see through pictures than through words." At the age of 14 she swore never to cook again, now Justina is a successful food photographer and blogger.

What about you? Tell us something about yourself! I'm Justina. I have a wonderful husband, who supports and motivates me to grow in photography. I probably wouldn't be in food photography if it wasn't for him. We have two wonderful children, who drive us crazy again and again and still we love them madly. They’re also the engine that keeps us going. My husband's name is Vilnius like the capital of Lithuania; my daughter's name is Sofija like the capital of Bulgaria, and my son Paris like the capital of France - my most beloved city in the world. So I always have three personal capitals by my side.

What do we find on your blog ? My blog "sugar to dust" is about food and travel. Most of the posts are food photos and recipes. I prefer desserts, especially cakes. There are also photos and stories from my trips, cityscapes and self-portraits. I love photography overall, so you’ll find my photo experiments there, too.

What is your inspiration? I am inspired by the environment, the interaction with family and friends, other bloggers and photographers. I'm extremely inspired by travel, new people I meet there, and the cinema. A brief shot of a dish in a movie can set me on fire and I immediately start to plan and get products that are needed to cook or bake. I love to visit local food markets both at home and while travelling. There are so many colors and shapes to discover. I can seldom stay calm. I would like to buy this and that and start shooting immediately.

What do you like most about blogging? I'm not an enthusiastic blogger, because I’m not into writing so much. I always have to force myself to write something, I prefer photography. I like moody, dark pictures. As a self-taught photographer I like to discover how to control lights, shadows, and build compositions. By the way, I shoot only in natural light. I don't have a studio with an artificial light setup.

What do you want to achieve? Your aims, wishes… I'd really like to be a traveling food photographer. So I could combine everything I love - travelling, eating and taking pictures. I also have the ambition to publish some photo-culinary books.

A fun fact you would like to share? My father used to joke about my early attempts in cooking when I was 10 - 14 years old. Mostly my cake ended up unsuccessful in a bin with my sincere disappointment and swears that I'll never cook again.

What does food mean to you? Food is life for me, and not just as a physical supply of nutrients for my body. It's much more. It is baking or cooking - the process itself, creativity, communication, tasting, new experiences. I love it when the chef in a restaurant understands that it's not just the ingredients or taste what makes a dish delicious - it's more the combination of taste, smell and appearance. And as a photographer, I would say that the look is one of the most important components. It's about first impressions, the same as with people. You decide within the first 10 seconds whether you want to continue interacting. Food is a miracle; I sincerely love it very much.