You made the book. I make it seen.
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
During the Photobook Festival on Saturday, 23 May 2026, The Book Photographer will give a lecture titled “How to Look at Books from a Photographer’s Perspective.”
Pennings Foundation was given a behind-the-scenes look.
Speaking: Justina Nekrašaitė
In a time when images circulate faster than ever, it is striking how little attention is sometimes given to the image of the book itself. Not the book as a container of images, but the book as an object that needs to be seen, experienced, and remembered. This is precisely where Justina Nekrašaitė positions herself with The Book Photographer Studio: a practice that brings together photography, publishing culture, and care for the book.
Justina continues to work internationally with publishers, designers, institutions, and artists. Her studio in Amsterdam forms the heart of a practice dedicated entirely to books and printed media — a level of specialization that is rare, especially within the art book field. While many photographers combine book photography with other types of work, she chose to focus exclusively on books. Not only as a photographer, but increasingly as an advocate.
From photographer to advocate
When Justina began, the emphasis was on technique: documenting books well and supporting makers in representing their work. That foundation is now simply part of her practice. What has changed is her role.
Being The Book Photographer today means stepping beyond documentation into advocacy. She doesn’t just photograph books; she supports how they exist in the world — how books and their makers are seen, understood, or remembered. Through years of working closely with publishers, designers, institutions, and artists, she has developed a sensitivity not only to how a book is made but also to what it needs to be communicated visually. That is where the studio is growing: into a space that supports bookmakers more broadly, not only through images but also through long-term collaborations.
Meeting a book
Before the camera comes into play, there is a moment of encounter. Justina first opens a book as a reader — neutral, without overthinking. Then something shifts. She moves into a more attentive, almost analytical way of looking: the weight of the paper, the binding, how the pages fall open or stay tight, how the paper reacts to light.
At the same time, she is already imagining the image: how the book will sit in space, how light will bounce, what kind of shadows will support its character. These quiet, sometimes quick moments define everything that follows.
Images as an entry point
In a world saturated with images, Justina prefers to ask a question: what kind of images can actually bring someone closer to a book? An image should not just show a book — it should create curiosity. It should invite someone to pick it up, search for it, and want to experience it physically.
Over time, she began to feel that this role doesn’t stop at photography. The more she worked with bookmakers, the more she felt a need to support the ecosystem around books more broadly. She feels a responsibility not only to represent their work but also to help it travel further.
A microcosm of image, conversation, and experience
Alongside the studio, Justina develops formats that approach the book from different angles.Her podcast Book Making as an Art Form documents the voices behind books — publishers, designers, printers — and captures something of the current moment in the art book world. In episode 6, she speaks with Jesse Presse, who introduced the concept of ‘microcosm’ — a term that aptly captures the nature of her practice.
With Books & Wine, she creates a physical, sensory space where books meet wine, atmosphere, and conversation. A place where books are not only viewed but experienced.
Together, these activities form an ecosystem in which books are seen, discussed, and encountered — through image, dialogue, and environment.
A practice that keeps evolving
Justina completed a Bachelor’s degree in Photography and Media Art, specializing in Audiovisual Art, in Vilnius. She has been based in Amsterdam for several years, where she has developed her practice and built The Book Photographer Studio within the Dutch and international publishing fields. She understands Dutch and communicates on a conversational level, though her professional work is primarily conducted in English.
Her practice continues to grow. She is bringing together the different parts of her work — photography, the podcast, Books & Wine, and mentoring — more clearly under The Book Photographer Studio. Mentoring has become an important part of her practice, supporting creatives who are looking for more clarity, direction, and accountability.
What audiences can expect
Her lectures offer both insight and practical perspective. She shares different ways to approach photographing books and tips on how to document them, supported by many examples. The lecture is relevant for photographers, designers, artists, publishers, and anyone working with books or interested in how they are documented and communicated. It is especially valuable for those working on their own publications and wanting to better understand how to represent them visually.
The ongoing excitement of the book
Despite years of experience, encountering a beautiful book still feels like a gift. At the same time, Justina is aware of how many books she has not yet seen, publishers she does not know, and practices she has yet to discover. That sense of the unknown keeps it exciting.
She is also curious about what lies ahead. A new generation is entering the field with different perspectives and urgencies. She looks forward to growing with it — developing her practice further and finding new ways to support bookmakers along the way.
Instagram: @the_bookphotographer
Podcast: Book Making as an Art Form (Spotify & Apple Podcast)
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