by Editor Marius Cinteză
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 28th of March 2025

Born in Constanța, Romania, Emilian Avramescu is a legal advisor by profession, but his true passion lies in photography - a pursuit that has shaped his artistic vision since 2012. Unlike many who immerse themselves in the technical complexities of the craft, he has always been drawn to the introspective and contemplative nature of photography, seeing it as an extension of his inner world rather than a mere skill to be perfected. His approach to photography is deeply poetic and philosophical, leading him to develop the concept of "phosema"- a term that encapsulates the fleeting, imperfect images captured in an instant, often with the phone from his pocket.

These images, in his words, are mere echoes of the thousands of perfect poems he has seen in his mind’s eye but will never be able to write. To him, the connection between photography and poetry transcends the tangible, belonging instead to the subliminal and ineffable. His distinct artistic approach was recognized in 2024, when he won 1st place in the Best Phone Photographer category at the Romanian Visual Awards, a testament to his ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. But for him, photography is no longer an end in itself - it is a journey, a passage, a continuous unfolding of perception and experience. Through his lens, he invites us not just to see, but to feel, reflect, and lose ourselves in the silent dialogue between image and imagination.
I invite you to delve deeper into the Emilian’s world, the artist behind the lens, whose vision transcends the boundaries of traditional photography!

'We pass like shadows'
 

Emilian, could you briefly introduce yourself? Tell us a little about your background, hobbies, and any other projects you're currently involved in.

I have been a legal advisor for over 25 years. I practice and live on the shores of the Black Sea, in Constanța (Romania), the city where the Latin poet Ovid was once exiled. After graduating from the Faculty of Law, I pursued and completed a master's degree in communication and public relations. During my student years and for a short period afterwards, I dabbled in journalism and poetry.

'Counterweight'

You once mentioned that photography was a latent passion for you. When did you realize that you wanted to embark on this journey?

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the camera, which seemed to me like a true magic box. However, I only started to delve deeply into photography much later, long after my early youth. I enrolled in a photography course around 2012, when I was already 38 years old. As a child and young adult, I simply could not afford to buy a camera.

'The Ghost'

How would you describe your relationship with photography? How significant is it in your life?

Currently, I believe my relationship with photography has become very relaxed. At the beginning, I was quite tense because I always felt that I needed quick and concrete validation of my work. I thought that things had to be done in a specific way to appear as a real photographer. It was also during the peak era of DSLR cameras. Like many other beginners, I believed that a bulky and expensive camera made one a true photographer. It was a struggle, compensated only by passion, because I was and remain someone with little technical affinity. It took me a long time to grasp even a little of what photographic technique and camera settings meant. Even now, I haven't fully mastered them.

'Connection'
 

What has been the most impactful experience so far that has shaped your path in photography?

It was a combination of moments and experiences. The courses, workshops, and photography festivals I attended, as well as meeting several experienced photographers, influenced my journey in photography. Books were also important—especially those about photography that contained no photographs.

'(C)old times'

How would you define your photographic style? And what exactly is a "phozema"?

If I have a style, my photographic style is probably contemplative. In general, I like to keep my distance from the subject, observing what happens around me in a somewhat meditative way, which then reflects in the photographic frame. What is a phozema? As I have said before, it is an imperfect picture (often taken with the phone from my pocket) of the thousands of perfect poems I have seen and continue to see in my mind’s eye but will never manage to write. I say this because, at one time, during my student years, I also wrote in a way that was somewhat image-driven, flirting with poetry. Thus, considering my so-called poetic background, the idea of PhozEmes was born—those images through which I attempt to suggest the relationship between photography and poetry as ineffable states that belong more to the subliminal realm.

'Passing'

How do you nurture and develop your passion for photography? What keeps you motivated and inspired?

Everything around us can be a source of inspiration. I admit that I have started to see the world in photographic frames because, at every step, an event occurs that can transform into a photographic image. That is also why I believe I will never lose my passion for photography.

'Bucolic'

In your work, how much is about poetry, and how much is about storytelling or delivering a message? Which do you think is more important in photography—poetry or story?

I feel that the idea of a story that a photograph must tell is often spoken about too easily, too comfortably, and too simplistically. I keep seeing and hearing about narrative threads and alternative scenarios being built around photographs. I believe that photography is closer to poetry than to storytelling. You cannot explain why a certain photograph or image stays in your mind, just as you cannot explain why you resonate with a sequence of words in a poem. As I have said before, poetry and photography can sometimes merge because both can be perceived through a kind of sixth sense. Trying to explain them, to tell their stories, means to destroy them both. I say all this without claiming to have invented any concept or term—after all, photography and poetry have often been compared and associated.

'After the Storm'

Can you walk us through your creative workflow? How do you approach the process of capturing and refining an image?

What concerns me now is trying not to miss, as much as possible, the moment; that is, that fraction of a second in which, among the dozens of events happening around me, I extract just one: the one that will become a photograph. I no longer seek the perfect photograph, because, obviously, the perfect photograph does not exist. It’s not something I say, others have said it long before me—the perfect photograph is always the one that has yet to be taken. For editing, I use free, fairly old, and rudimentary apps. Nothing sophisticated.

'The moment of respire'

How do you stay original and avoid clichés in your photography?

I will be honest. I do not know if I manage to avoid clichés. That is for those who see my photographs to decide, at least to some extent.

'Passing'

What gear do you typically use when shooting on the streets—camera, lenses, phone, or any other essential equipment?

I have realized that, in most everyday situations, the phone in my pocket is the only and best camera available. The size and sophistication of the camera probably represent the classic misperception of a beginner. But it is the initiatory path that most photography enthusiasts take. And I do not think there is anything wrong with that, as long as, in the end, one realizes that the photographic image is not actually in the camera being used but rather in the mind, long before pressing the shutter button—in a realm largely beyond control, because it exists in the subconscious. This does not mean that I no longer use my cameras. I use them whenever I have the opportunity.

'In the storm'

You won 1st place in the Best Phone Photographer category at the Romanian Visual Awards in 2024. What does this recognition mean to you and your career? How has it influenced your artistic vision?

I was surprised when I found out that I had won this award because many photographers had entered the competition, some of them very well-known and much more experienced than me. I am honoured by this award, and I believe it helps me, but without making it an absolute measure, to know that I am on the right path. It is pleasant to win an award, but I do not think this should become an obsession.

'Vision'

Looking back over the past few years, do you have a favourite photo? Could you share the story behind it?

I do not have a favourite photo. However, there is one photography with a special story, far from my current photographic style. It is an older photography that has been the most successful here, on 1x. It is an image of a small owl that I managed to photograph on a summer morning through the window of my car while driving on a dusty road by the sea. I had only a few seconds and a telephoto lens. It seems that the way the little bird looks at the camera, with its large yellow eyes, has captivated many people.

'Look at Me!'

Which photographers or mentors have had the biggest influence on your artistic development?

It would be unfair to name just one person. I have always learned from and been influenced by many people and fellow photographers. And I thank them all.

'The woman from a dream'

As we approach the end of our conversation, could you share some insights into your future plans? Are there any upcoming photographic projects you’re excited about?

For me, photography is no longer an end in itself but rather a path, a continuous passage, a journey in all senses. It no longer matters whether I have a phone or a high-end camera in my hands. I am no longer searching for the perfect photograph because, evidently, the perfect photograph does not exist. I am not the one saying this—others have said it long before me. The perfect photograph is always the one that has not yet been taken. I have stepped out of this vicious cycle of artistic ego, and, freed at last from the obsession of building a photographic oeuvre, I will continue to write PhozEmes. And perhaps, one day, they will appear in a book.

'Another world'

'The Table of Silence'

'Bad Dream (II)'

'Lonely'

'Alter Ego (III)'

'Dreaming'

'Where Do We Come From and Where Are We Going?'

'Time scale'

'Twilight'

'Ways'