Gheorghe Popa’s connection to photography began in childhood. He grew up in Aiud, where he joined the photography section of the local Children’s Club while in elementary school. He later studied Pharmacy at the “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, but his creative practice continued to evolve in parallel, eventually developing into an internationally recognized body of work.
Today, Gheorghe is based in Târgu Neamț and is known for his long-term projects exploring the relationship between nature, landscape, and human impact. His most acclaimed series, Cuejdel: A Tale from the Carpathian Wilderness, was completed over the course of seven years and became an internationally awarded photography book. His drone-based project, Poisoned Beauty, which examines the traces left on the natural world by industrial activity, was published by National Geographic and featured on the cover of Emergence Magazine. A third project, Bison Land, documents the landscapes and biodiversity of Vânători-Neamț Natural Park. His work has also been published in Outdoor Photography Magazine, Asferico, and GDT, while his images have appeared on the covers of OnLandscape and Elements magazines.
His style blends classical landscape photography with contemporary aerial and abstract approaches. Light, texture, and composition are at the core of his practice, resulting in images that are visually striking and quietly poetic. Long-term projects allow him to remain connected to a place until its less visible stories begin to emerge. Beyond his personal work, Gheorghe founded Gphoto Gallery SRL in 2019, a fine art printing studio that now also offers photographic equipment and consulting through gphoto.ro.
Two of his major projects have already been published as fine art photography books — Cuejdel: A Tale from the Carpathian Wilderness and Bison Land — brought together in a collection available through Gphoto.ro. Looking ahead, Gheorghe aims to develop new editorial projects and continue expanding the Poisoned Beauty series, a deeply personal body of work he feels strongly connected to. His advice for aspiring photographers reflects the same patience that defines his work: “Be patient, curious, and persistent. Focus on long-term projects that allow you to deeply explore a subject, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Study light, composition, and storytelling, but most importantly, develop your own visual voice and remain true to what genuinely inspires you.”
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