© 2026 Storytellus • Curated by Matteo Daglio
🌐︎ ITALY
A PAUL'S STORY
CREATED BY: PAUL ACOSTOAEI
READ TIME: 05 MIN | 10 PHOTOS
My name is Paul, and I’m a Romanian photographer. I’ve been living in Modena, Italy, since 2005, spending well over half my life here.
I didn't always know what I wanted to do with my life, but I’ve always been fascinated by photos.
I was raised by my grandparents until I was eleven. After the fall of communism in Romania, many people went abroad in search of better jobs, and my mother did the same. Her photos were often what kept me company; she couldn't always visit, and she couldn't bring me with her yet because I was a minor, and the law at the time required a father's signature.
Today, photography still means the same to me: unforgettable memories to be relived. Until a year ago, I was living happily with my partner, but he passed away due to health issues. Besides his photos, I still have his beautiful cat, Mitzy, who lives with me and my own cat, Céline. Photography isn't just an art form; it captures fundamental moments of our lives that turn into memories. That is why I turned this passion into my profession.
My mission has become showing that there are so many beautiful things in the world to discover and see. We are far too used to hearing only about tragedies, as if we should just surrender to ugliness and sadness. But I want to tell people that beauty exists too, that life has so much to offer us, and that we must open ourselves up to these opportunities.
Modena is my city, and I love photographing it, capturing its events and what happens both in the city center and the surrounding countryside. I love focusing on places we tend to overlook, like a simple meadow. To us, it's just a field, but to other creatures, it’s an entire world.
On my website, I have a space called "Visioni" (Visions), a digital space dedicated to giving photography the weight it deserves, encouraging people to take their time to look without the pressure of social media. This project is ongoing and open to anyone who has a photo to share; you simply go to the designated section in the menu and email your photo.
Recently, I also developed a passion for traveling, just picking up my camera and setting off for whichever cities inspire me at the moment. I’ve also been frequently photographing Pride events and the LGBT community. I would love to become an official Pride photographer to share the stories of so many people who rely on these events to build a safer world. The world doesn't belong to just a small group of people; it belongs to everyone living in it.
I don't care if my business faces challenges because of the causes I support. In my life, I've decided to always fight for what I believe in. I’ve been fortunate to have many people who believe in me, and I want to push my mission forward.
Even though I started recently, I was lucky enough to win two local contests and participate in many initiatives. In 2024, I worked for the first time as an official photographer for Modena Pride. This year, I stepped in as the coordinator for the photography team at Modena Pride and volunteered at Rimini Pride. Looking ahead to 2027, I already see myself volunteering at EuroPride in Turin and at every Pride event I can possibly attend.
I believe the world still has so much to offer and so many colors left to discover. Despite loss and all the atrocities happening around us, the main thing is to never give up.
Travel, explore, meet people, laugh, and remember: you are always free.
VISUAL DIARY
Click on the photos to view them full screen
10 PHOTOS
Would you like to learn more about Paul, his projects, and his photography services? Feel free to visit his website, just click here