In his debut exhibit Through Different Lenses, Surf City photographer and writer Eric Vithalani invites viewers to consider how perspective shapes every portrait.
When Surf City-based photographer and English instructor Eric Vithalani hosted his first photography exhibit, Through Different Lenses, on September 20, 2025, at the Sea Witch Lounge, he was doing more than showcasing art – he was exploring perception itself.
Although the show was recent, the concept had been in Vithalani’s mind for years.
“I saw something online years ago,” he says, “where an empty room had just one subject, and six or seven photographers each took portraits of him based on different ideas of who they thought this person was. I always thought it was really interesting. It stuck with me. I decided last spring to just go for it and see if a few photographers in the area wanted to do something like it.”
Photo by Eric Vithalani
From that, Through Different Lenses was born. The exhibit featured the work of four photographers — Vithalani, Amy Shores, Hannah McMahon and Ryan Butschle. Each photographer captured portraits of two subjects, Katie Page and Chad Aultman. The concept was simple yet rich: Each artist interpreted the same person through their own eye, resulting in a collection that explored subjectivity.
The exhibit’s description read: “Each photographer captures the essence of Katie Page and Chad Aultman — offering unique perspectives, moods and stories. An exploration of individuality through the artistry of multiple visions.”
One of the most satisfying parts for Vithalani was seeing how distinct each photographer’s approach to light, composition and emotion shaped the outcome.
Photo by Amy Fowler Shores
“The different aspects that all four of us brought to the table was the target,” Vithalani says. “Before I even knew whose photos were whose, I could kind of tell just from their style, which was kind of fun too. Overall, I was very pleased with it.”
Through Different Lenses was far from Vithalani’s first creative venture.
The Carolina coast is a region that has long nurtured his artistic life, from writing to photography. A full-time English teacher at a local community college, he has been with the school for nearly 14 years. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from University of North Carolina Wilmington. He moved to Wilmington in the mid-1980sand then moved to Surf City about 13 years ago.
Photo by Ryan Butschle
A creative by nature, Vithalani has been taking photos for about two decades. He started without a plan, snapping random photos of anything that appealed to him, then moved into surf photography. Now his favorite is portraiture.
“I really like street portrait photography and the human nature of it,” Vithalani says. “Because it’s not planned, and it’s just real people in real life. I can capture a piece of that and tell some sort of story. That’s sort of what I’m trying to accomplish, and that’s what I like.”
Vithalani’s commitment to the craft has grown steadily, and his work has not gone unnoticed in the region.
In 2025 he won the portrait category for the Cape Fear Living Photographer of the Year and also received honorable mention and runner-up overall. But Through Different Lenses marked his first time as an organizer rather than simply a participant, and he found the turnout encouraging.
Photo by Hannah McMahon
“There were probably 30 or 40 people,” he says. “I really did not know what to expect because I have never done anything like this before. Everybody seemed to really like it and had fun.”
Through Different Lenses was not just a study in portraiture, but a reminder that no two people ever see things quite the same way. For an artist who spends his days teaching others to interpret words and his evenings interpreting light, that makes for a timeless lesson for everyone.
VIEW VITHALANI’S WORK
Eric Vithalani
@eric_vithalani
View his portfolio at ericvithalani.mypixieset.com
