About us

The Welpix story is, at its heart, a twenty-year love affair with the art of the image. It began with our founder and CEO, Martin Pitonak, who started his career behind a traditional lens. Mastering the delicate play of light and composition, Martin spent years as a professional photographer before his forward-thinking nature led him to the architectural and design hubs of Toronto, Canada. Over the next decade, he obsessed over perfecting product imagery, helping businesses build a premium online presence through technical precision.

However, our story is also one of radical adaptation. In 2020, as the world faced unprecedented lockdowns, the “hardships” of traditional physical photography—logistics, studio access, and high costs—became insurmountable barriers for many brands. Martin saw a solution where others saw a dead end.

Leveraging 15 years of 3D design expertise alongside his photographic roots, Martin pioneered a hybrid methodology to bridge the gap. On December 21, 2020, he finalized a foundational framework he officially termed “CGI Photography“—a specialized approach that applies real-world photographic principles to the digital realm.

This breakthrough was first shared with the world through Still Life Academy, an educational platform Martin created to teach this new craft. As the concept gained global traction, it evolved into Welpix. Today, we utilize the very tools Martin helped define to provide imagery that is faster, more versatile, and more convenient than traditional methods. We haven’t left photography behind; we simply gave it a new, digital soul.

The Evolution of CGI Photography: A Timeline of Innovation

• 2005 – 2017: The Professional Foundation Over a decade of high-end 3D design and architectural visualization in the diverse market of Toronto, Canada. During this time, Martin perfected the technical skills required to build complex digital worlds.

• March 2018: The Lighting Breakthrough Martin begins using 3D software (SketchUp) to simulate and map out real-world studio lighting setups. This “pre-visualization” phase proves that 3D space could follow the exact physics of a photo studio. View 2018 Video Proof

• Early 2020: The Catalyst Global lockdowns halt traditional studio productions. Martin realizes he doesn’t need a physical room—he can move his entire photography workflow into the digital studio he started building in 2018.

• Dec 21, 2020: The Invention Martin Pitonak drafts the first formal definition and methodology for “CGI Photography,” officially merging the soul of a photo shoot with the power of 3D. View Original 2020 Manifesto

• 2021: The Education Phase Launch of Still Life Academy, the world’s first platform dedicated to teaching the “CGI Photography” methodology to the next generation of artists.

• Present Day: The Global Standard Welpix scales this original methodology to serve international brands, maintaining the high-end photographic standards set by Martin during those early years of innovation.