Creative people that grow – Julie K Photo

I think this professional endorsement is a long time overdue but here it is. Not only is it a professional one its also one from the heart.

I first came into contact with Julia K after she joined my myspace page. She loved the music video I was in (Skinny – by Lo-Rider) and we talked about working together one day. I think it may have been two years or possibly more when we did eventually meet face to face for a photohoot in L.A

She drove all the way from San Francisco with her dear hubby and sometimes assistant, Ray, and there was major fatigue on both sides due to them coming in late and joining me at a club in Hollywood the night before.

The next day we were all definately feeling it but ever the professional Julia turned up on time and told me that instead at shooting at my hotel (which to be honest wasn’t the most elite) we would shoot at hers which has to be said was beautiful.

We really went in blind into the shoot. I brought the stuff I was going to wear, as it was planned to be a boudoir shoot and Julie brought her camera and lighting. I asked Ray to film some of it for my youtube channel at the time as well.

Some times as a model you don’t gel with the photographer – there have been many I’ve worked with who just didn’t get the give and take of a shoot. Instead they scream at you to do this and that and all you really feel like saying is – ‘Give me a break – that’s not going to make me look the way you want it to.’ Nine times out of ten I’m right.

Julie was a different matter. She calmly chatted as we shot and we came up with a few ideas on the hop.  We also went to the beach to do a few shots too. It was relaxed and fun. Ray didn’t say much – he’s very quiet but he’s also a gentleman. I’ve been on shoots where there is no privacy to change outfits and I have never had a problem with that but Ray turned away and assisted Julie like a professional. They both worked as a great respectful team.

That evening Julie and Ray dropped me off at Phil and April Cruz’s place and on the way Julie got upset. I hope she doesn’t get embarrassed if I mention it but I feel it’s important. She just said, out of the blue, ‘I just want to make women see their beauty. I want every person I shoot to know they are beautiful.’  I was touched although my cool English exterior may not have alluded to that – I was. And I didn’t quite understand the meaning of what Julie does in her photography up until now.

Nearly a year after we met I am looking through her body of work – her latest venture is photographing men – sexy but not overly provocative. The lighting is beautiful and the men  aren’t models – they are just regular people having their pictures taken. What Julie has captured isn’t just good looking men – but the souls of those men.

Julie nearly gave up. The economy went down, people were slow to book sessions and its fair to say I was concerned that she just would stop her photography and it’s also fair to say I screamed out loud more than once or twice because I could see this wonderful creative person loose sight of her goal. But Julie has strength she doesn’t know, like so many women – we fall off the bucking bronco of life and are dazed. We then make a choice – get back on or forever wander in the wilderness thinking, ‘what if?’

I’m always humbled and amazed when people force themselves to continue – especially those who are creative. They learn their craft and keep growing. This is what I feel Julie has done and continues to do through her work.

It is her passion and she has delivered some great work for others to enjoy. Most of all, for those people she touches with her lens – it’s their soul and beauty that remain etched in a moment in time.

I would welcome another chance to work with Julie and I know this time we will be different people – she will be a more confident in her ability and I will be more confident to let someone guide me through the shoot.

You can enjoy some of Julie’s work on her facebook http://www.facebook.com/juliekphoto You will see she does all sorts of photography. She’s very diverse. Most of all she cares about how the subject feels about their photographs. She’s ever mindful of what a big step it is for a non-model to have their photos taken. Heck, even us professional ones have our issues from time to time.

This is Julie’s favourite picture of me she took at the time.

She quoted at the time

I love this photo, I love all the pics I took, but I have an affinity towards this one in particular..feminine, grace, elegance, thoughtful…all of these come to mind : )

Julie K March 2009

Well I see that now and thank you to Julie for capturing those aspects of me and many others in other photos you took.

She is based in the West Coast but she does travel and I highly recommend you keep an eye on her calendar.

If all you ever do for yourself  is have one professional picture taken  in the way you feel comfortable by someone like Julie, who sees past what you see and goes deeper – then do it. That picture is your soul – in all of its glory, forever etched in a moment in time by someone who just wants every person she photographs  to see their beauty.

V x