Julie Watts is a fabulous photographer and woman. Brian and I met her when she attended one of our workshops last year. She sent me this image in regards to the Darkness and Light Photo Contest, and I had to share it with you!
Isn’t this image AMAZING! The story is that she was doing some portrait work for belly dancers in her studio and WOW! Julie wasn’t trying to enter the contest but wanted to share her idea of Darkness and Light, and I couldn’t help but not share it with all of you!
Julie is so sweet! Her life is so dynamic! Can you believe she was a BMX racer?! I mean that alone makes her a “Cool Cat!” because I don’t know anyone else that has done BMX racing!
She also has two little ones and is now a full time photographer! Check out her blog and read the About Me part, it’s awesome! I totally laughed out loud!
Julie can we convince you to tell us a little about yourself? 🙂
How did you take this photo? What was the recipe behind it? How did you get the color so vibrant? And for those of us reading who are parents wanting to go full time, what’s one piece of advice you’d share? Or two pieces! 🙂
Wow Julie!
That picture is awesome! This is an area I am looking into now… studio lighting…. I work with natural light! I gotta admit I am intimidated!
BTW I love the silhouette shot! And that you can see some detail of the outfit. The flowing fabric adds such an element of richness and flowing movement… EXCELLENT job!!
I HEART Julie!!!! It was Sara and I that suggested she enter that awesome pick! Haha I’m so glad you decided to post it! Julie is the nicest person! She is eager to learn and eager to teach not to mention super fun. I am so glad ive gotten to know her and now count her as one of my friends! Julie you have that something special that makes people comfortable and that shows in your wonderful images! You rock mama congrats on your “feature”!
I’m here to sing Julie’s praises as well! After our workshop, she took me under her wing and invited me to 2nd shoot for one of her weddings. She has since spent time with me in the office and in the studio, teaching me about studio lighting and answering my business questions. It’s so nice to have a true friend who understands the business and what I’m going through! She is a kindred spirit for sure!
JULIE, YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!
P.S. Meeting Julie is another wonderful example of why Me Ra’s (and Brian too!) workshops are so amazing! It brings people together in a way that creates true connections and often lasting friendships. It was the best business/personal growth decision I have made thus far! =)
P.P.S I heart Misty too! 😉 What a love fest we have here in blog world! She is totally right, even though I haven’t yet attended a workshop (sonoma baby) I have met great people and friends though Me Ra and this blog!
Beautiful photo! The colors and the swishy feel – I love it! Great post!
I met Julie at your workshop too!! Great shot!
…and “Cool Cat” is a good description of her 😉
I can’t wait for Sonoma!!!!!
OK, so everyone is right, Julie is great! I met her at MeRa’s workshop last fall, and it has been so good to hang out with her lately. She is so open to helping out us newbies… I can not tell you how much I appreciate it! Great job Julie!!!
This is the most surreal moment, ’cause as I’m conjuring up my official first response to this post, I can’t think straight because there’s some 5-year-old little sister Vs. 8-year-old big brother bickering that I’m moderating at the same time. Have you ever noticed how even though they are butting heads, siblings refuse mom’s urging to go play separately?!
Self-employment is awesome, and for me, it’s a completely different lifestyle than if I worked a 9-5. There are some MAJOR trade offs (indivual health insurance, anyone?)
especially because my husband is self-employed, too (he restores classic cars). But if you’ve got that nagging, little burning desire that is pulling you towards photography and self-employment, you HAVE to pursue it! That’s what that little flame is, man, it’s lighting the way you need to go…EVEN if you’re scared, EVEN if you don’t know how. That’s what’s so exciting about trusting your gut and having faith. Me Ra’s post about SCUBA diving in Thailand is such a great example. I got a rush just reading about how she faced a MAJOR fear!
Okay. So I seriously need to go make dinner before I take you on the journey which is “The Answers to The Questions” above…I’ll be back!
“if you’ve got that nagging, little burning desire that is pulling you towards photography and self-employment, you HAVE to pursue it” —– My favorite line in that whole comment!
Thanks so much! This is so cool! Okay, so a little about me. I have the most perfect hippie-mechanic-philosopher-artist-musician husband, Brent. I could go on, but that’ll do for now 🙂
Drew, my almost-9 year old who is tender and smart. He feels great responsibility for his 5 year old wild child sister, Gwen. He’s like a miniature Dr. Phil, setting her straight about everything from squeezing the cat, or cleaning up her messes.
I’ll blog about them and post pictures!
Malia actually brought in an image she had found on the internet that had a similar sillouette effect. “Can you do this?” She asked. Hmm, not until I talk to Marion Cain (www.marioncain.com), the photog I share my studio space with who is a STUDIO LIGHT Whiz! We have been talking about him giving studio lighting classes. He’s one of those people that is right at home with studio lighting and full of ideas. If you check out his website, just brace yourself, he shoots a lot of models in bikinis on motorcycles!!
So Marion explained to use a strobe light with a “gel”, or colored cellophane plastic, clamped across the light. The backdrop is plain blue, but the “flashlight” effect the strobe has with the pink gel looks SO exotic when you add Malia. And how great is the light reflecting off of the…oh what are those pieces of fabric called…jeez..well you know. Anyhow, this was a huge challenge and a big experiment, to try what turned out to be this ultra simple lighting effect. This is something you could do a mini-model of with your kids’ action figures and a flashlight and some sheets. I mean now that you know it’s just one light…make the shutter speed fast, maybe 1/200th. Everything else, just experiment! I know I kept a ISO 200 which is probably where the deep colors originated. Also very important–we were in my studio where there are NO windows. So you know what that means. Now you’re gonna have to take your mini-model of this lighting setup in your bathroom and where it’s dark and take a picture and send it in to Me Ra and me, and of course Malia would get a big kick out of seeing that, too. Lol! I’ll leave the explaining of your odd behavior to your hubbie up to you! But it would be really fun and a great lesson in the basics of light in a goofy, i’m-playing-with-toys kind of way. But you know you miss that…
This is soo long, Me Ra. Is that okay?! I don’t want to break any blog comment rules. Can I finish the rest of the questions on my blog?
Thanks so much for the awesome vibes you guys are sending this way! I feel them!
Great feature on Julie!
I didn’t know about her racer days and I agree that is pretty cool! For some reason it doesn’t surprise me….. I love that photo of her with the snowflakes, so sweet!
Julie,
it is official you have gone BLOG-WILD!!!!
OK, I am usually a blog stalker, but coming out of hiding to comment on this one! I feel so blessed to have been part of this workshop and be able to read the post and comments and know I know who most of these people are. Great job Julie! Looking forward to getting together later this month! Thanks for sharing MeRa… x0x0x0 Connie
Julie, you are so sweet to share as much as you are! Keep sharing girl! I don’t think it’s possible for people to take over the blog in the comments section. This blog is so much about all of you having a voice as much as me having fun with it. And as you can see, people are loving your comments! So comment away my dear! xoxo
Julie,
I love that shot girl! I sent you a card and it was sent back. Thanks for being you and having such a fun style and inspiration.
Dinea
Julie,
love, love, LOVE all that you are!!To know from just a few hours of our lives connecting what you created with your artistic talent behind the camera is truly a WORK OF ART!! Yes, you are a “COOL CAT”…and more than that, a woman with a HEART OF GOLD who impacted my life..
THANK YOU,Me Ra for recognizing art at its finest~
This is like, better than my birthday almost! lol
Dinea, yeah, I never got your card, wonder why in the world it got sent back??! Jeez, thanks for sending me a card!
I went into SUPER-depth on my blog, expanding on Me Ra’s great questions. I didn’t know I had so much to share, honestly, until I was asked! I KNOW you ALL have something you could teach somebody else…
this is great – i know Julie is the reason i have gotten involved with other photographers – she encouraged me to step out and network – she has such an energetic and relatable personality. way to be julie watts, way to be!