I always find it fascinating and inspiring to talk with a guest whose creative life began not with a camera but with a different art medium like drawing or painting. It allows us to draw a connection between early art influences and current life practices in photography. Julie Powell started her creative pursuits in high school with a photography class, which included darkroom practices. Two years later, she had saved up enough to buy her own Olympus OM1 camera. But Julie also loved painting and went on to early careers as a graphic designer and art teacher.
Julie’s passion for photography didn’t fade for long. With a love of fantasy art and novels, Julie has fashioned a signature style of photography to honour that love. Julie’s personal and professional work draws heavily on her artistic heritage and fascination with obscure worlds and themes.
“Julie believes that life is meant to be enjoyed. Her infectious enthusiasm for the craft is reflected in her philosophy—photography is not just about capturing moments but revelling in the process, and finding joy in the creative journey.”
Regarding her photography and creative pursuits, it’s impossible to pigeonhole Julie Powell into a specific genre or sub-genre. Julie is a multi-disciplined, multi-genre, artistic portrait and still life photographer who also dabbles in macro, food, florals, headshots, products, pets, and even Santa photos at the end of the year. However, Julie’s prowess doesn’t stop there, as she is also a dedicated workshop instructor, leading groups of eager photographers in discovering new and creative ways to capture subjects and people. Julie’s love of education even resulted in her turning her home garage into a comprehensive studio and workshop space. Julie is most at home when working with small groups of attendees while also delivering individual care to anyone who needs it. Another key element to her craft is her philosophy that photography is far more than capturing moments. Julie believes that enjoying the process, acknowledging the experience, and finding delight in the creative pursuit are just as critical as the final image.
“I would also like to pile on the praise for Julie, but in a different way, in that she helped me out when I needed all the help I could get. It was during COVID that my club was really struggling to stay together when I found Julie and she introduced us to Zoom as a training tool, but more importantly, a way of staying in touch, continuing learning, and keeping the connections between members strong during tough times.” Robin Tully.
Julie Powell Photography offers an ever-expanding range of online and face-to-face workshops annually. Julie’s highly popular online classes include The Secret Life Of Fruit - Macro Photography, Fine Art Florals, and Simple Still Life In Natural Light. Regarding Julie’s face-to-face workshops, her catalogue of educational offerings is impressive. It features workshops such as Lavender Dreams: A Photographic Event, covering environmental portraiture in a lavender field, and Cirque Noir- Aerialist, capturing aerial lyra performance art. Every one of Julie’s online and face-to-face workshops and classes grants photographers an opportunity to master new and fantasy-inspired themes of a traditional genre. While it’s true that Julie is an educator and workshop instructor (she also used to be an art teacher), she has expanded her services and support to other photographers beyond the classroom experience. Unsurprisingly, Julie offers additional support, including one-on-one mentoring and creative coaching, guest speaking, software guides, and online walkthroughs covering everything from leading applications, including Lightroom, Photoshop, DXO, and more. The free-to-access guides drill down further into commonly used or mistaken features of any listed apps. It’s a simple yet effective way to support photographers in building their skills and understanding. It’s also worth pointing out that Julie expands her educational output through personal blogs and articles written for external publishers.
While we didn’t get the chance to catch up with Julie at BFOP 2025, she was there running a pair of highly creative and acclaimed photography workshops. BFOP 2025 was Julie’s first festival as an instructor. However, she has been to BFOP in the past, but as a ticket-holding participant, so she has had the pleasure of experiencing BFOP from different perspectives. Despite 2025 being her first BFOP as a part of the instructor team, Julie created and successfully delivered two dynamic workshops designed to elevate and delight workshop participants. The Roaring 20s Gatsby Photography Workshop was a masterclass of prop and set use, mood lighting, model posing, and themed image making.
“This is your chance to capture the glitz and glamour of the Jazz Age, where flappers, dapper suits, and extravagant accessories come together for the ultimate vintage photoshoot. This workshop is your gateway to creating classic, cinematic portraits with a modern twist.”
Julie’s second workshop, Romantic & Fabulous Steampunk Photography Workshop, offers participants a fantasy-like experience in world-building, creative portrait, and stunning image-making. Julie’s workshops are designed for all levels of photography skill and know-how. Given Julie’s passion for education and running workshops, it’s no surprise that she is now a BFOP instructor.
“Step into a world where vintage meets the extraordinary, and romance collides with whimsy.”
Through The Camera Life podcast, we get to meet and chat with some of the industry's best and most ingenious professional photographers - folks who have cut through a crowded market and risen above the noise of social media influencers to shine brightest. Getting to know more about Julie and her creative journey was an absolute delight. I especially loved geeking out with her about the fantasy novels we’ve both read. Julie’s approach to supporting and educating other visual creatives is inspirational and a testament to her personal and professional composure. If you’re unfamiliar with The Camera Life Podcast, be sure to take a look at our YouTube channel for the latest episodes and, of course, our back catalogue of weekly shows. Our shows are also available on popular audio podcast platforms. If you like what you see, please give us a thumbs up, subscribe to The Camera Life, and click on the bell icon to receive notifications of upcoming shows. We host two shows weekly, the first being every Thursday at 9am AEDT (Australia), where we interview amazing guests. The second show, The Random Photography Show, airs every Monday at 7:30 pm AEDT. The Random Photography show is a little random, a little loose, and a lot of fun! Be sure to check them out.
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